10 May 15th-May 21st, 2025 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Questions? Feedback? Email me at [email protected] • Follow me on RATING (out of 5 McFly’s) 2024 BZ4X AWD: YOUR CHILL, $49K TICKET TO THE EV CLUB 2024 BZ4X AWD If the name bZ4X sounds If the name bZ4X sounds like a password your IT guy like a password your IT guy would yell at you for writing would yell at you for writing down, you’re not alone. down, you’re not alone. Toyota’s first real EV effort Toyota’s first real EV effort lands with the charm of a lands with the charm of a helpful robot—quiet, capable, helpful robot—quiet, capable, and slightly awkward in and slightly awkward in social settings. The AWD social settings. The AWD version adds dual motors and version adds dual motors and enough grip to fake a sense of enough grip to fake a sense of adventure, but this isn’t your adventure, but this isn’t your off-road rebel; it’s more like off-road rebel; it’s more like the electric equivalent of a the electric equivalent of a Subaru Forester that majored Subaru Forester that majored in environmental studies and in environmental studies and gets anxious when the battery gets anxious when the battery dips below 30%. dips below 30%. Inside, the bZ4X feels like Inside, the bZ4X feels like a minimalist Ikea showroom, if a minimalist Ikea showroom, if Ikea had a section called “Tech Ikea had a section called “Tech Dad Chic.” The materials are Dad Chic.” The materials are decent, the screen is big, and decent, the screen is big, and Toyota finally figured out how Toyota finally figured out how to do software without making to do software without making you want to drive into a lake. you want to drive into a lake. There’s a weird rubberized There’s a weird rubberized dash and a gauge cluster dash and a gauge cluster that’s oddly high and shallow, that’s oddly high and shallow, like it’s peeking at you from the like it’s peeking at you from the windshield base. Still, it’s quiet, windshield base. Still, it’s quiet, roomy, and has that EV torque roomy, and has that EV torque pop that makes stoplight pop that makes stoplight sprints more fun than they sprints more fun than they have any right to be. Just be have any right to be. Just be ready to pay for the privilege— ready to pay for the privilege— our Limited AWD tester rang in our Limited AWD tester rang in at $49,260, which puts it right at $49,260, which puts it right in line with competitors that in line with competitors that offer more range or flashier offer more range or flashier badges. badges. Range anxiety? Sort of. Range anxiety? Sort of. With 222 miles on the AWD With 222 miles on the AWD model, you’re not exactly road- model, you’re not exactly road- tripping to Bigfoot country tripping to Bigfoot country unless you pack patience unless you pack patience and a charging app. But for and a charging app. But for the urban jungle or suburbia’s the urban jungle or suburbia’s soul-sucking commutes, the soul-sucking commutes, the bZ4X gets the job done— bZ4X gets the job done— efficiently, silently, and with efficiently, silently, and with just enough personality to just enough personality to make you feel like you didn’t make you feel like you didn’t buy the wrong kind of future. buy the wrong kind of future. Comfort: Value: Fuel Economy: Looks: The Drive: Safety & Security: Overall: Sound System: Bells & Whistles:
