The new Toyota bZ electric SUV gets a major price cut

Toyota is hitting the reset button on its mainstream electric SUV. The company recently announced it is discontinuing the bZ4X and replacing it with a heavily updated model for 2026, now known simply as the Toyota bZ. Toyota also packed its new EV with serious upgrades in range, performance, and technology. But the final piece of the puzzle was missing - until now. Toyota confirmed that the new electric vehicle will arrive with a lower price tag.

For many potential buyers of electric cars, the starting price is the first and most important number. The 2026 Toyota bZ enters the market with a starting price of $34,900 for the entry-level XLE front-wheel-drive (FWD) model.

That's a $2,170 price reduction compared to the outgoing bZ4X, making it a more accessible option in the competitive EV space. This base model comes with a 57.7 kWh battery pack, providing a respectable 236 miles of driving range on a single charge.

Addressing one of the key concerns for EV owners - range anxiety - Toyota is offering a new $37,900 bZ XLE FWD Plus, which gets a larger 74.7 kWh battery. This bigger battery boosts the vehicle's range to 314 miles, a 25% increase over the previous model year's best offering.

For even better performance and all-weather capability, an all-wheel-drive (AWD) version is now available, starting at $39,900. The AWD models get a major power boost thanks to a new dual-motor setup now producing up to 388 horsepower, a massive 50% increase from the previous generation. The top-tier bZ Limited trim starts at $43,300 for the FWD version, with the fully-loaded AWD variant costing an additional $2,000.

Toyota has improved the charging experience as well, and the 2026 bZ comes standard with a North American Charging Standard (NACS) port, giving owners access to Tesla's extensive Supercharger network. A new thermal management system and battery preconditioning feature have been added, reducing the charging time from 10% to 80% down to approximately 30 minutes under ideal conditions.

The upgrades extend to the vehicle's design, both inside and out. The 2026 bZ adopts Toyota's new "hammerhead" front end, a design language seen on the latest Camry and Crown models. This gives the electric SUV a sharper, more modern look, highlighted by a thin LED light bar that spans the width of the front fascia.

The interior receives a redesigned center console and an improved dashboard layout. Dominating the cabin is a new, larger 14-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen, and for added convenience, the bZ now includes two wireless smartphone charging pads. Toyota expects the new electric SUV to begin arriving at dealerships in the second half of 2025.

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