The Toyota BZ4X | The Most Disappointing Modern Toyota and Here's Why
We do a deep dive on the Toyota Bz4x which is the first-ish electric car from Toyota in the modern times. Unfortunately things aren't so well with this car.
Electric cars can work and there's many examples that do work. The BZ4X isn't one of those examples. Everything that is good about the BZ4X is what makes any other Toyota model good. But the electric system design and implementation really leaves a lot of room for improvement.
Toyota is a company that successfully led the charge for Hybrids and PHEVs but in the electric car world, this car leaves a lot to be desired. The electric system is truly rudimentary and experimental and feels like an incomplete product.
Toyota you can do much better than this, but the real question is Do they want to?
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0:00 Intro
0:45 Under The Hood
10:36 Under The Car
13:33 Exterior
20:05 Interior
24:18 Things I Don't Like About It
26:24 Should You Buy One?
When you say “interesting”. I know it means messed up 😂
Him saying "but that's okay" is like a wife yelling "everything's fine, HONEY!"
I wish he was more truthful instead of sugar coating things
I always chuckle when he says “but that’s ok”
For me, it is all the above ⬆️ (comments) 😂
When he says that's ok it means it's not ok😂
Those charging times are insane! I don't think I'll let got of my 22 Camry anytime soon...600 mile range, 5 minutes at the pump, 600 more miles in the tank.
I wish they made a station wagon version of that car. I love the Camry but the storage space just isn't enough for my needs.
@@AWMJoeyjoejoe yep...a wagon version of the Camry would see me getting one. We may be the only two left in the world...but I love wagons.
@@seriousfaithOh we're not alone. Plenty of people love a wagon, unfortunately the industry doesn't agree. Even Volvo are stopping production on station wagons now. Looks like I'll be keeping my V70 for a long time.
@@seriousfaith2025 Crown Signia will be close.
If you get rid of your 22 Camry, and it's the V6 XSE, I want it. LOL
I own one and charge at home with a level 2 charger. Following the 80/20 rule. I drive the car until 20% of the battery and charge it overnight to reach 80%. It typically takes about 5 hours. This car isn't for everybody. The majority of my driving is short distance and I charge it once a week. So it works great for me.
Exactly people act like they drive more than 350 kms daily. This car drives great and is built well most of the people complaining have never even driven the car .
I own one too, bought in March. It's the best car, and Toyota I've ever owned (30+ years). I drive at most 150 miles a day, many days less than that. I took, charge at home overnight when I choose too. I have a full battery ever time I go anywhere. I never need to use a public charger, I did so twice, both to see what it's like. I did charge from 20-80 while I was in the mall shopping. It's more expensive to use public chargers (3x the price), prefer to just charge at home. Waiting for a charge is simply something I don't need to do. This car drives great, is silent, fast AWD, useful, and cheap to drive. Perfect for me. Love it.
Almost forgot. At 100 percent battery with AWD is 225 reported range. When activating AC or heater goes to 200. I think that's about 10 percent, nowhere near "a third". Not sure where this guy got his numbers.
It's too big for my taste but my main issue with it would be the price, which applies to any EV I got a Chevy Bolt, super budgetary
I don't go long distances. I'd happily trade my Rav4 Prime (under 8k miles) for a Toyota BZ4x. Any takers near Boston?
I got my factory training for this vehicle a couple months ago, even though didn't even get to touch it during the 2 days of training. Just worked with hybrids. They explained to us that Toyota went super conservative with the battery. The longer charging time and the shorter range is to make the battery last at least 15 years in their estimation. But I think I'll just keep my Rav4 hybrid for about 10 more years.
If there's a battery that can actually last for than 5 years I have NOT seen it in real life scenario. Just like energizer battery. They say, it can last 10 years in storage, but in real life, it barely last 2 weeks. Litium energizer batteries are no exception.
@@mrvang8077 My 2013 Prius has a nearly 11 year old nickel metal hydride traction battery that is still strong. I have replaced the tiny lead acid glass mat battery (at 7 years), because I left the dome lights on. JD Power now says that traction batteries typically last 10 to 20 years. Green Bean (part of LKQ) offers an optional lifetime replacement extension to a 3 yr. warranty for $275. Think I'll buy from LKQ (Green Bean) when the time comes (if it ever comes). Not ready for the jump from hybrid to full electric (yet). When the time comes, it will likely be either a Toyota or a Honda; not generally happy with the fit and finish of native US car manufacturers. One of the closest dealerships to my home is owned by Tesla, but I'm not any wilder about them than GM, Ford... Would like to see solid state batteries before making the jump. Remember that many folks thought we should have stayed with horses and mules, and not transitioned to engines.
@@mrvang8077even if the battery doesn’t last, it has a 10 year 150k mile warranty and would be replaced at no cost. Most people wouldn’t keep the car that long anyway
Even REALLY stretching and giving Toyota the benefit of the doubt with the charging times for overall battery health, Those home charging speeds are absolutely deal breaking absurd slow. And going back to what AMD was saying with the overall lack of range in this vehicle. If Toyota was really worried about battery health they should have implemented a system capable of more range since that would led to overall less charging in general which means longer lasting battery. The thing is tho its no secret that Akio Toyoda is on record not being a fan of all electric so this was just a half ass release to say they have one.
