Toyota BZ4X vs Tesla Model Y

What's the difference?

Is the bZ4X Touring the right Toyota for this moment in time or too little too late for the brand to play catch-up to its EV rivals?

The good news for Toyota is that it isn’t too late, at all. The Touring expands the appeal of the bZ4X, metaphorically and literally, and certainly the sales trajectory in 2026 suggests buyers are warming to Toyota’s electric future.

However, it remains a more expensive proposition for its size and the Touring doesn’t really make it stand out amongst the crowd that includes the popular BYD Sealion 7 and Tesla Model Y. It’s unfamiliar territory for Toyota, but it didn’t become the automotive juggernaut it is by giving up, so there is every reason to think the bZ4X duo will chip away at the EV sales leaders.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

If you like the five-seat Model Y, then you'll like the six-seat L version even more. I think this the best example of Tesla's electric SUV to date, and the cabin layout just makes a lot of sense, and would suit plenty of families who don't need to squeeze someone into a compromised middle seat.

Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number of automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.