Toyota bZ4X GR Sport under consideration: Could this mild-mannered electric SUV turn into an off-road superhero?

April 17, 2024April 16, 2024 Bruce Newton 9833 Views BZ4X, ev, GR Sport, SUV, Toyota

In a transition reminiscent of a superhero movie, the mild-mannered Toyota bZ4X electric medium SUV could become a rip-snorting off-road superman.

That also means the first Toyota EV sold in Australia could also potentially become the first electric member of Toyota’s GR – or Gazoo Racing – line-up, which up until now has been limited to petrol-sucking models.

Likely to wear the intermediate GR Sport badge (as per the uprated HiLux and LandCruiser GR Sport off-roaders), the go-anywhere-at-speed electric SUV is the brainchild of the bZ4X’s chief engineer Masaya Uchiyama.

“I like to go the off-road performance side,” Uchiyama told EV Central recently when asked about his plans for expanding the bZ4X line-up.

2024 Toyota bZ4X. — 2024 Toyota bZ4X and chief engineer Masaya Uchiyama.

“It’s one option to have a high performance bZ4X. It would probably be a bZ4X GR S like HiLux GR Sport.

“We are studying in the model life, but I cannot say when or how right now.”

A GR Sport model would be based on the all-wheel drive version of the bZ4X, which was tested on off-road tracks by media during the Australian launch in February.

Based on Toyota’s e-TNGA BEV platform, the all-wheel drive bZ4X delivers a relatively modest 160kW/337Nm and accelerates from 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.9 seconds.

Its off-road credentials are aided by 212mm of ground clearance (the 2WD base model has 182mm), X Mode off-road driving modes and downhill assist control.

Uchiyama is a former chief engineer of the new Toyota Prado 250 Series and insists the bZ4X is already a better off-roader in some circumstances.

“Prado has linear good feeling but you have time lag,” he said. “When you put the acceleration you have time lag and then have torque. But bZ4X [reacts] instantly.

“On a medium off-road course you can feel more peace of mind than Prado – easy driving.”

A bZ4X GR Sport would potentially include tuned suspension and more capable shock absorbers, increased motor outputs and cosmetic updates.

“I am very excited to see what I can choose,” Uchiyama said.

Not that the bZ4X GR Sport is Uchiyama’s only vision for a spin-off. He also admitted an economy model might be in the works, while a road-focussed sporting GR was also possible.

The expansion of the bZ4X line-up will come as part of the annual model updates scheduled for the rest of the first generation’s life.

Uchiyama confirmed it will not be superseded until sometime after 2026 when an all-new BEV platform and generation of batteries is introduced.

“We cannot make bZ4X instantly from the 2026, we need to use these two platforms to cover the volumes and also the regions,” he said. “We will keep the bZ4X [first generation] for a while. I cannot say until when.”