@@mrvang8077 There are a plenty of EV cars with more than 5 years old battery without any problems. First Prius Plugins are more than 10 years old, and no sign of failing lithium batteries in those. Comparing everyday batteries in the household or in mobile phones to EV car batteries is like comparing apple to pear.
I am 50 years old. I just bought a brand new 2023 Toyota Corolla AWD Hybrid. I am hoping that with proper Maintenace and care, it will be the last car that I own. I don't put many miles on it, and I drive it locally a few times a week. I also change the oil every 5,000 miles.
That’s awesome!
I’m at 25k miles for my 2020 Corolla LE since I got it in 2020
Just understand that average life expectancy of the hybrid battery is about 8 years, replacement cost 6-7k
My 1984 FJ60, 2000 4Runner, and 2000 LandCruiser are still going. Also change the oil at 5k-miles (along with other maintenance on time). I am considering similar to what you did. I figured I’d buy a 4Runner or LandCruiser when one of my current died, but now I’m wonder if I go ahead and just get a current 4Runner to share miles with current vehicles, and that 4Runner will be my last “new” purchase. Otherwise, I don’t know what will be available if I continue to wait until my current vehicle(s) dies. I haven’t had a car payment in about 20yrs.
@@Len10293$6-$7 and you have a car that goes another 8yrs sounds way better than $50k-$100k in 8 years for a new car. That’s probably how much money I’d spend on gas in that time, so it almost seems that if I put gas-cash in piggybank every I would have filled-up, it’s a wash.
I own a BZ and took a road trip with it from Portland Oregon to Missoula Montana. It definitely took longer but it was not awful. The car is super comfortable and charging networks are in place to do it with out much trouble.
I own a Limited AWD and absolutely love it!
I was actually shopping for a RAV4 Hybrid, but every dealership I encountered said I would be placed on a waiting list. After being introduced to the bz4x, I was impressed by the design, warranty, 2 year dealership maintenance, 1 year unlimited free charging and the $10K rebate. I don't mind the charging time at the charge stations, I just do my shopping or watch a KZhead Channel while wating. I don't anticipate the car will have a very high resale value after 3 years of ownership.
Been driving a bZ4x FWD on 20” in the NL since June and put on 6,000 miles. As a daily driver it does not disappoint, build and ride quality are fine and it’s actually quite efficient even at higher speeds and lower temps. Usually I charge at home @11kW every 2-3 days. Last week it was doing 3.6 miles to the kWh on a 280 miles trip and outside temp of 42 Fahrenheit. Did 2 brief stops of 15 minutes and top-up charged at around 75kW. EV driving is a lifestyle and this car fits in nicely.
What average speed were you travelling at, given it is an SUV, I would expect the efficiency to fall away quickly at higher speeds. Anything over about 55 mph.
Good guess; at 65mph the car does about 3 miles/kWh with these low temps. In summer it’s closer to 3.5.
@@hisken0503 Curious details. For a broader picture, this writers 2019 Niro BEV does about the same M/Kh
Thank for the honest review but you did not mention that it doesn’t have a rear wiper blade , like you said Toyota is not interested in making a good EV they want to say see we made one and people are not buying them , Wonder why if they made the investment like they did when the made the first Lexus the LS400 they would of made the best EV on the market for the price they are scared of loosing the hybrid sales they have now I’m also very surprised that you said what you said being a Toyota technician and brand loyal.
I love my 2021 Rav4 Prime with it's flexibility to handle long trips on the gas engine, it will be some time before I transition to a full electric model. Thanks for giving an honest review!
THANK YOU FOR THE HONESTY!!!
I think what you're saying is the BZ4X is a rush job. Because of Tesla's very high market valuation, it forced other manufacturers to have some ASAP representation in the EV category, even if they were resistant (like Toyota). In retrospect, Toyota should have moved their deadlines back for a better design.
Toyota's approach is continuous improvement. We have seen that with the hybrids and plug-in hybrids. Seeing a similar series of upgrades for BEV makes sense.
asap? Tesla has been around for 2 decades, and been making the model S since 2012, model 3 since 2017, 11 years and 6 years respectively
@@jotham123 And they are still garbage. They were then, they still are today. I asked my brother if he would ever get a Tesla or an electric vehicle, and he told me no. Why? He said that the technology for EVs just isn't there yet. And I agree with him.
It is complacency @@john1701a
@@cindyaraya7317 I'd say it's here.. just not in the form of a car. Get an ebike instead. Cycling is the transport future we need. Not more cars - I'd recommend the channel Not Just Bikes
Your reviews are the most insightful ever. You don't just give the usual horsepower, torque, mpg, dimensions, but give a detailed view into the things that make a car durable and enjoyable. I also like how you point out the little things that can affect a car like Hyundai exhaust welds and overly complex HVAC. In regard to your BZ4X review and using the heat pump in cold weather, do you think an alcohol catalytic heater could be developed as a heat source to eliminate some complexity and an electric heater? Having a small ethanol tank should be carbon neutral. (btw, our 2004 Prius with over 160K miles is still going strong with only a battery at 120k miles being replaced)
😊😊😊
My wife and I have been loyal Toyota/Lexus drivers for a long time. This year we decided to go a different route and purchased a new Mazda CX-5. We are very pleased. It is a much better value than the Rav 4 and in our opinion a better overall driving experience.
