Enjoying My bZ4X Despite a Few Design Puzzles

[Nanako_Dojima]

I’ve had my bZ4X XL AWD for a while now, and I falling in love with the car. With a few quirks and the infamous battery recall, which I hope will be sorted out. I’m still happy with my choice. But as much as I enjoy the bZ, there are some design choices and features that feel… well, a bit experimental, almost like Toyota was trying too hard to break new ground.

The regenerative braking, for instance. It just doesn’t feel as refined as it could be, especially when compared to other EVs on the market. It makes me wonder if the design team drove other EVs before deciding on this approach.

Then there’s the center console. Don’t get me wrong, I like the overall layout, but why is it so high? I keep snagging my sleeve on my straw when I grab a drink, and I can’t imagine I’m the only one who finds it a little awkward.

And don’t even get me started on the range display. The “usable range” estimate can be confusing, and it feels like there are so many layers of buffers and reserves that it’s hard to know the actual range at a glance.

The lug bolts instead of the typical stud and nut system? It’s a minor thing, but for Toyota, a brand that’s known for reliability, this change feels like an weird choice, especially considering the recall it caused.

Despite these quirks, I really do love the bZ4X and enjoy driving it. I just hope that Toyota can address some of these issues with software updates. It’s a great car with a few puzzling design choices, but I’m still a fan.

 

[Chihaya_Mifune]

I’ve had my bZ4X XL AWD for a while now, and I falling in love with the car. With a few quirks and the infamous battery recall, which I hope will be sorted out. I’m still happy with my choice. But as much as I enjoy the bZ, there are some design choices and features that feel… well, a bit experimental, almost like Toyota was trying too hard to break new ground.

The regenerative braking, for instance. It just doesn’t feel as refined as it could be, especially when compared to other EVs on the market. It makes me wonder if the design team drove other EVs before deciding on this approach.

Then there’s the center console. Don’t get me wrong, I like the overall layout, but why is it so high? I keep snagging my sleeve on my straw when I grab a drink, and I can’t imagine I’m the only one who finds it a little awkward.

And don’t even get me started on the range display. The “usable range” estimate can be confusing, and it feels like there are so many layers of buffers and reserves that it’s hard to know the actual range at a glance.

The lug bolts instead of the typical stud and nut system? It’s a minor thing, but for Toyota, a brand that’s known for reliability, this change feels like an weird choice, especially considering the recall it caused.

Despite these quirks, I really do love the bZ4X and enjoy driving it. I just hope that Toyota can address some of these issues with software updates. It’s a great car with a few puzzling design choices, but I’m still a fan.

Relate to all of these! It seems like Toyota took a few creative liberties with the bZ4X design. The regen braking could use some tweaking, and I also find the range display a bit confusing. The good news is that Toyota is big on updates, so there’s a chance they’ll address some of these things over time. I’ve seen automakers adjust regen braking and range displays with software updates, so fingers crossed Toyota will follow suit. It’s a great car with room for improvement, for sure!

 

[zY-boss]

To be honest, they're okay for zipping around town. But charging them takes forever, and forget about taking a long road trip in one. It's just not practical.

 

[Riha]

Yeah, the regenerative braking and center console design are a bit off. I just hope Toyota listens to feedback and addresses them soon.