2024 Toyota bZ4X pricing and features: Tesla Model Y electric SUV rival lands in Australia

Pricing for the 2024 Toyota bZ4X has been revealed, with the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E rival kicking off at $66,000 before on-road costs.

There will be two variants of the RAV4-sized medium SUV available from launch, including the front-drive 'bZ4X' trim with up to 436km driving range (WLTP) and an AWD flagship priced at $74,900.

Toyota's entry into the electric vehicle game may be late, but it has at least beaten the Volkswagen ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq to market.

Like the GR86 sports car, Toyota's bZ4X has a Subaru twin – the Solterra – and its newly-reduced price means the top-spec AWD Toyota undercuts the Subie by $2000.

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Don't expect Toyota's attempt to take on RAV4 volumes initially, though, with only two trims and around 1500 units bound for these shores in the first year – a long way behind Tesla's 28,769 Model Y sales in 2023.

Toyota Australia head of marketing, sales and franchise operations Sean Hanley noted that the bZ4X will play a role in the brand's approach and is unlikely to undermine sales of its internal-combustion models, including petrol-electric hybrids.

“As the first Toyota BEV, it will accelerate our multi-pathway approach that’s designed to help our customers lower their tailpipe carbon emissions while leaving no one behind,” said Hanley.

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2024 Toyota bZ4X pricing

The new EV's price is relatively competitive with the Tesla Model Y RWD ($65,400) on the surface.

Toyota will also offer the ability for buyers to purchase the bZ4X under an all-inclusive lease plan (you can read more about that here) rather than just outright, or with finance.

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2024 Toyota bZ4X features

Both trims include LED headlights, 20-inch alloy wheels, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen with the flagship AWD adding seat ventilation, a sunroof, and more.

Toyota offers six exterior paint colours: Ebony Black, Frosted White, Liquid Metal, Silver Rush, Feverish Red, and Dynamic Blue, with a two-tone black roof optional on the AWD.

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Power, charging, and driving range

Both the front- and all-wheel drive Toyota bZ4X models offer decent outputs, with 0-100km/h sprints in 7.5 or 6.9 seconds, respectively.

The single motor produces 150kW/265Nm while the twin motor AWD ups the ante by 10kW and 72Nm (160kW/337Nm) using a pair of 80kW motors.

The nominal battery size is 71.4kWh but the bZ4X's usable capacity is 64kWh. At up to 150kW DC, a public fast-charging station will take the bZ4X from 10-80 per cent in a little under 30 minutes.

Australian bZ4X examples can charge at 11kW AC, so expect around seven hours from flat to full using a three-phase wallbox.

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The bZ4X's WLTP driving range rating is 436km in base trim and 411km in AWD guise.

That's behind a Model Y Long Range AWD (533km), upcoming Volkswagen ID.4 (515km), and Hyundai Ioniq 5 AWD (454km).

Toyota covers the bZ4X with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. If servicing is kept up to date and the battery checked after five years, then the coverage extends to ten years for the drivetrain and battery.

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Capped-priced servicing is in place for five years and 75,000km with each annual/15,000km trip to the dealer costing $180.

Toyota claims to have tested its lithium-ion battery pack extensively and found it to retain 90 per cent charge capacity after 10 years or 240,000km of use.

We'll have a full review of the bZ4X for you on the evening of Thursday, 7 March. In the meantime, you can peruse how the car performs off-road and in a brief preview drive at Toyota Australia's Altona HQ.

At the media launch, Hanley was buoyant that because the bZ4X is a Toyota, it will succeed, noting 122 orders and 7000 expressions of interest.