It took years. Nearly three of them. But the 2026 Toyota bZ4X Touring looks like it’s actually figuring this out.
Early days in Australia were rough. Then came the mid-year overhaul – lower prices, more range, more tech. And now? This. The Touring. A rugged, lifted wagon-SUV thing that feels less like a generic plastic box and more like something built to actually go somewhere. It’s more powerful than the regular AWD version. More practical. And surprisingly not much more expensive.
It’s not the only game in town, of course. Subaru’s doing the exact same dance with the Trailseeker, which shares this chassis and much of its soul. So which one do you pick? We flew to Brisbane to find out.
Price check
Let’s get the painful part over with.
You’re looking at $69,990 plus on-road costs for the Toyota. That’s a $2000 hike over the standard AWD model. If that hurts, remember the Subaru Trailseeker starts at $63,990. Though confusingly, the top-tier Trailseeker (also called ‘Touring’) is the same price as its Toyota brother.
Are there rivals? Not many. The space is weirdly empty. You could cross-shop the Zeekr 7X (from $57,990) or the Tesla Model Y ($58,990), but they lack the rugged aesthetic. The Kia EV6 sits higher, starting around $72,660.
“If you hate EVs, go buy a traditional SUV. Plenty of those still exist.”
But if you want that wagon vibe, your list is short.
Inside: Better seats, weird screen
Walk inside. It’s basically the same car up front. Don’t expect a design revolution. Or vibrancy. The Toyota comes in a nice khaki interior, though Subaru’s blue trim on the Trailseeker does have a bit more soul.
Toyota loses a point here for ergonomics. Both brands put the 7-inch digital cluster high up near the windshield. The theory is good – keeps your eyes on the road. The practice? Flawed for taller drivers in the Toyota. The circular steering wheel blocks the view. You either lower the wheel into an uncomfortable posture or ignore the display. Subaru fixed this with a square-bottom wheel. It’s not perfect, but it’s a start.
If you aren’t six feet tall, though? You’re fine. The cabin is genuinely decent. Soft synthetic leather seats, lots of padding, heated and cooled. The rotary dials for volume and climate are prominent and easy to find – no digging through menus for basics.
The screen? Crisp but boring. No Google built-in. Just standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which most of us use anyway. In a world of digital noise, simplicity is sometimes a feature.
Where is the glovebox? It isn’t.
Storage is an afterthought. The door bins and under-seat trays are puny for a family hauler. Twin wireless chargers help, barely.
Back row magic
Stretch the car out by 140mm (all behind the rear axle) and raise the roof by 20mm, and the Touring changes.
Legroom is vast. Headroom is generous, even with the glass roof above. The flat floor means the middle seat isn’t torture. The bench slips a bit but is soft enough for long hauls, and the backrest tilts far back – good for napping. Heated outboard seats are standard.
Cargo? Huge. The boot jumps to 603 litres (+151L over the regular bZ4X). Best-in-class if we ignore Tesla’s measuring tricks. The opening is wide. No lip. Hands-free tailgate if your hands are full of groceries. Plus a 1500V2L outlet to power your camping gear.
One catch: No spare tyre. Just a kit. Good luck on the outback track.
Under the bonnet
Two motors. 280kW of total system power (up from 250). It hits 100km/h in 4.5 seconds.
Fast? Yes. Usable? More on that.
The range drops to 488km (WLTP). That’s a penalty for the extra power and size. DC charging maxes at 150kW. AC is 22kW.
How it drives
Here is the surprise: The bZ4X Touring actually wants to tour.
Previously, we said the regular bZ4X was stiff. Not this one. The chassis tweaks for the lifted variant have softened the ride. It eats bumps on country roads without fuss.
The power delivery is strong but civilized. It’s rapid, not frightening. Some EVs lunge in ways that make passengers grab the handles. The Touring stays composed. It feels confident.
Braking? Weak. The car dives under hard stops because the mechanical brakes aren’t great, and regenerative braking (even on the highest setting via paddle shifters) isn’t enough for one-pedal driving. Stronger regen would solve half the problem.
Handling is… adequate. Body roll exists. The skinny 235 Bridgestone tyres grip okay, but the car prefers straight lines to corners. It’s secure, not athletic. You cruise. You don’t hustle.
Visibility is excellent. Big mirrors. Large windows. No blind spots that scare you.
Road noise? Yes. No engine mask means the tyres roar on coarse chip. Turn the music up. Or talk over it.
The tech list
It gets most of the AWD stuff. Add:
- Unique 20-inch black alloys
- Skid plates front and back
- Roof rails
- Resin cladding on arches and hood
- Rear wiper (essential)
Standard AWD gear includes:
– Heated/ventilated front seats
– Panoramic roof
– X-Mode off-road settings
– Auto park assist
– Digital rearview mirror
Safety
5-star ANCAP. Same as the rest of the line.
You get autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with cyclist and pedestrian detection. Intersection turn assist. Blind spot monitoring. Rear cross-traffic alert. Safe exit assist. A surround-view camera. It’s comprehensive without being annoying during our short drive.
Running costs
Five-year, unlimited km warranty.
Battery and motor get their own terms. Service intervals? Standard. Not the generous two-year gaps you see in some rivals, or Tesla’s “no maintenance” policy.
Roadside assistance? Extra. You pay for it. Other brands give it away. It’s an odd choice for Toyota in this segment.
Verdict?
The Touring fixes a lot. The interior storage still sucks. The brakes feel mushy. The infotainment is dull.
But it drives nicer than before. It carries more people and gear. And it looks like it has somewhere to be.
Is it better than the Trailseeker? That remains to be seen. We’ll need to live with these cars, not just launch them.
