2026 Toyota bZ Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Toyota sells the 2026 bZ in XLE and Limited trim levels with single-motor front-wheel drive (FWD) or dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) and a choice of two battery sizes. Models with the larger battery cost more but offer added power, performance, and range. Canadian prices run from $47,920 to $63,620, including the $1,930 destination charge. Both the XLE FWD and XLE AWD qualify for the federal government’s $5,000 EV rebate.

Our U.S.-specification XLE test vehicle had FWD and the larger battery. (Note: this combination is not available in Canada; here, the larger battery is only available with the XLE AWD and Limited).

For some reason, certain bZ colours still have the black overfender trim that made the bZ4X so off-putting to some potential buyers. In our opinion, the restyled 2026 bZ looks much better with body-colour trim. Perhaps Toyota thinks shoppers have a more expressive personality if they choose Blueprint or Supersonic Red. Regardless, the new bZ looks better than it did before. Inside, the new dashboard and centre console are cleaner in appearance and impart a higher sense of quality while better organizing the storage and controls. Our XLE’s fabric seats wore a distinctive and upscale pattern that should hide dirt fairly well.

Toyota increased the size of the centre touchscreen to 14 inches and integrated the climate control with the display. That sounds like a bad decision, but the dual-zone automatic setup includes two large temperature adjustment dials, buttons for the defog/defrost functions, and large icons on the display for other functions such as the standard heated front seats.

A chief complaint about the bZ4X remains in the new bZ, which is the digital instrument cluster. It’s mounted far away near the base of the windshield, and the steering wheel can block visibility depending on the driving position. The 7-inch display also crams so much information into a small area that reading it can prove challenging.

Choose a bZ XLE with FWD and you get a single electric motor and a 57.7-kilowatt-hour battery pack. This provides 168 horsepower and 198 pound-feet of torque, with a Natural Resources Canada-estimated range of 380 kilometres and efficiency rating of 16.1 kWh/100 km.

Dual-motor bZ models come only with the 74.7-kWh battery. Combined, the electric motors produce 338 hp, with 198 lb-ft in front and 125 at the back. The XLE AWD offers 468 km of range and 17.3 kWh/100 km, while the Limited can travel 436 km while consuming electricity at a rate of 18.6 kWh/100 km.

According to Toyota, recharging the bZ using a DC fast charger supplying at least 150 kW will bring the battery from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes. This year’s switch to a NACS port means the bZ is now compatible with certain Tesla Superchargers. Buyers should just be sure to check the Tesla app for stations open to all makes and models. Toyota also supplies a CCS adapter, so it's possible to use nearly any charging station to juice up.

Using a 240-volt, 48-amp Level 2 home charger, the larger battery needs seven hours to recharge from 10% to 100% according to Toyota. Stick with the base XLE’s smaller battery and it's possible to get it done in five hours and 30 minutes.

We performed two efficiency tests with our test vehicle. The first one was on our fuel economy loop, on a sunny 30-degree day with the bZ in Eco mode, mid-level brake regeneration, and the climate control set to 20 degrees. The FWD bZ averaged 13.7 kWh/100 km, a more favourable result than the NRCan estimate.

On our mountainous test vehicle evaluation route, in identical conditions but with the bZ in Normal mode instead of Eco mode, it averaged 15.9 kWh/100 km, just a little under the official rating.

Paddles on the steering wheel adjust the amount of brake regeneration, but the bZ does not offer one-pedal driving capability. In maximum-regen mode, it brings the EV nearly to a full stop, but the driver must do the last bit of braking.

With 198 lb-ft of instant torque flowing to the bZ’s front wheels, it is easy to break them loose and experience the traction control system when making a left turn through a hole in oncoming traffic or a right turn on a red light to enter a fast-flowing boulevard. Otherwise, the bZ is an agreeable around-town conveyance, and its large side mirrors and clear view to the rear ensure good outward visibility. Standard front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking are helpful, too.

On the highway, the bZ is a comfortable and relatively quiet cruiser. With FWD, the mid-range passing power isn’t robust, so drivers should plan accordingly. Nevertheless, driven as a low-stress commuter or cross-town day-tripper, it works well. However, on undulating pavement, the bZ can produce a somewhat choppy ride.

For those who like to tackle winding roads when time allows, a FWD bZ is not a good choice. The all-season tires are primarily to blame as they cause the Toyota’s nose to push wide in curves. The lifeless steering isn’t rewarding, and the front wheelspin issue is problematic when accelerating out of tight corners.

Built on a skateboard-style EV platform with the battery under the passenger compartment and featuring 21.1 centimetres of ground clearance with FWD or 20.6 cm with AWD, the Toyota bZ is easy to get in and out of. Both front seats feature standard height adjustment, so entering and exiting is even more comfortable.

