2026 Toyota bZ Cleans Up Looks and Name, Adds Power and Range
Toyota's only dedicated EV in North America now has much more impressive stats.
The Busy Forks is dead; now Toyota's all-electric model is just Busy. The Japanese brand on Tuesday revealed the newly rechristened 2026 Toyota bZ, and even though the facelifted electric crossover has lost 50 percent of its old name, it has gained even more in terms of power, range, and available models.
Like many of its competitors, the new bZ will offer two battery capacities: 57.7 and 74.7 kilowatt-hours, with the former being available exclusively on the XLE FWD model. Both packs are capable of up to 150 kW of DC fast charging, and all models now come equipped with the North American Charging System (NACS) port that opens up access to Tesla Superchargers.
2026 Toyota bZ: All the Details
Buyers will once again be able to choose between front- and all-wheel drive, and there are some big power gains here. Not on that base XLE FWD, which has just 168 horsepower, but the large-battery front-driver sees a useful increase to 221 hp. Meanwhile the AWD model sees a massive increase from 214 to 338 hp, enabling a run to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 5.1 seconds.
Range is also up, with Toyota USA estimating 236 miles for the XLE FWD model, and up to 314 miles for the XLE FWD Plus model and its larger battery. Adding AWD to the latter shaves range to a still-impressive 288 miles; opting for the top Limited trim and its larger wheels removes 26 miles off the front-driver's range and 10 miles from the AWD.
Canadian ranges are a little different, with fewer trims as well: the base XLE FWD (378 km), XLE AWD (460 km), and Limited AWD (430 km).
Outside, the bZ sees a design refresh not dissimilar to its Subaru Solterra sibling, with a reduction in the all the plastic cladding for a sleeker, cleaner look. The headlights now blend fully into the faux-grille, resulting in a face that's much more Crown Signia than before. There are new wheel designs as well.
Toyota has dropped a larger, 14.0-inch touchscreen in the middle of the bZ's redesigned dashboard, which is itself thinner than last year's model. The instrument cluster remains deep-set on the dashboard—one of our favorite aspects of the car—while 64-color ambient lighting is now available. Toyota has also rejigged the center console with two wireless chargers.
The redesigned 2026 Toyota bZ will arrive in dealerships in the back half of this year. Expect pricing and trim details closer to launch.
Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.
Kyle began his automotive obsession before he even started school, courtesy of a remote control Porsche and various LEGO sets. He later studied advertising and graphic design at Humber College, which led him to writing about cars (both real and digital). He is now a proud member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), where he was the Journalist of the Year runner-up for 2021.
More by Kyle Patrick
Comments
Join the conversation