2026 Toyota bZ4X first drive: The biggest carmaker in PH joins the EV fray | Top Gear Philippines
Good morning from Toyota North Eda. Today’s the big day. Today is the day Toyota is fully electrified. This is the Toyota BZ4X and we’re about to see if it’s worth the wait. Now, let’s not waste any more time. Let’s drive. [Music] What is the BZ4X? It’s a good car. The thing is with EVs ESS in the sense now when you’re being overwhelmed by the visceral inertia of a electric motor. They all feel the same way. On paper, this is not much at 338 Newton m of torque. The first gen fortuner had more torque than this. That haded 343 Newton meters of torque. But it’s the way the BC4X delivers it. Step hard on the gas and it surges forward overwhelming you quickly. I’m sorry I don’t have the exact weight right now, but you feel the heft when moving it. It’s also quite planted and balanced. But if you break suddenly you you do feel the extra mass of the vehicle and it’s not bad. And this this nickel steering wheel helps in giving off a a very drivercentric feel to it. The BC4X is comfortable. It’s Toyota comfortable. Actually, the Toyota BZ4X is everything you want in an EV. and everything you want in a Toyota as well with a few bonuses. It’s much more powerful than a typical Toyota. It’s smoother, it’s quieter. Can still hear a bit of road noise and some some big trucks beside you, but overall it’s not bad. Not as cheap as I would want. I was hoping for a little over 2 million. This is 2.7 million. maybe that uh more affordable variant will come hopefully, but until then it’s a good entry point and more important it’s a Toyota. I like the design. It doesn’t quite meld or fit in with the current Toyota look. Although the headlights do remind me of the Camry. Overall, I like it. It doesn’t look generic like most EVs. It doesn’t look like a blob or too curvy. I like that Toyota was confident enough in its design to stick to it. Many people were looking at it and pointing at it on the road. Although, I think it has something to do with the badge. Like, what’s this new Toyota? I think most of you will agree now it’s a head turner. You like it when you see it on the road. You’ll like it when you see it in your garage. So some cars, but you get the feeling that the rear doesn’t match the the effort they put into the front. In this case, it’s consistent. You have this little duct tail spoiler here, and you have these protruding pieces. I think it’s to funnel air over the middle. I kind of like it. It’s good. Toyota tried something different and it works. So, I like the rear design also. I like the overall design. It’s bold to say the the BC4X doesn’t have a weak angle, but I can’t see a weak angle. I mean, it’s good looking. I like it. So, good job. It’s a modern exterior. It’s a modern interior. Everything’s laid out well. 14-in screen, high resolution, digital gauges. Quite pushed back a bit. My colleague Cap Aguila pointed out earlier depend the sun hits it I don’t know that might be an issue some there some reflection issues in the future but so far it’s so good feels very high tech materials are nice this is this has a nice textured feel to it it’s soft I thought this would be hard but it’s soft this is softer I mean wherever your body touches malamuta and That’s good. Very good field of view. You can see to the edge of the hood, and that’s a good thing for many people. I don’t really care, but to a lot of people, that’s a good thing. Dual wireless chargers and um cup holders. This [Music] opens both ways. I’ve seen it before, but this is a glass roof. doesn’t give you the open air experience, but gives the open sky experience. And that’s that’s good enough for most people. Not very roomy, but tama sucks. Not tight, not snug, just the right amount of comfort. Holds you in place. Power seats, memory seats. I think for the price, tamine features, you get you get a lot of features and comfort for the asking 2.7 million price. Soh, let’s check out the back. Like the front seat, I wouldn’t call it expansive and roomy. The leg room is quite okay. But the issue is, and this is the issue with a lot of EVs, with my feet flat on the floor, bend your knees and my thighs are not really touching. So, I have to reposition a little to find a comfortable seating posture. But I would say it’s comfortable. [Music] If you call it a four-seater and it’s a long ride, but for five people, make it short trips. It’s not a Camry by any sense. And in terms of rear seat comfort, but it’s it’s not bad. It’s not bad. If you want a Camry, you get a Camry anyway. I think the front is a better experience, but the rear is not bad. But it’s definitely not chauffeur oriented car, I think. The BZ4X is an electric vehicle, but maybe more important, it’s a Toyota electric vehicle. So those who are hesitant about jumping on the EV bandwagon, those who have doubts, now you have an option that has trusted reliability, trusted service, a supply of parts that might help sway the decision of people. This is what made Toyota the number one in the market. They support their vehicles service-wise, parts- wise, and an EV is a totally different car. But knowing how reliable and popular brand, popular badge is on the car, I think it makes a difference. But on top of that, it’s fast, it’s powerful, it’s comfortable, it’s high-tech, it’s a good EV. But maybe more important, it’s a Toyota EV. [Music]
Toyota may have been late to the EV party, but it’s continued success proves its timing was right all along. And now it finally brings full electrification to its local lineup with the refreshed bZ4X.
Our first drive with the much-anticipated Toyota EV left us fascinated and enthralled. It’s everything a modern EV should be, with the expected reliability and comfort that Toyota brings. The wait was worth it after all.
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