So are the seats themselves. Drivers benefit from eight-way power adjustment in both XLE and Limited trims, and that results in variable levels of lumbar and thigh support, accommodating a variety of people and preferences. Matching eight-way power adjustment for the front passenger is included with the Limited trim level. Heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated exterior mirrors are standard in every bZ, and the Limited has ventilated front seats and a front radiant foot and leg heater. Heated outboard rear seats are not available.

The bZ lacks a traditional glove compartment, but it makes up for that in other ways. These include a large bin located under the centre armrest and a sizeable tray beneath the centre console control panel. Standard dual wireless smartphone chargers, roomy cupholders, and lower door panel pockets all help to organize items, and small trays are embedded in the armrests. Rear seat passengers enjoy plenty of legroom and a comfortable seating position, but foot space under the front seats is a little tight. Rear air conditioning vents and USB ports are also standard.

Behind the power rear liftgate, you’ll find 784 litres of cargo space. There’s an underfloor storage well with lots of extra room, but the bZ’s rakishly angled rear window limits maximum cargo space. Fold the back seats down and the bZ offers 1,611 litres.

A 7-inch digital instrument cluster and, new for 2026, a 14-inch touchscreen infotainment display are standard. As we mentioned in the Look and Feel section, the 7-inch driver display is located too far away and crams too much data into too small a space, making it hard to reference and read. It may also be blocked by the steering wheel rim depending on the driving position. The 14-inch display in the middle of the dashboard runs the Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system, which has been around for several years. Generally, this is an easy system to understand and use with a few exceptions.

First, there isn’t a home screen that allows drivers to display different main menu data panels simultaneously. For example, it isn't possible pull up the navigation map and the radio or entertainment panel together. Second, in daytime mode it can be hard to read data on the screen due to low-contrast colours and a thin font style. Of course, the new 14-inch size helps, but we recommend bumping up the contrast and illumination or switching to night mode even during the day. We’d also prefer a tuning knob in addition to the volume knob.

The system supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and offers SiriusXM satellite radio with a three-month trial subscription. Four different connected service plans are also complimentary. Remote Connect and Drive Connect are free for three years, while Service Connect and Safety Connect won’t cost anything for the first five years.

Drive Connect powers the native navigation system and the Intelligent Assistant conversational voice assistant. Drivers can say 'Hey Toyota' to wake the assistant, then issue a command or ask a question. The tech works really well and stumbled only on one of our testing prompts that trips up nearly all voice assistants, and modifications to that command produced a better result than in many other test vehicles.

Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0) is standard on every 2026 bZ. It includes high beam assist, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, lane centring assist, and adaptive cruise control.

Proactive Driving Assist (PDA) is also part of TSS 3.0 and can automatically add subtle braking and steering inputs during driving to provide an extra layer of safety. As installed in the bZ, we found it worked well and didn't seem as intrusive as it can in other Toyota models. Partly, we think that’s because unusual slowing is expected in an electric vehicle equipped with regenerative braking, so PDA’s braking activity seems more natural.

Other standard features include blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit assist, and front and rear parking sensors with automatic low-speed braking. The Limited trim upgrades to Traffic Jam Assist, which is a hands-free low-speed driving aid. The bZ Limited also features lane change assist, front cross-traffic alert, and a semi-autonomous Advanced Park system.

In variable traffic conditions on a highway, the adaptive cruise control’s response to other motorists cutting into the gap ahead proved inconsistent. Sometimes it responded smoothly and in a refined way. Other times it would brake sharply, taking at least one Volvo that was driving close to the bZ’s rear bumper by surprise. The lack of a touch-sensitive steering wheel for the driver monitoring system was also a major aggravation as the camera-based system was overly sensitive.

As far as official safety ratings go, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had not published any for the 2026 bZ at the time of writing. Ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) were available — and they could be better.

The IIHS gave the bZ’s front crash avoidance tech the highest Good rating, but the headlights received a Poor rating. In frontal-impact crash tests, the bZ earned Acceptable ratings. These fall short of the criteria for a Top Safety Pick award.

The 2026 Toyota bZ is a roomy five-passenger electric vehicle that offers the utility of a crossover SUV or station wagon, up to 468 kilometres of range, and Tesla Supercharger compatibility, and it can recharge at home on a Level 2 charger in less than seven hours. Add the generous complimentary subscriptions to connected services and the federal $5,000 EV rebate available on most trims, and it’s an undeniably cost-effective EV.

However, it’s not the only game in town. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has quicker DC fast charging and an impressive package. Its base models don’t qualify for the EVAP rebate program, but its higher trims are equivalent in price to the bZ and are very appealing. A Ford Mustang Mach-E with a lot more rizz costs $47,990, which is not far off the bZ’s starting price, and it includes AWD. Other players in the same price range include the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Tesla Model Y, and Subaru Trailseeker and Solterra. (The latter is a virtual twin of the bZ.)

The changes made for the 2026 model year ensure the bZ is now competitive with these rivals instead of being a compromised also-ran. Though imperfect, it is a much more likeable electric crossover than it was in bZ4X guise. All it needs now is a new driver display, a less intense driver monitoring system, and better IIHS safety ratings.