Please post a small review here in five years how things are going, I'm interrested, seriously. Thanks!
Is it because the RAV4 likes to roll the body in turns?
@@FullTimeGT I can give you a 5-year or 6-year or 13-year review of a Mazda because I've had three of them. Except for replacing a wiring harness and a motor mount on my '04 Mazda6 (the one we had for 13 years) none of those vehicles required anything more than routine care. All of them were a ball to drive and got good gas mileage. I would give the edge to Toyota for engine development and resale value. My brother and his step-daughter just bought CX-5s this fall. My daughter is driving the CX-3 which she bought seven years ago. Her only complaint is that she has outgrown its small cargo capacity. The current CX-5 infotainment system is dated and needs an upgrade.
@@katazack Thank you for your review, appreciated!
@@FullTimeGTi have a used 2012 Mazda3. Shift cable broke after one month. It was nearly impossible to find a new cable. Other than that the car is great
A warm salute from the caribeams. Love your channel, very insightful and respectable and neutral.
Thanks for all your videos on both channels I love how straight you give us the information respect ✊ you are awesome please keep ❤ giving us information lots of people needs to know about cars. 👍👍👍👍👍. Thank you
Amd, your video on this Toyota BZ4X was terrific on explaining all the good and bad points of the electric vehicle. Your excellent ability to make complicated parts simple is fantastic. I have not purchased an electric vehicle at this point, and it will be a while before I do. The hardest part is picking the right make and model. Thank you so much for another great review!
I actually bought a bZ4X Executive AWD. Got it three weeks ago and have done around 1000 km. It drives well. In Norway we have real winters and the AWD developed together with Subaru, is extremely good. I studied the specs before jumping onboard, and it does what it promises. Would a Tesla have been a better option? Thanks but no thanks. To many stories in the media with poor quality and a dealership that doesn't care. I have a super comfy car with best warrenty in the marked. First you have a five year warrenty. After this you get what is called Toyota Relax. After a service by Toyota they extend the warrenty with one year until the car reach ten years. I think it a good car, and it isn't just me. The bZ4X was the number one best selling car in Norway in October.
@@robertdemeny251 As an owner of a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid I saw the BZ4X when I took mine for service as they had just received one the previous day. At the beginning in Spain they really messed up and decided to only rent the damn car for 4 years with 10.000km/yr max. Then they told you about their wonderful 1.000.000 km battery. WTF!!!!! In my working days I would have fired the marketing team. This review does not say what others have experienced with the charging limitation per day which is a major issue when travelling. See Bjørn Nyland's review, also in Norway, or Kyle Conner in Colorado. They both, and others, had charging issues. Then they realized they were just not selling so now they do sell them. In Spain the also offer the same service/1 yr additional warranty offer on all their cars son nothing extra just because of BZ4X. The question is what do they do for service as electric cars needs are minimal. Did they give you a quote? Toyota makes excellent quality cars so all that matters is that one is happy.
I really appreciate your very candid honesty in this review. Makes me love this channel even more. Thank you for this review.
Thanks for the genuine opinion. Was about to get one of this. Got a Venza finally because of shortage and I don't regret.
This is what I was waiting for, thank you for the explanation
The best car review youtube channel ❤
I love my BZ4X. I will drive it until the wheels fall off.
They will NEVER fall off.
😂
The battery is the worst I have it it is sick to charge this car in New York
😂 could happen earlier than you think
I hope it is equipped with solid-state batteries
Just picked one up for 28k and 850 miles on it. Warm climate, home charger and fits my needs perfectly.
I actually saw a first gen RAV 4 EV on the road a few months ago. God bless Toyota’s ambition making that thing back in the 90s.
As a user of BZ4X (front wheel model), I agree with you that the charging time is a bit too long, and the range is a bit short if you have to travel a distance, and there is no glove box. However, I want to say this car meet my expectation: I don't need to travel 100 miles return trip a day, and I almost always charge the car at home. The ride quality of this car is very good (particularly compare with brand T). Recently Toyota updated the Battery Management System and the range is better. The real life range is 270 mile and 230 mile without and with HVAC respectively (south UK, not frozen).
As a 2022 Outback owner, I’d soon own a BZ4X or Solterra rather than a Tesla. Ok, it has particular range issues, but then so do all EV’s compared to petrol cars. It’s ground clearance and off-road capability are real pluses, and just my eyes, I like the look and lines of the duo-tone cladding.
Heat pump working down to 14F is actually impressive. I know in Chicago-land this might be a no-go, but for vast stretches of the US including much of the northeast, that’s just fine.
Works just fine in Minnesota. Think about how infrequently temperature actually drops below 14°F. It is a very small percentage of the year.
It's not that impressive for heat pumps tho.
Thank you for a very thorough and informative review.
Now this is an honest review! And from a Toyota master technician. Bravo!
