Toyota's latest electric SUV costs $22,000, but you can't buy one in Australia
12/12/2024 04:00 PM
The newest electric SUV from Toyota looks good, has plenty of tech, and is priced sharply – but don’t expect to see it in Australian showrooms.
The 2025 Toyota bZ3X has gone on sale in China, priced from just 100,000 yuan – or less than $AU22,000.
Roughly the same size as Australia’s RAV4, the latest electric SUV from Toyota – in partnership with local car maker GAC – has been priced to win buyers over from a long list of competitors from Chinese brands, with the bZ3X designed exclusively for the Chinese market.
For $AU21,600, the base Toyota bZ3X 430 Air+ comes with a 50kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery sourced from BYD, powering a single electric motor making 165kW – which, as the name suggests, delivers a claimed electric driving range of 430 kilometres based on the lenient CLTC lab test.
The bZ3X is also available in 520 Pro+ and 620 Max variants, which offer 520 and 620 kilometres of driving range respectively, with prices topping out at 200,000 Chinese yuan ($AU43,200).
It is worth noting Chinese-built cars tend to be affordable in their home market. A top-of-the-range Toyota bZ4X built in China for the local market costs 238,800 yuan ($AU51,400), while an equivalent Japanese-built version in Australia starts from $74,900 plus on-road costs.
While it’s easy to assume the attractive price tag means it’s devoid of features, the reality is the opposite, with the bZ3X coming with a lidar, three radars, 11 high-definition cameras, and 12 ultrasonic sensors – all working with the SUV’s driver-assist systems.
In total, there are 25 advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS), including radar cruise control with stop-and-go, traffic-light assist, and automatic parking.
Ahead of the driver is an 8.8-inch digital instrument display, while a 14.6-inch centrally-mounted screen looks after infotainment and voice commands, connected to an 11-speaker Yamaha sound system.
According to GAC-Toyota, the seats can be laid flat to provide three metres of space, which the company calls a ‘Cozy Mobile Home’.
The cabin also features a large panoramic sunroof, wireless smartphone charging, and seven airbags.
Outside, the bZ3X has LED headlights and tail-lights, flush door handles, and 19-inch alloy wheels.
Deliveries of the 2025 GAC-Toyota bZ3X begin in March next year in China, with no word on whether the model will be adapted for global markets.
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