Though later to market than some of its rivals when it comes to offering fully competitive battery-electric vehicles, Toyota continues rolling out a slate of BEVs set to debut in 2026.
Adding to its own BEV lineup as well as the nascent all-electric-but-rugged offerings in the U.S., which for now includes Rivian’s R1T and R1S, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT grade and the Subaru Trailseeker, is Toyota’s bZ Woodland.
After announcing a much-upgraded bZ4X, now called bZ, the world’s largest automaker by sales volume addsan extended variant of that model called the bZ Woodand. If you couldn’t tell by the name, it’s meant to appeal to customers who want a rugged, capable and all-electric utility vehicle.
The bZ Woodland is built on the same e-TNGA platform as the bZ, but is longer with a higher roofline with rails and more usable cargo space, making it better suited for active lifestyles and light off-roading.
The bZ Woodland further distinguishes itself from the standard bZ by offering increased horsepower – 375 hp compared to the bZ's 338-hp all-wheel-drive version – while utilizing the same 74.7-kWh battery pack. This boost in power results in a slightly reduced range, with the Woodland estimated at 260 miles (418 km) vs. the bZ's 314 miles (505 km) in front-wheel-drive configuration.
In ideal conditions, Toyota says the Woodland’s battery pack will charge from 10%–80% in about 30 minutes using its built-in North American Charging Standard (NACS) port supporting DC fast-charging networks including Tesla’s Superchargers.
Designed with outdoor adventures in mind, the bZ Woodland offers increased ground clearance of 8.3 ins. (211 mm), towing capacity of 3,500 lbs. (1,588 kg) and 30 cu.-ft. (0.85 cu.-m) of storage behind the second-row seats. The Inclusion of an X-Mode that applies power and traction to the wheels in sloppy road conditions and Toyota’s Grip Control further enhances its capability when drivers encounter gravel and dirt roads in snowy and rainy conditions. Grip Control manages engine torque and braking independently on each wheel to optimize traction, similar to a form of crawl control or a basic traction control system tailored for off-road use. It operates only at low speeds, typically below 6-10 mph (10-15 km/h), and is designed for off-pavement conditions.
Woodland is approximately 190 ins. (4,826 mm) long, 6 ins. (152 mm) longer than the standard bZ), and slightly taller than the standard bZ owing to the increased ground clearance and roof rails. The more rugged-appearing CUV also has gray body cladding, black overfenders and unique 18-in. wheels.
On the inside, Woodland shares the 14-in. (36-cm) center multimedia touchscreen with its BEV stablemates, dual wireless Qi charging pads, customizable ambient lighting, an upgraded JBL audio system offered in premium packages, panoramic glass roof and ventilated front seats.
The Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite is standard on the Woodland, providing drivers with features such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist, pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, road sign assist and automatic high beams. Safe Exit Alert is also a standard feature, designed to detect vehicles or cyclists approaching from the rear and providing visual and audible alerts to prevent potential collisions when occupants are exiting the vehicle.
The Subaru Trailseeker just shown at the New York International Auto Show and the Toyota bZ Woodland are mechanical twins, both built on the e-TNGA platform co-developed by Toyota and Subaru.
The Woodland is due on sale in the U.S. next year, as is Toyota’s other recently announced BEV, the small C-HR CUV.
Unlike in gas-electric hybrids where it far outpaces the competition with multiple models, the Toyota brand presently has a single BEV model on sale in the U.S. in the current bZ4X, which alongside its Subaru twin is one of the lower-volume vehicles in the U.S. BEV sector. The recent refresh and name change for the bZ, as well as the Woodland variant and the C-HR, is Toyota’s effort to more seriously compete with Tesla, Hyundai and other BEV-sector heavy hitters, although the automaker remains a steadfast believer in hybrids vs. pure electrics.