$44k ! Insane. KUDOS to you AMD for being super honest, especially being a Toyota/Lexus fan. Best/most complete car review channel. Only thing missing is a test drive
Have you seen the prices of electric SUVs? The only semi reasonable ones seem to be from Hyundai
@@smoothbraindetainer prices are out control. No desire to buy anything, especially an EV. 2 1/2 years ago i sold my 2013 ES350 and bought my 2002 ES300. Have all the luxury and refinement I need without a car payment.
$44k is pretty much the base price for a new car these days. You should see what the full-size truck crowd is paying.
@@stephendibari5010 Amen, I recently purchased a 2008 GS 350 for $8,500 cash. I couldn't be happier!
What's really insane is the $70k to $90k infernal combustion engine trucks that GM, Ford and Chrysler can't unload on the public. I understand that what people are buying is more in the $20k to $30k range. Some dealer only auctions are only seeing strong interest in cars in the price range of used Yaris vehicles.
I do like Toyota door lock beep when one of the doors is still open! It’s a reminder to check for open door! Otherwise I might just walk away thinking car is locked while one of the doors is still wide open or barely closed (kid didn’t have the energy to push door to close properly)
My Honda won't beep locked if a door or trunk is open.
Hi AMD, thanks for the well review of this car. I think Toyota is still developing their Electric car. I think all Electric cars are still being refined. I think in five years, most of the refinements will be completed. I hope you have a safe and Happy Thankgiving. Take care. I will be looking for your next video,.
I'm somewhat shocked that you would criticize this car, as a Toyota mechanic.. But I also believe you are very honest. Kudos to you. Wish you were my mechanic.
Thank you for being brutally honest! I wouldn't buy this car at this price nor range. I'm not into electric car anyway. Give it another 10 years and see other alternatives. Good reviews and good man 👍
OP--if you wait for the 'perfect EV' you will die waiting--it took+100yrs to bring the gas powered engines to the point of stupidity. And the gas engine is an obsolete tech, for some decades; right there with the steam engine and the Wankel
You can't afford it 😂
Correct! I have a Toyota GR Yaris to enjoy at a much lower price 😂
AMD, Thanksgiving is coming, let's be very, very generous and say the BZ4X is not quite ready for prime time. On the positive side, the new Crown Signia and the full line of Camry Hybrids are Emmy winners! 🤩🥳🥳🥳🥳👏👏👏
It's not quite ready for RAV4 PRIME time 😂
I don’t live in a cold place. I think it’s an amazing exterior design
I live in San Diego and I can tell you that thermals are really not a problem here 😅. I love having my BZ because it was a $200 month lease and my wife wanted a simple Toyota.
Toyota notoriously against evs, so they make car that makes everyone hate evs even more😂
lol yes it’s like reverse psychology. Make the customer hate them and keep making gas vehicles. Brilliant!
@@justin15157 hybrid*
@@lamontjohnson5810which are gas vehicles lol
It's a compliance car
@@lamontjohnson5810the development of hybrid is staganated as well. The term "staganated" is a down play and polite way to say they did not put effort on improving it. I had a trade in my 2016 highlander with 2023 sienna. The performace of their hybrid system has no noticeable improvment over the one 8 years ago.
I feel like Toyota just said, ‘here’s our EV, you happy now?’ 😂
And I said, yes. Thanks Toyota. Love the car.
Glad I watched this first. My first car will be a Toyota Yaris latest model year when I get it.
I hope you are not punished for the true review by not getting cars from mfg rep. Your channel very insightful and informative, you speak the truth. I was a GM buyer for years in my youth, but my first Toyota made me a lifer for their vehicles, just soooo much better all around. Disappointed that they "checked" the box, but even their outgoing Chairman not sold on all electric, nor I am. Give me option of gas with electric I think is prudent way to go. You're awesome, keep on keeping on with your channel.
i work as a tech in vt, a small independent shop that does imports only. mostly subaru and toyota. one of our customers who is also our financial planner (does all the 401k stuff for the techs) bought a subaru solterra. this is the all wheel drive variant of the toyota bz4x. i did it's first inspection after purchase and really liked it. from an end user perspective it's a good car. it drives well and still retains the subaru feel and controls. if i'm in my sixties (as my customer is) i don't want to learn how to operate a vehicle all over again. that's what is keeping people out of teslas. yes, the technology is better and if you learn how to use it it performs better. we as humans loose the ability to adapt over time. if you've been driving forty years and the volume knob has always been in this area and the wiper switch has always been in that area a tesla simply won't work. my customer works from home and drives very little. in our state there are massive tax incentives for going electric. i will be sure to ask how the performance does this winter in -20f temperatures. in this one rare scenario it does work for my customer. from my perspective it still feels like a subaru but with a ton of power on demand. i liked it
We have one at our dealership that hasn't moved in almost 4 months. Pretty unheard of in this market for a new car.
I see tons and tons of domestic fullsize trucks left unsold from two years ago still on lots lol
@@beexiong2995maybe $70k for a base model has something to do with it
I wonder what the dealer wants for it. Have they discounted it or do they think someone will pay over MSRP?
