Toyota BZ4X

internalaudit

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Absolutely nothing like it. One day you will start driving EVs and you will understand the difference.
Anyone that isn't arithmetically challenged and who tops up to consistent 80% or 90%, and know how cold weather impacts the driving range, will not have an issue at all.

Just make sure to reset the odometer reading every time on charges.

These issues are not even a deal breaker and software updates will fix those in due time.

I've seen fair share of owners on TMC complaining about the stated remaining range and Tesla has been the leader in EVs for more than a decade now.

 

spwolf

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Toyota Norway has been doing a lot of PR fixes these days:
- New software will be released in May 2023
- Will have to be applied by dealers
- Fixes for % battery not showing in display, return of some battery capacity that was reserved (extra 10km-15km of range), smarter AC usage showing in remaining capacity.
- they are now allowing for 3.8x battery charges during 24hr period.

These are 13 months after initial release of the vehicle, and hopefully they will speed up.

Also they were explaining to Bjorn how actually reason for Bz4X bad efficiency, is due to them calculating charging losses into consumption in display, which makes no sense at all, since most of Euro journalists tested actual efficiency and not based it on display which often lies in every vehicle.

Norway is big market for Toyota, and overall BZ4X is very important vehicle in most of the western european countries.
 
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This is Toyota's opportunity to build a car that can go on land and on sea. 👊🏻😤

"The new Toyota bZ4X... a car that can go on road, and off... literally... like in the water..."

"The bZ4X is equipped with locking and unlocking wheel lugs that can fall off whenever it wants to go for an excursion under water"
 
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Ian Schmidt

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There's been a fair amount of that kind of accident ever since all the manufacturers stopped doing the PRNDL that everyone knows how to use in favor of increasingly weird levers/knobs/whatever. I don't know the psychology behind it, but when Park is a completely separate button from the rest of the gear selections it's easy to forget, especially if you're tired or distracted. I've had a few close calls myself with that, but no actual disasters yet.
 

pacman1

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I thought this was worth mentioning.

Usually articles mentioning anything about BZ4X is negative. There are small (but unfortunately loud) critics who like to jump on that negative wave for clicks or whatever. But I am pleasantly surprised that it’s outselling the Ionic 5. I am starting to see quite a few of these on the road and I also purchased a LE after looking at what it really offered rather than listening to hot takes. The biggest shortcoming, range, wasn’t an issue for me as I’m using this 99% in city and I didn’t foresee a situation where I would frequently use this for more than 200 miles a day. It is a spectacular vehicle for the vast majority of city dwellers.
 

Flagship1

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View attachment 9277
I thought this was worth mentioning.

Usually articles mentioning anything about BZ4X is negative. There are small (but unfortunately loud) critics who like to jump on that negative wave for clicks or whatever. But I am pleasantly surprised that it’s outselling the Ionic 5. I am starting to see quite a few of these on the road and I also purchased a LE after looking at what it really offered rather than listening to hot takes. The biggest shortcoming, range, wasn’t an issue for me as I’m using this 99% in city and I didn’t foresee a situation where I would frequently use this for more than 200 miles a day. It is a spectacular vehicle for the vast majority of city dwellers.
If you plow enough incentives everything moves.

For example bz4x lease includes nearly $20k incentives package before state and utility discount. Regardless of ones beliefs of how bad an ev is, thats alot of money to ignore. Bz4x/solterra/rz and other oem evs are quickly becoming favorites for fleet vehicles like uber as well.
 

pacman1

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If you plow enough incentives everything moves.

For example bz4x lease includes nearly $20k incentives package before state and utility discount. Regardless of ones beliefs of how bad an ev is, thats alot of money to ignore. Bz4x/solterra/rz and other oem evs are quickly becoming favorites for fleet vehicles like uber as well.
Hasn’t every manufacturer been playing the same game? I know Mazda had a very similar deal for their CX90 PHEV, but specifically because they could use the EV tax credit loophole on a lease.


The largest offer I could find on Toyota’s page is $17,750 lease cash.
The “lease cash” offer, from understanding, is a loophole for dealers to use the $7500 tax credit to reduce cap cost. It makes the financial hurdle for purchasing an EV significantly lower. Other dealers have access to the same state and utility discounts too. I was expecting BZ4X to be much lower volume. I’m pleasantly surprised. I’ve also noticed a lot of RZs in my area
 

qtb007

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I wonder if off lease EVs won't be common first cars for teens that are starting to drive. Not very old, modern, safe, cheap to buy, cheap to operate, and -- most importantly -- will effectively be 3rd vehicles in the household. They don't need to be roadtrip ready. My daughter is 3 years from driving and I could see us grabbing a used EV as her car.
 

Flagship1

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Hasn’t every manufacturer been playing the same game? I know Mazda had a very similar deal for their CX90 PHEV, but specifically because they could use the EV tax credit loophole on a lease.


The largest offer I could find on Toyota’s page is $17,750 lease cash.
The “lease cash” offer, from understanding, is a loophole for dealers to use the $7500 tax credit to reduce cap cost. It makes the financial hurdle for purchasing an EV significantly lower. Other dealers have access to the same state and utility discounts too. I was expecting BZ4X to be much lower volume. I’m pleasantly surprised. I’ve also noticed a lot of RZs in my area
Agreed. Most dealers are structuring these for lease to buy to make sure they can move the metal and LFS seems to be ready to assist buyers if you do a zero day buyout and capture all of the rebates. (no need to keep the lease any longer contrary to what dealers have said).

