OJAI, Calif.—The 2026 Toyota bZ Woodland builds on the bZ lineup, adding an off-road flair to electric driving. It’s standard with all-wheel drive, dual motors, and 281 miles of range. If you’re familiar with the original bZ4X, you may be wrinkling your nose about now, but I think this new EV from Toyota has a lot going for it.
2026 Toyota bZ Woodland
Maybe you need a little context. When the bZ4X first entered the scene for the 2023 model year, it had a funny name and low range. Frankly, unless you were just looking for a commuter car, it was hard to take Toyota’s first mass-produced EV seriously. In 2026, however, Toyota shortened the name to bZ, and it got a range boost, which makes it a more viable contender.
Adding in some mild off-road capability, 6 inches of length, extra cargo space, and a lot of standard features, the new bZ Woodland is a fresh take on the “beyond zero” lineup. And my first impression is overall favorable.
Tesla Charging
Along with most automakers in the U.S., Toyota made the switch to the North American Charging Standard (NACS aka Tesla charging). This means that the 2026 Toyota bZ Woodland can use the Tesla Supercharger network. Furthermore, a CCS adapter is standard with your purchase, and this allows the bZ Woodland to use CCS chargers from vendors like Electrify America and ChargePoint as well. With a DC charging maximum input of 150 kW, Toyota estimates that charging from 10 percent to 80percent will take about 30 minutes.
While the original bZ4X only had about 220 to 250 miles of range, the bZ Woodland will get an estimated 281 miles of range with the standard all-season tires. If you opt for all-terrain tires, range drops down to 260 miles. Because this was just a first-look test, I can’t speak definitively about whether these numbers are viable in the real world.
On the Road
When I slipped behind the wheel of the 2026 Toyota bZ Woodland, the first thing I noticed was how comfortable the seats were. They weren’t over bolstered and had a nice balance between firmness and cushion. I also had excellent visibility out of the windows, and as someone on the short side of the spectrum, my driving position was phenomenal. I will point out that taller drivers may have a problem seeing the gauge cluster because of the steering wheel, but I talked to several average-height drivers who all said it was fine.
On road, the bZ Woodland was crazy quiet—even with the all-terrain tires. I tested both sets of tires, and didn’t hear a noticeable difference between the two. And a lot of that is probably due to the sound deadening materials Toyota used.
And did I mention it was fast? With dual motors, the bZ Woodland has a total system output of 375 horsepower, and it sends 198 pound-feet of torque to both front and rear wheels. This translates to smile-worthy acceleration, no matter whether you are coming out of a stop or trying to pass on the highway. It feels fairly nimble and just generally comfortable to drive.
Off-Road Serious?
Yes, but. We aren’t talking crazy off-road capability. The 2026 Toyota bZ Woodland has a ground clearance of 8.4 inches, and it has a standard off-road X-Mode with Grip Control to help in slippery situations. It’ll handle mud fairly well—as long as the all-terrain tires don’t get caked—and you can do some small off-camber passes. Where the bZ Woodland will shine is in mild off-road situations like getting to that perfect campsite or trailhead.
We had the opportunity to take the bZ Woodland up a mountain on a muddy dirt road after the area had received about 3 inches of rain. Things had dried out a bit, and while things were still a bit slippy, the overall control and grip were solid. Plus, over the bumps and grooves, the ride was fairly smooth.
Nothing’s Perfect
I’ll be honest, there isn’t much I didn’t like about the 2027 Toyota bZ Woodland. While the range is less than 300 miles, I do think 281 is a respectable showing, and it will suit most people’s lifestyles just fine. I thought some of the plasticky materials on the console and door panels were less than ideal, and at a price of about $48,000 for the vehicle I was testing, I would expect some kind of flaps or prongs in the rear-seat cup holders to keep a coffee in place.
The other big thing I didn’t like will only be a problem for shorter drivers, and that’s the awkward side opening for the arm rest cubby. Instead of a front latch or button, the bZ Woodland sports a pair of side buttons, and the one on the driver’s side was obscured for me and hard to access. Yes, I could use the passenger-side button, but then I’d have to lean over the console to access what I need inside the arm rest.
Finally, this is a heads up for tall drivers. Depending on your driving position, the steering wheel may bisect the gauge cluster, making it unseeable. While I didn’t have a problem, and the number of average-sized drivers I talked to didn’t have a problem, there was one 6-foot, 9-inch driver I talked to who said it was a problem for him.
Prices and Trim Levels
The 2026 Toyota bZ Woodland is well equipped and will only come in two trim levels base and Premium. As an “off-road” model, features like all-wheel drive, roof rails, and X-Mode are standard, and all-terrain tires are available as a zero-cost option.
Base ($46,750): This model comes standard with 18-inch wheels, dual wireless phone chargers, a 14-inch infotainment screen, leatherette seats, heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, four USB-C ports, dual-zone climate controls, the ability to use your phone as a key, 8-way power adjustable front seats, a NACS to CCS adapter, and power lift gate.
Premium ($48,850): This trim adds ventilated front seats, a rear camera mirror, driver’s seat memory function, a 9-speaker JBL audio system, and a panoramic fixed glass roof.
CG Says:
The 2026 Toyota bZ Woodland is a fun and capable EV with plenty of range for most people. It’s comfortable, quiet, and quick. Plus, it has plenty of standard amenities that help balance out the price tag. If you look at the Limited trim bZ, it costs the same as the base bZ Woodland. In case you missed it, we enjoyed our brief time with the 2026 Toyota bZ Woodland, and we can’t wait to spend more time with it.
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