No More 4 (or X): 2026 Toyota bZ Gets Over 50% More Power, Up to 314 Miles of Range

• Competes with: Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Volkswagen ID.4
• Looks like: Toyota finally got around to finishing its electric SUV
• Powertrain: 221-horsepower single electric motor or 338-hp dual electric motors; 57.7- or 74.7-kilowatt-hour battery; front- or all-wheel drive
• Release date: Second half of 2025

When the Toyota bZ4X electric vehicle and its Subaru twin, the Solterra, bowed for the 2023 model year, it wasn’t just their black fender panels that made them seem unfinished. Power and range both lagged considerably behind those of rival electric SUVs. As with the refreshed 2026 Solterra, which debuted earlier this year, the 2026 model addresses all of these complaints and then some.

Related: Here Are the 11 Cheapest Electric Vehicles You Can Buy

For starters, it is no longer the bZ4X. Toyota says it is “simplifying the name for customers” in shortening it to simply bZ. And while black fenders are still available, so are body-color pieces that bring a more cohesive look to the bZ’s styling. Slim new LED daytime running lights that span the width of the vehicle also help give the 2026 bZ a cleaner overall look.

What Are the 2026 Toyota bZ’s Powertrain Specs and Range?

The 2026 bZ draws juice from one of two new battery packs. Whereas the old model used a 71.4-kilowatt-hour battery in front-wheel-drive models and a 72.8-kWh pack with all-wheel drive, the 2026 model has a 57.7-kWh pack in the base FWD XLT trim and a 74.7-kWh unit in the rest of the lineup, vaulting the electric SUV from the back to the middle of the pack in terms of range.

The electric motors themselves are more powerful and efficient, increasing base output from 201 horsepower to 221 and netting the small-battery front-drive variant a range of 236 miles, according to Toyota (official EPA ratings are not yet available). That’s only 16 miles shy of what Toyota claimed was the 2025 model’s longest rating — on a battery that is almost 20% smaller. The front-drive Limited is rated at 299 miles, but the longest-range bZ is the front-drive XLE Plus, which pairs the more efficient single motor with the big battery for a range of 314 miles.

With AWD, Toyota says the bZ XLE can go 288 miles on a charge, while the Limited gets 278 miles. AWD bZs also enjoy vastly superior output to their predecessor, with the motors combining for 338 hp, an increase of almost 60%. Toyota says this allows the AWD bZ to accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 4.9 seconds, 1.6 seconds quicker than the 2025 model.

Standard battery preconditioning allows drivers to arrive at DC fast-charger plugs with the battery at an ideal temperature for fast charging, shortening charge time. The function can either be initiated manually or will automatically begin when the navigation destination is set to a fast-charging station. The 2026 bZ is said to be able to charge from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes.

A newly standard North American Charging Standard port allows bZ drivers to use Tesla’s charging network. In addition, paddle shifters on the steering wheel allow drivers to adjust the bZ’s regenerative braking, helping them to recoup more energy under deceleration to travel farther between plugs.

Updated Cabin and Trim Levels

Energy-saving measures are also employed inside the new bZ, with a standard heat pump that controls interior temperature more efficiently than traditional climate-control equipment, as well as a standard heated steering wheel and heated front seats. Radiant heating for occupants’ legs and feet, heated rear seats and ventilated front seats are optional.

Also standard is a new 14-inch touchscreen, 1.7 inches larger than the display in the 2025 model, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In addition, the entry-level XLE features two wireless phone chargers, six speakers, 18-inch wheels, LED exterior lighting, a hands-free power liftgate and the Digital Key feature, which allows the owner to use their smartphone as the bZ’s key. The XLE is upholstered in a blend of fabric and synthetic leather and has a power-adjustable seat for the driver.

Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 is standard on every 2026 bZ. It includes forward collision warning with pedestrian and bicyclist detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-centering steering, road-sign recognition and automatic high beams. Blind spot monitors and rear cross-traffic alert are also standard.

The bZ Limited adds black 20-inch wheels, upgraded LED headlights, a full synthetic leather interior, a power-adjustable front passenger seat and ventilated front seats. The Limited also adds front cross-traffic alert, lane-change assist, traffic-jam assist, automated parking and a 360-degree camera system. A panoramic moonroof is optional, as is a nine-speaker JBL sound system.

What Is the 2026 Toyota bZ’s Release Date and Pricing?

The 2026 Toyota bZ will go on sale in the second half of 2025. Pricing will be announced closer to the launch date.

More From Cars.com:

• Toyota Joins Ionna Charging Network Joint Venture
• How Do Car Seats Fit in a 2023 Toyota bZ4X?
• Is the 2023 Toyota bZ4X a Good EV? 6 Things We Like and 4 We Don’t
• Research the Toyota bZ4X
• Find Your Next Car

Related Video:

Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.