Hi AMD not sure if you have a engineering degree. But I am convinced that you are a rocket scientist. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge to all. May the lord bless your entire crew and family.
Thanks for the honest review.
The most interesting part is : behind this vehicle , the legendary LS430 is parking!
I think there was two of them.
Who else is like me that will never buy this car but stayed and watched the whole video? Thank you for showing us why not go electric.
Agreed. They’re great for beta testers and early adopters, but the whole movement is still 5+ years from prime time.
I almost did in a way... I placed the deposit for Subaru Solterra, which is equivalent to the BZ4x - at that time (early 2022) there was no official pricing and trim levels being released, and yet the salesperson told me that 14 customers had already placed their orders. When got the final pricing from my salesperson at the end of 2022, the price was CDN$10K more than I initially expected; I had no choice but to cancel the order.
Will no ever own one
@@rgl168 Stupid dealer.
Yes, I just bought a hybrid and hope not to need another car for 10 years or more. But I would definitely consider an electric vehicle in the future - it just seems like this one is poorly made.
I was very interested in this car when it was first announced to replace my old corolla.... good thing I waited and heard about the wheel coming off recall... i stuck with the corolla hybrid instead and saved money and headaches😊
Hi thanks for all your great videos . What is your idea about Nissan Ariya ? Yes no maybe ?
Cloth on the dashboard is for thermal & acoustic benefit. You be amazed how much lower the temperature is on a hot summer day. As for the reduction of cabin noise by having that material, it's harder to measure but clearly an effort to improve the rider experience.
The cloth dash is for sure there for acoustics. This is becoming common in EVs. I don't like it. I would rather have an easy to clean plastic dash, and then just place a cheap aftermarket cloth dash cover over it if I thought it needed that for sound deadening or thermal reasons.
But did they have to make it so ugly?
@@herwigs5605 It never ceases to amaze me how often people state a preference for drab, something that will just blend into a crowd. If you don't like the fender flares, it's a simple wrap job to make them match the body color. No big deal.
@@john1701a This was in reference to the kitchen cloth on the dashboard.
@@herwigs5605 With countless complaints of plain, cheap-looking dashboards, you're complaining about an attempt to introduce style that also improves the cabin experience by tempering both sound & heat?
There are a whopping 9 units at my local dealership… everyone knows it’s just a compliance car… and avoiding it like the plague
Compliant with what regulation? Think about the $7,500 tax-credit advantage other EVs get.
It's a stretch to call it a compliance car. Toyota and every other automaker knows that eventually, all cars will be electric. It may be a while, but it just makes no sense, long term, to burn gas and get a bunch of heat when what you want is motion. 85% energy efficient vehicles will kill off 20% energy efficient vehicles. Toyota is using this car to learn how to produce EVs. If you need a car now, get a PHEV.
You could haggle with the dealership to bring the proce down. In my city its $10K off of MSRP and we get $9K government incentives for BEV. Thats $19K off of MSRP. I mean if it get to a price point where it makes sense, i wouldnt mind buying one even if resale value wont be high in 5 years 😂
Congratulations.. totally right, regards from Athens Greece...
Daaaaamnnnn! That hurt. Thx for your honesty.
Amd: "and that's ok" Narrator: it was not ok
Perhaps the weird behavior with the door locks is to probably prevent you from locking yourself out. You have to have the fob in your hand to lock all the doors, whereas it might be easy to forget the keys in the car if you do it with the door handle.
I agree.
If the key is sitting in the car and you lock it, then you could also unlock it with the key still in it?
Supposedly, it is impossible to lock the doors with the keyfob inside the car on any Toyota that uses a radio fob instead of a mechanical key. But, I have seen a couple of posts on the Rav4 World web Forum, where people claimed that there is one way to do this in the 2021-2023 Rav4 Hybrid and Prime: You open the rear hatch, then press the "lock" button on the driver's arm rest or on the fob. This pre-sets all 5 doors to lock themselves when the hatch closes. You then set the key in the rear cargo area while you are unloading something, let's say groceries, then press the button on the hatch to close it. It closes and locks, and voila, you have locked your fob in the car. I have been afraid to test this myself because I still only have 1 key fob - my second one won't be delivered for a couple of weeks.
Hello there. I watch and subscribe to your channel and very much value the info you give. I live in England and am in the process of buying a Yaris Hybrid. I understand that you do not have this model in America but would have thought that a hybrid is a hybrid? My concern is that the 12 volt battery is a problem in that it easily goes flat, especially if the car is not used regularly and/or for short distances. This seems to me to contradict Toyota's description as the perfect city car. Could you please give your opinion/advice on this matter. Many thanks. David.
Thank you for the review!! I pray that you and your family have a blessed Thanksgiving Holiday that's coming up soon!!! 29:59
I like hybrids for long-distance travel, but EVs have an excellent use case for daily commuters...if you can charge at home. In a perfect world we would see a collaboration between EV engineers and automotive engineers. Tesla has the best thermal management and software control out there. Toyota has some of the best vehicle engineering in the world. Could you imagine what they could produce if those two put their heads together?
It’s not a bad idea, really. Tesla knows how to engineer electric drive systems, but doesn’t build very good cars. Toyota can take care of that part. Problem is, Toyota ownership and Elon would never see eye to eye.
