Toyota bZ4X - Practicality, comfort and boot space
Practicality is a mixed bag for the Toyota bZ4X; boot space is adequate, but rear passenger space could be better
There are a few quirky design touches in the bZ4X’s cabin that impact on overall practicality. You won’t find any glovebox storage upfront because Toyota has experimented with a slimmed-down dash in an attempt to boost interior space. It’s a strange pay-off and we think a shortcut too far, because other all-new EV rivals manage to offer both. A lack of a rear windscreen wiper might also prove irritating, although Toyota claims the bZ4X’s aerodynamics are so good that you won’t miss it. We’ll see.
Big door bins and a useful central cubby are welcome touches, and we particularly like that the smartphone tray in the centre console has a cover, so you shouldn’t be tempted to have a peek whenever a new notification lights up the screen. There’s plenty of reach and rake adjustment in the steering column, while rear passengers will appreciate the extra air vents and USB ports in the back.
Size
The bZ4X is 4,690mm long and 1,860mm wide, which makes it 90mm longer than its RAV4 SUV sibling, but 5mm narrower. The all-electric crossover sits lower to the ground, too, measuring 1,600mm tall against the RAV4’s 1,685mm.
Leg room, head room & passenger space
While room upfront is fine, and rear passengers are treated to decent amounts of both leg- and headroom. However, the bZ4X’s extraordinarily high floor relative to the rear seats means there’s very little under-thigh support. Finding a comfortable seating position is more difficult than it should be, and will prove particularly irksome for rear passengers on longer trips.
Two ISOFIX mounting points are provided on the rear bench's outer positions.
Boot
Luggage space in the bZ4X is adequate. Its 452-litre boot trails the VW ID.4’s 543-litre capacity and the 527 litres offered by the Hyundai Ioniq 5. There’s no load lip to hoist stuff over, though, and you can fold the rear seats down in the Toyota to unlock additional room, but they don’t go completely flat.
The bZ4X doesn’t feature a ‘frunk’ or any extra storage under the bonnet like you’ll find in a Tesla Model Y, but the same goes for the Skoda Enyaq and VW ID.4, and there is at least some space underneath the boot floor that allows you keep the charging cables out of sight.
Towing
If you’re prioritising towing ability then you may wish to consider an alternative EV, because the bZ4X only has a 750kg maximum braked trailer weight. Top-spec versions of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Nissan Ariya are rated to pull up to 1,600kg and 1,500kg, respectively.
