# Toyota Gets Serious about EVs with the 2026 bZ XLE FWD Plus *By Dave Taylor, menwhoblog.com — Updated April 2026* Written by: [Dave Taylor](https://menwhoblog.com/dave-taylor.html) Last Updated: 06 April 2026 New!Hits: 7Reading time: 07:20 It's been a tough decade for fully electric vehicle sales in the United States. Jumping from under 2% of American vehicle sales in 2016, EVs now account for approximately 10% of all vehicle sales, with sales ebbing and flowing over the last year due to changes in EV rebates, interest rates, inventory, and the political climate. Meanwhile, in Europe and Asia, EVs are tremendously popular, with 30%-40% of Chinese auto sales EVs and 20-25% of European vehicles electric powered. With its mastery of hybrid technologies, it would seem reasonable that it would be one of the first companies to market with an EV of its own, but in the US market, it wasn't until 2022 that it launched its first mass-market BEV, the Toyota bZ4X. For 2026, the bZ4X is updated and renamed as the bZ (which stands for "beyond zero"), and it's a competitive, if not category-leading, EV SUV from the auto giant. *Fact check: Toyota actually sold an EV version of its RAV4 compact SUV a decade ago, but it was primarily for overall fleet fuel efficiency requirements and zero emission mandates, and was primarily available in California. The RAV4 EV sold about 2500 units, with production ending in 2014. * Two years ago, I enjoyed [my test drive of the 2024 Toyota bZ4X AWD EV](https://planetdave.com/2024/11/the-comfy-but-limited-2024-toyota-bz4x-awd-electric-vehicle/), finding it a solid EV option, though limited with its 220-mile range. For many drivers, 200 miles is a week's driving, but if you're on the road more or want to head cross-country, it's way too short. That's why when Toyota offered me the [**2026 Toyota bZ XLE FWD Plus EV**](https://www.toyota.com/bz/) for a week, I was most interested in experiencing what was updated and improved in the new refresh. The vehicle dropped off was in a color Toyota calls "Heavy Metal," and it had an attractive appearance, albeit quite similar to the zillion other compact SUVs on the road: Like so many EVs, the bZ's front is solid and chunky; not as much need for a grille because the cooling needs of an EV engine are lower. This is also sold, with different badging, as the Subaru Solterra EV and the Lexus RZ, though the latter is primarily a shared platform with significant changes to bring it up to Lexus luxury standards. This trim level includes attractive 18" alloy wheels and LED headlights that are almost invisible in the daytime. At night, they offer an "eyebrow" illumination that gives the car a surprisingly aggressive appearance. Most importantly, the switch from bZ4X to bZ has added a lot of range: The 2026 bZ is now rated at 314 miles by the EPA. In practice, I found it did well on a road trip from Lafayette, Colorado, up to Breckenridge and back (just over 200 miles of intense mountain driving), as I wrote about in [Pushing the EV Range Limit](https://planetdave.com/2026/03/pushing-range-limit-with-2026-toyota-bz-xle-ev/). I had enjoyed the performance of the bZ4X, so it was no surprise to me that I found the new bZ just as peppy and responsive. Some reviewers have complained that the bZ is "dull to drive" but it's an SUV, so it's hard to understand their expectations. In Sport mode, I found that it jumped like a rabbit from a stop, and at highway speeds, it was effortless to almost instantly accelerate as driving conditions dictated. The interior was a pleasant surprise, particularly the dual Qi wireless charging pads. It's the first vehicle I've seen offer that his-and-hers feature, and we used it on almost every drive. The dash design is dominated by the big 14-inch infotainment screen and integrated climate controls, making that the primary center of control. The main gauge display behind the steering wheel was a bit awkward, a mismatch in style compared to the rest of the dash, which left it seeming like a clumsy retrofit. As with the [2026 Prius](https://planetdave.com/2026/03/is-the-2026-toyota-prius-nightshade-phev-too-darn-sleek/) I reviewed earlier, the top of the steering wheel blocked my view of the digital instrument cluster when sitting in the driver's seat. In addition to the two charging pads, I found the gear knob and additional buttons on the center console to be thoughtfully laid out, offering easy control of key drive functions. Perhaps most important, given it's a FWD vehicle, not an AWD model, was the addition of a "Snow" mode and corresponding button just to the right of the gear knob. By contrast, the steering wheel controls seemed a bit overmuch, with a whole lotta buttons spread across a surprisingly large surface area. Notice also the paddle shifters hiding behind the steering bar. Rather than switch gears, they actually allow you to control regenerative braking levels, which can be helpful on steep downhills. It is an SUV, so it should be able to handle at least easy terrain, though I didn't test its off-road capabilities. The array of Toyota Safety features ([Safety Sense 3.0 with Pre-Collision](https://www.toyota.com/safety-sense/)) meant that it was also easy to drive on the open road, with its Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and Lane Tracing Assist working together to keep the vehicle centered in the lane and at the same speed as the lead vehicle, up to the max speed the driver sets. The instrument cluster was clearly redesigned for EV use, with much of its display space taken up with current efficiency display. Notice at 93% the vehicle estimates a max charge range of 262 miles, versus 292 miles as the max range would suggest for that charge level. This is pretty common, actually, because those estimates are based on driving conditions and recent excursions; my mountain driving might have thrown a proverbial monkey wrench into its estimation accuracy. At this point in the history of Toyota's safety suite, it's probably unnecessary for each enabled feature to have its own icon on the display. Changing that or figuring out a way to indicate what *isn't* enabled would simply the lower right portion of the screen. Notice the 4.6 miles/kWh measure, which is high for a compact SUV, where most tend to land in 3.2-4.2 miles/kWh range. Speaking of charging, I was disconcerted when I popped open the charging port door and found a NACS charger, not the more common J1772 port. Turns out the North American Charging Standard port is from Tesla and offers a simple design that can accept AC or DC fast charging. I have my own 240V EV charging setup built around a J1772 plug, so was stymied until I spread out all the charging components included by Toyota: This is one of the most comprehensive charging kits I've seen with a vehicle, allowing you to use adapters for J1772 chargers and CCS1 DC fast chargers, with NACS as the default plug. It also supports 120V and 240V plugs. That's just about every possible combination, so if a [bZ](https://www.toyota.com/bz/) owner wants to pull into a Tesla Supercharger spot, that's going to work just fine, as will the many other charging options available nowadays. Rear legroom was pretty typical for a compact SUV, and the rear seats were comfortable, though, as with many vehicles, the bZ seemed more designed for driver and front passenger than additional adults. Kids would find this entirely acceptable, however, and appreciate the dual USB-C ports that reputedly support up to 60W charging. That's good enough to power a laptop computer. The rear storage space was a bit shallow, but the ability to fold down the back seats in a typical 60/40 configuration meant that you could carry a reasonable load if you were thoughtful about how it was all loaded up. Note that there was no specific charging cable storage area that I found, so it just sat in the back, taking up space. In conclusion, there was a lot I liked about the 2026 Toyota bZ, from its peppy drive to its comfortable interior design. It is yet another compact SUV, however, and they really are all starting to look the same to me - even as I own one! - but Toyota's done its best with the styling and design elements to make it at least somewhat unique. The real win are the improvements in the EV aspects of the vehicle, Toyota's primary EV for the North American market for at least a few more months. If you want an EV from a company that's the gold standard for longevity and reliability, this is a solid option to consider and take on a test drive with the family. **[2026 Toyota bZ XLE FWD Plus BEV](https://www.toyota.com/bz/), powered by a 221-horsepower electric motor. BASE PRICE: $37,900.00. Options included: Premium Paint, Wheel Locks, Carpet Floor Mats, and Door Sill Protection. AS DRIVEN: $40,468.00.** *Disclosure: Toyota loaned me the bZ XLE for a week in return for this candid write-up. This article originally appeared on [PlanetDave.com](https://www.planetdave.com/) with the title [Toyota Gets EV Serious with the 2026 bZ XLE FWD Plus](https://planetdave.com/2026/04/toyota-gets-ev-serious-with-the-2026-bz-xle-fwd-plus/) and is republished with permission of the author.* **Hey Dave Taylor wants you to share this!**   ---   Written by: [Dave Taylor](https://menwhoblog.com/dave-taylor.html) #MenWhoBlog MemberBlog MasterThought Leader Dave Taylor has been blogging and writing about cars and technology for many years. He's a single dad who earned his medals raising three children and currently resides in Boulder, Colorado, where he's surrounded by natural beauty and tons of electronic gear. You can find him at AskDaveTaylor.com or PlanetDave.com. ### Cruises and Resorts --- {"html":""} --- Thinking about a cruise or all-inclusive resort vacation? We can help you plan your dream getaway ... 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