That being the other elephant in the room, is that Lexus is pushing quite a large sum of incentives on select phevs, whether advertised or not. The delta between the RZ and say a NX /RX becomes quite minimal.
I wonder if off lease EVs won't be common first cars for teens that are starting to drive. Not very old, modern, safe, cheap to buy, cheap to operate, and -- most importantly -- will effectively be 3rd vehicles in the household. They don't need to be roadtrip ready. My daughter is 3 years from driving and I could see us grabbing a used EV as her car.
For sure, as long as the primary charging station exists at home. You also can avail of used rebates, i believe $3500.
 

ssun30

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We are thinking about replacing our RAV4 hybrid daily with a BZ4X because it has some of the best lease deals on the market. I think the US market actually has the cheapest EVs in the world because of the huge lease discounts and incentives. Unless you use the BEV as your only car in the family, the only thing that should matter is price.

I test drove the BZ4X and the experience is very similar to the RZ450e just a bit slower. Since I will never use it for road trips and only charge at level 1 or 2 chargers, its biggest shortcomings doesn't matter at all to me. There's a saying in China that "there is no garbage product, only garbage prices", and I believe at their current lease rates the BZ4X is the best EV deal in USA. You are paying Corolla money for a much more comfortable and easy to drive SUV.
 

qtb007

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We are thinking about replacing our RAV4 hybrid daily with a BZ4X because it has some of the best lease deals on the market. I think the US market actually has the cheapest EVs in the world because of the huge lease discounts and incentives. Unless you use the BEV as your only car in the family, the only thing that should matter is price.

I test drove the BZ4X and the experience is very similar to the RZ450e just a bit slower. Since I will never use it for road trips and only charge at level 1 or 2 chargers, its biggest shortcomings doesn't matter at all to me. There's a saying in China that "there is no garbage product, only garbage prices", and I believe at their current lease rates the BZ4X is the best EV deal in USA. You are paying Corolla money for a much more comfortable and easy to drive SUV.
I agree wholeheartedly about the only thing that should matter being price. When used appropriately (charge at home, localish driving), these cheap BEV leases are unbeatable. They offer guaranteed low depreciation, super low operating costs, and the option to buy at EOL if you want or walk away if you don't. Hammering out a good lease deal should be the #1 priority when considering a BEV.

I've been researching BEV trip planning and found that DCFC prices are all over the place (up to $0.60/kwh!!!) and can be scarce depending where you live and travel. Being a multi car household, I'd just use the ICE/HEV for the trips out of town and eat up those local miles in the BEV. My household miles are about 50% commuting, 20% local traveling, and 30% out of town traveling. I can convert almost all of those commuting and local miles to $0.06/mi BEV miles and use the $0.08/mi HEV for the road trips. It is a pretty enticing option for when my 4Runner lease comes up assuming the cheap leases are still around. Tossing a roof box on my wife's HEV will take care of the cargo space gap between it and the 4Runner.
 

qtb007

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I picked up a bZ4x XLE AWD last week just in time for 0 degree F temps here in the Mid-A. It was a good deal on a vehicle to eat up the donkey miles that I don't like to put on my GR Corolla. Wife's UX300h is still the road trip vehicle (which did amazing in the snow over the weekend driving back from my brother's house in Pittsburgh). Efficiency below 30 degrees drops off pretty hard, but it's still about half the $/mi that my premium drinking GRC is, so it is still a big W versus subjecting my GRC to the salt, muck, and such. Installed a Level 2 charger for $121 after electric company incentives.

My only complaint thus far is that the UI is really cagy with how much electricity has been consumed. I didn't do a smart charger and the Toyota app isn't showing my charge history. Definitely buggy on that side.
 

Sulu

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Congratulations, @qtb007! Hope you will give us occasional updates on your ownership experience with the bZ4X.

Just curious why you went with the Toyota rather than the Lexus RZ?
 

qtb007

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Congratulations, @qtb007! Hope you will give us occasional updates on your ownership experience with the bZ4X.

Just curious why you went with the Toyota rather than the Lexus RZ?
Found a better deal on the bZ. My approach with BEVs is to get the best lease price possible as number 1 priority.

Honestly, I'm more of a Toyota guy than a Lexus guy anyway. Happy that my wife drives a Lexus so I get to enjoy it on road trips, but for just eating up the local miles, tossing cardboard in the back for recycling, bikes on the roof, camping inside... the Toyota is probably a better fit for that utility role. I don't need the 300hp version, but I do like having AWD, so that was another thing that steered me toward the bZ.

It is surprisingly well equipped for an XLE. It has automatically activated heated seats and steering wheel, pano moonroof, all the toyota safety sense stuff, etc. I think the interior is pretty charming in its own way with the fabric covered dash and cockpit setup. I've been running full HVAC and getting 2.3mi/kwh in these single digit temps. When it was almost touching 40F at the end of last week, I was at 2.9mi/kwh. So, I'm pretty hopeful for mid-upper 3s when the weather gets into the 50s commonly.