• Two power options
• Front- and four-wheel drive
• Smooth fuss-free acceleration

What power options are there?

The bZ4X comes with a choice of two electric motor setups. The front-wheel drive car uses a single electric motor mounted on the front axle. It produces 150kW, or 204hp, and is good for a 0-62mph sprint of 7.5 seconds.

The all-wheel drive car feels partner Subaru’s influence, with an 80kW motor on each axle and a selectable off-road driving mode suited to green lane driving. The additional motor also adds power and performance, with a total output of 218hp and a 0-62mph sprint of 6.9 seconds.

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What’s it like to drive?

• Smooth ride for great comfort
• Impressively low loise levels
• Surprisingly capable off-road

As with most mid-range electric cars, the bZ4X feels quick off the line but power trails off at higher speeds. It’s a comfortable motorway cruiser but speed demons would be better served by something from the Tesla family.

However what the Toyota does to very well is ride and handling. The stiff body works in harmony with compliant suspension to effectively iron out all but the largest of bumps and potholes. It’s unfazed by rough surfaces and that carries over into faster corners, where it’s flat, composed and even a little bit fun if you really go for it.

The all-wheel drive model benefits from some outside expertise, as the bZ4X was jointly developed with the Subaru Solterra. ‘X-Mode’ systems allow the bZ4X to climb remarkably steep hills, go down them in a controlled fashion and keep grip on some pretty slippery surfaces. It’ll even wade up to 500mm of water – that’s actually the same as an old Land Rover Defender…