The 2026 Toyota bZ (previously the bZ4X) receives a mid-cycle update that improves the engine and its appearance. The bZ now provides up to 338 horsepower (an increase of 124 hp), and its estimated range has been raised to 314 miles (up from an EPA-estimated 252 miles). The electric compact SUV from Toyota now includes a NACS charging port, and its interior has been updated with a redesigned dashboard and a restructured center console. The vehicle previously known as the Toyota bZ4X will now be called the Toyota bZ. We believe the name change is a positive decision. It’s one of several big changes Toyota is making to its electric small SUV for the 2026 model year. bZ Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes Coming We talked about the changes to the Europe-spec bZ4X earlier this year, which is likely why this news sounds familiar. There will be some surprises when the SUV comes out in the US, like the bZ’s new name and the addition of a NACS charging port that lets the Toyota charge its battery at Tesla’s extensive Supercharger network, even though it gave us a sneak peek at most of the big changes that are part of the mid-cycle refresh. You can now get Fender parts for Toyota’s electric SUV that match the color of the body. The bZ also has new daytime running lights and a lighted bar on the front. In 2026, the Toyota bZ will also get a new set of batteries, which will make it even more unique. The bigger battery is thought to hold 67 kWh, while the smaller basic pack can hold 52 kWh. The front-wheel-drive XLE variation, which generates 168 horsepower and is the least expensive model, is the only one with a smaller battery; Toyota claims it will have a 236-mile operating range. The XLE FWD Plus version of the 2026 Toyota bZ has the largest battery. It has 221 horsepower and an expected range of 314 miles, making it the best in the lineup. That is 62 miles more than the EPA’s projected range of 252 miles for the leaving bZ4X. The bigger 20-inch wheels on the FWD Limited have cut the range it is said to have by 299 miles. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive bZ will have a maximum power output of 338 horsepower, up 124 horsepower over its predecessor. The most powerful models can go from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and have ranges of 278 miles for the Limited AWD and 288 miles for the XLE AWD. With the new bZ4X, a Level 2 connection will charge the battery faster because it comes with a normal 11-kW charger instead of the 7.6-kW charger that came with the old model. When attached to a DC fast charger, the bZ can only be charged at a maximum speed of 150 kW. Toyota says this will charge the battery from 10% to 80% in thirty minutes. The new bZ cabin is less strange. There is now a new center stack and remapped HVAC vents on the dashboard, which makes it look less cluttered. The second one has knobs for real controls and a bigger touchscreen (14.0 inches vs. 12.3 inches). Toyota got rid of the weird plastic frame that went around the digital gauge cluster. Through reconfiguration, two wireless charging stations have also been added to the middle console. The buttons around the rotary gear switch have also been moved. The 2026 bZ is set to hit stores in the second half of this year, but Toyota hasn’t said how much it will cost yet. The base price for the normal model should be around $42,000, and the base price for the more expensive Limited model should be $46,000.
