Japanese automaker Toyota is expanding the lineup of its only fully electric car in Australia, the bZ4X SUV, with the addition of the bZ4X Touring flagship grade which will hit showrooms in May and start from $69,990 before on-road costs.
The new bZ4X Touring joins the recently updated bZ4X family, and is priced at $2,000 more than the regular bZ4X AWD and offers larger cargo volume, better performance, increased ride height, and peak output of 280 kW from its dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain.
When compared to the rest of the bZ4X range, the bZ4X Touring’s main differentiating feature is its increased length, with an additional 104mm behind the rear axle, and a more upright tailgate. This has helped to increase luggage volume from 452 litres to the regular bZ4X to 603 litres.
A pair of 167 kW electric motors and a 74.7 kWh lithium-ion battery combine to deliver 208 kW of total system output, giving the bZ4X Touring a speedy acceleration of just 4.4 seconds from 0-100km/h.
The new lithium-ion battery in the bZ4X Touring provides a driving range of 488 kilometres (WLTP) and is capable of supporting both 150kW CCS2 DC charging and 22kW three-phase AC charging.
The Toyota bZ4X Touring includes a similar level of features as the bZ4X AWD, but adds unique 20-inch black alloy wheels, front and rear skid plates, ladder-style roof rails, resin black wheel arches and bonnet insert, and a rear window wiper.
A total of six metallic and pearlescent paint colours are available across the bZ4X Touring range, all of which can be paired with either black of the new Touring-exclusive khaki synthetic leather upholstery.
Pricing for all three Toyota bZ4X models is as follows:
| 2WD | $55,990 |
| AWD | $67,990 |
| Touring | $69,990 |
*All pricing before on-road costs
The Driven’s Sam Parkinson spent a week with the updated entry-spec bZ4X last month, describing the updated bZ4X “like a car that has finally caught up” which is “more usable, more competitive, and far easier to recommend than before.”
For his full review, click here.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.