They already did with RAV4 EV
@@bobcoats2708 That last sentence, you read my mind. LOL
@@bobcoats2708 been there done that they couldnt get along and toyota sold their stake in tesla
toyota need to learned their lesson stop making overpriced shit, their competitor can already make the luxury toyota experience with fraction of the price while toyota cheap cars looks so shit in comparison, reminds me how iphone mini is but way even worse
I'm glad they're focusing on hybrids and not wasting too much money on EVs. I would buy a Prime if they could manufacture enough of them to meet demand.
I think it will change with solid state.
@@toronado455😂good luck on ramping up production on something they havent manage to build a preproduction sample.
@@toronado455in 10 years...
Nice analysis. By the way other than the red one you have there did they even sell another one? I have never seen one?
Great Review!!!
I believe Toyota said they don't want to go full electric cars but go back to gas cars and hybrid cars. In addition, Toyota is developing the solid state battery that will change the who battery car map. Even GM and Ford said they are running away from full battery cars because the have a ton of battery cars that have no buyers today and they also are moving to hybrid or full gas cars and trucks.
My interest in the Rav 4 Prime that you recommend over the bZ4x is actually what led me to buy the bZ4X. I realized I was done pumping gas, oil changes, DEQ inspections and having my catalytic converter(s) stolen. I did compare other brands such as Tesla, Hyundai and Kia but the build quality just wasn't the same as Toyota on any of them. One of them had a handle break off when the salesman was demonstrating the fold down rear seats. In the six months I've had the car the longest trip I've taken was 150 miles. It was a very comfortable ride. (and quiet partly thanks the cloth covered dash) For the last long road trip we took from Oregon to Yellowstone we rented a Toyota Highlander Hybrid. A great car, but it makes me appreciate my daily driver, the Bz4X even more. My recommendation based on my experiance driving the Beezee is that if you drive more than 200 miles a day in artic conditions and have no place to recharge, buy a Rav 4 Prime. (If you can find one) Electric cars in general are not for everyone (what car is?) and I'm completely against government mandates. As far as Toyota's commitment to EVs in the future, they are coming out with the Bz5X and 3X in 2025 so I wouldn't discount their support for EVs, especially when they begin to be equipped with solid state batteries giving them a range of 600 miles and a recharge time of 15 minutes. I predict that in the next ten or fifteen years or so gasoline powered cars will only be seen in museums.
BZ4X is one of the most trashiest EVs ever.
I saw a RAV4 EV today! I live in British Columbia (the California of Canada) so there are unique EVs everywhere.
Me and wife lease the Subaru version which has AWD, same car. We love it but does charge very slow but we just use the charging station down the street which takes 20 minutes and it’s next to our gym
It’s their first. Toyota will learn from feedback and will definitely upgrade it next time. So don’t rush
Their first? No it’s not. The rav4 ev was their first and that came out 11 years ago
It’s got nothing to do with being their first attempt. There are enough examples of cars that do it better that they could have referenced.
I think Toyota has realized theyve missed the boat on this generation of EV and are stalling for time until solid state gets worked out. In other words, no real effort at PHEV or EV for now, double down on the “hybrids are the right answer for right now” and figure out how to rework their assembly to copy Tesla’s manufacturing innovations (gigacast etc) and also scale solid state up to large volume
Toyota missed the boat on EVs and aren't going to catch up by themselves. Their best bet will be to buy out an EV company like Lucid and incorporate their IP into Toyota designs.
@@ryanhorsley9965 sadly, i think you may be right on this
Whenever someone points at the BZ4X failures I see a great opportunity for decent prices in the used car market in case I ever decide to go full EV.
😂Sure, if they ever go to used market. Instead of recycle center. This car is so rare that you are in trouble if OEM part support is discontinued and OEM part inventory is depleted
Hi AMD, can u please make a video on Mirai? I would like to get your perspective on this car?
Call me crazy, but I would consider buying a used Bz4x for the right price. I would not use it for road trips, would charge at home, and would mainly use it to commute back and forth to work. Reliability at 10+ years would be one of my most important considerations. Question is whether the conservative approach to battery management would allow it to be good beyond 10 years, or if I would need to replace it even if it was driven for less than 100,000 miles?
For reliability I drive my 2004 Corolla, I just change my oil, tires and other fluids. Basically no major breakdown since the time I bought it used in 2006! I am super happy with it!
@@sergejpanov5543 I've got my 2004 Camry, but it's appealing to not need to spend time getting gas as much by adding an electric car to the family
Toyota has stated they believe that not only will the battery will last at least 10 years/620,000 miles, but that it will still have 90% of its original capacity. They 'guarantee' at least 70%.
That's what I did. I got my one-year old "used car" with a substantial rebate, and it's the best daily driver I ever had. The AWD is incredibly reliable in snow.
@@sergejpanov5543your 2004 corolla doesnt have the speed, acceleration, safety, tech and looks of this car though. Sure it is reliable but its so boring to drive 😂. Its like riding in a handicap wheelchair, used out of necessity not out for fun or excitement.
Absence of a glovebox is due to the addition of an infrared heater, which provides radiant warming for your legs & feet. It is a very efficient option not available from other EVs, definitely an overlooked advantage.
It certainly appeals to my inner French fry :)
If it works, my driver side one doesn't stay on for more than a couple mins. There's really no reason they couldn't have put the heater on the front of a glovebox. The heater is just a thin film heater stuck on with an adhesive.
@tweebs1 Huh? Mine stays on the entire drive and gets so hot I turn it down to low.
This kind of heating is not efficient , the most efficient ones are diesel heater and heat pump.
@chjin1796 That misses the point, both are overkill. When all you need is a small, focused area warmed, radiant will use less overall energy.
Can you update us on your camry. Problems? Miles driven, service etc
Way to always speak the truth AMD build your credibility even more.
Sign of things to come. I just unloaded a POS Lexus RC-F. Toyota and Lexus are living off a name that everyone flocks to for what they were known for. Just made a daily out of a 2019 Mazda 6 Signature. Other than the turbo and direct injection which both just require top maintenance, there are no gimmicks, no BS, and they listen to their customer base. Getting tired of 100 speed transmissions and battery cars all to appease a government agency and their metrics.
Just a comment on the driver's position and display. I own a 2023 Prius. When I first got it, I had the same issue you had with the steering wheel cutting off the view of the display. However, I discovered if I lowered the steering wheel and then lowered the seat and adjusted the front-back position to be comfortable, the active portion of the screen was visible over the top of the steering wheel.
Still a problem
An excellent review! No one does Hybrids better than Toyota but they simply are not interested in building a proper EV. There's a HUGE difference in hybrid battery life vs EV, mostly in that hybrids never get into the danger zone of max charge. If you happen to live atop a hill what do you do with the power generation when coasting down the hill when charge is above 80%? Perhaps EV makers need to use efficient HPs and insulate cabins/lines (as in a house) to minimize heat needs. An alternative might be to provide an alternate heating system. Use electric to heat windshield, seat and steering wheel, then perhaps propane or gasoline for cabin and battery heat.
🤣🤣🤣 love ya man! Probably my favorite EV car review!
The irony is is a damn good looking SUV. Just needed more range and faster charging. Can definitely live without the differenr colored body panels, same with the Crown. At least the Crown has other versions without the milti-colored panels.
Since that is coming, it is just a matter of waiting. Toyota will be applying their bi-polar cell design to lithium chemistry. The expectation when implemented in bZ4x is a 20% increase for range and a 40% decrease for cell cost.
If you need more range and faster charging, that's what the FWD version is for
bZ4X initially went on sale in spring 2022, but in June the company announced a recall involving a flaw with the wheel hub bolts that could cause the wheels to detach from the car. Only 258 cars were involved in the U.S., but those early customers were told to stop driving their cars.
That problem was solved as far as I know
And loud Mouth Scotty Kilmer says he wouldn't buy an EV from no one other than Toyota. He loves listening to himself talking out of his own ass.
It was, and NOBODY was effected.
this feels like the electric version of the RAV4 prime, for people who don't go on road trips, I think they'll be fine
I was looking at one and went with the Nissan Leaf, 13 years of spare parts , mechanic knowledge and aftermarket beats new Halfarsed attempts.
What was Toyota thinking, releasing this to the market? It makes sense as a test or prototype, but not anything else...
It works just fine, extremely reliable. So what if owner have to wait for the software updates? The first has already been rolled out and the second is on the way.
It's an excellent car, don't believe this clown. He probably has Tesla stocks.
I have both the BZ4X AWD and a Rav4 Prime XSE. I agree with the Car Care Nut. I bought the BZ4X expecting the same $7500 rebate I got for the RAV4, which would have made the EV car reasonable, but that went away waiting for delivery. I did get a EV only linked $1100 rebate from my power company for installing a level 2 charger. Now there is a $10,000 lease discount which can make the price for what you get reasonable. Both SUVs are good around town cars, but the RAV4 is much more practical for longer trips. The BZ only requires charging once a week, when the 2017 Prius Prime with 25 mile range we replaced had to be charged daily. Also for us older folks, the BZ is easier to slip in and out of than a Prius. Here in NC, we don't have to worry about the outside temp dropping below 14 degrees F very often, so charging level 2 at home 90% of the time is not a deal breaker for the limited range.
Great video as usual, but the driving impressions weren't included. And that's ok...
You touched on the two things that you never hear anyone talk about. EVs range in extreme temps. Running AC in 105 degrees and running the heater in 5 degrees. Here in the Midwest, either of these temps occur for many days each year. Evs are still a novelty, for the wealthy.
People talk about range in extreme temps that all the time. They avoid is specifics. Notice how actual efficiency... MI/KWH ...is missing? Instead, we get range treated as if that somehow a representation of efficiency. It most definitely is not. It basically just reflects usable battery capacity. Any automaker can just cram in more cells. Making an effort to squeeze out more from less is entirely different. Toyota actually did. But from the shallow & anecdotal reviews we get, that detail is conveniently missing. It's unfortunate, since that omission feeds the narrative.
lol 40% of cars in china are now EVs. typical white cope
@@john1701athere are real field test by reviews magazine as comparison test. It is in Chinese, but I think you find reupload with people bother to put in subtitle on youtube. There are noticeable range drop. More so for older models. (older model, not cars). But not as much as typical people wouldve think. IMO, I have driving my model 3 on - 14C day. I still manage to get 60-70 range out of it with winter tire while blast down highway on respectable speed.
If you consider having a car garage in your home wealthy, then I'm fucking rich 😅
👍 You erred when you said : "It is very OBJECTIVE." SUBJECTIVE is the word you should have used. Thanks for another informative video.
Another great video
That's why the Car Care Net is the best. He just gives it to you honest every time. May the Lord bless you and keep you good sir.
Toyota should have never sold this car in the midwest. The brutal winters giving this car a bad name.
Yes, it's the brutal Midwest winters that are giving this car a bad name.
So are reviews of it prior to the software update.
I would go for the Prius Prime instead of this thing !
I sold my Prius Prime for a bZ4X. The reliability & efficiency over my 6 years of ownership (in Minnesota, so winter worthiness made quite an impression) made the decision a no-brainer. 7 months later, the experience has been awesome. I even had a chance to charge it with MagicDock.
Nice reveiw but their selling very well
Hey very pretty video about new technology @james from Kenya 🇰🇪🇰🇪
So this is a good city car just don’t leave town.
I have driven one of these, or actually the AWD Subaru Solterra, and I can say that the energy efficiency is very good. I've driven a fair share of EV's (comes with my day job) and I found the bZ4x a pretty good EV, considering it's technology is somewhat dated. And the 10 year warranty is not half bad either.
That is because you havent stay with a good one for long term. And you are right, the tech is dated. By a huge margin. The core propulsion system is likely a copy of BYD system from 2018. And who knows where the battery were come from. Even a 2018 tech looks advance compare to this one. Lol
Do you have the review of the Rav4 EV sir? If not, hopefully you could do one
So glad we bought a 2022 Nissan Leaf plus instead of waiting on this to come out. Granted I miss our 2020 Corolla Hybrid.
The naming alone is a failure already
I'll be ready for George Jetson's spacecar sooner than I will be ready for ANY EV.
Toyota has a Lease deal right now in certain states, $17k cash back, 36 months. Deal end 4/30/24.
I am in Europe France and buy a BZ4X and completely happy with it, I got a FWD BZ4X. Feel secure while driving it.I got 480KM of usable driving. Chbarging Time is not a problem for me. I got the new software update of the car seen on your video that it was the old software Toyota made an improvment. Thank you for your Testing. Did you test the car with the new software update ? didi you see any aimprovment ? best Regards
I did a 3,500 mile road trip in a Model Y. It was very pleasant and VERY fast. The advantage is the supercharging network. 15-20 min supercharging about every 2-3 hours. Tesla’s supermanifold is a marvel of engineering and explains why their thermal management is 15 years ahead of anyone else. Oh, one cold morning I was pulling out of my drive, by the time I backed out and drove forward, I had heat out of the vents.
"15-20 min supercharging" in the blazing hot summer sun every 2-3 hours is not something I would want to endure.
@@verlaryder You can stay cool in the car, but it’s probably a good to take a walk every 2-3 hours. I don’t own one, just rented one for a couple weeks (cheap) to see what it was all about. And I was not disappointed. Tesla will be my next car, but there’s nothing practical to replace our 21 Sienna.
"15 years ahead of anyone else". Oh the hyperbole.
@@ytj22😂Amd has said that in other Tesla videos.
@@Nate_G_SD I was pretty impressed with the Model 3 when I rented one. So much so, I would love for my next car to be a Tesla, but the only one in my price range is the Model 3. However, they went overboard with their minimalist design language in this vehicles. I can deal with the less-than perfect build quality and bland interiors, but craming EVERYTHING into that center screen is a dealbreaker for me. And it's a shame because their EV tech and supercharging network are compelling.
Another major issue is Toyota built in a limit of 2 DC fast charges per 24 hours. What this means is after 400-500 miles, you're limited to level 2 charging speeds.
Yeah its ridiculous. It’s not like you are going to fastcharge your car every day but when you need it it should be available. Limiting it to two per day makes no sense.
Not true, 4 times. Didn't you had a software update earlier this year???? Wr have had the third already and all issues solved, actually, I love the Bz4x...very nice bev, good range, excellent warranty....
@@avdp9095 we sold the bz4x before the update so we don't know for sure what the update does. From what we heard it updates to 3.8 times. This still means that you can only go 650-750 miles before you are limited. This means we would not be able to drive it from our house in Maine to my father's in Ohio. Also Toyota hides this information so we found the limitation the hard way when it took 23 hours to drive the bz4x from Maine to Baltimore. Then when we took it to the dealership because we thought something was wrong, Toyota corporate told my wife that she was "driving it wrong". That plmade us so angry that we sold all 3 of our Toyotas and replaced them with a Ford Mustang Mach-e and a Volvo C40. We have already taken the Mach-e on 4 large road trips with no issues.
This has been updated now to 4x in 24 hrs so it's no longer an issue
@@sasajungic89 it did make sense, only way to give 10 years warranty.