Enhancements announced in Japan last week will include on Kiwi cars from day one.

ENHANCEMENTS announced last week in Tokyo for Toyota’s  bZ4X electric crossover (above) will include on New Zealand product from the get-go, the national distributor has confirmed.

The changes are all minor - the sole external change over the “original" version is the addition of a discreet 'BEV' badge on the charging flap - yet have been deemed important enough by Toyota Japan to be rushed into production.

Toyota New Zealand already has some examples of the car here and has yet to signal when public sale will commence, save to point to this occurring early in 2024, or at what price.

That means the model’s Subaru twin, Solterra (below), will beat it to market. The first Solterra shipment is set to reach customers in December. It is unclear if Subaru stock also benefits from the updates. Same goes for the third spin-off on this architecture, the Lexus RZ, versions of which are already in the market.

Whereas Subaru and Lexus solely selling their car in all-wheel-drive, Toyota will bring AWD and front-drive editions. 

Subaru’s car provisions in base $79,990 and $84,990 Touring formats. The Lexus is $141,600 and $151,600.

Toyota Japan made point of detailing the bZ4X’s changes during a presentation at last week’s Tokyo motor and mobility show.

There are no revisions to the powertrain, so the front drive variant has 150kW/337Nm and the AWD has the same torque but 10kW more power. However, Toyota believes the revised car will provide better satisfaction than the originals, which have been criticised for sub-par efficiency in some early export countries.

Today a spokesperson based at Toyota NZ headquarters, in Palmerston North, confirmed they will include into showroom stock saying: “Yes, the bZ4X variants available in New Zealand, and arriving in early 2024, will receive the same updates.”

Reduced charging time in low-temperature environments and reduced power consumption are cited for the updated car.

Toyota claims the charging time from when the low-battery warning appears to 80 percent is reduced by up to 30 percent "under low outside temperatures" due to improved battery heating.

It also has an optimised air-conditioner with a power-saving eco mode to warm occupants through more efficient methods, such as the heated seats and steering wheel, and a humidity sensor that "detects cloudiness in the windshield and controls the timing of outdoor air capture more precisely”.

The instrument cluster will now display key charging information, including time to 80 percent and the difference in range between having the air-conditioner switched on or off.

These steps are said to improve efficiency and thus real-world range. Toyota Japan engineers who briefed Australian media at the show emphasised that "real-world" is the important distinction because the WLTP figures stay the same overall due to vagaries in methodology.

Both brands’ cars have a 71.4kWh battery.

Best range arrives in Toyota’s front-drive format. This allows for a driving range of up to 516 kilometres.

Subaru NZ says on its website that ranges for its AWD cars depend on driving style and road conditions. 

It nonetheless cites the base model, simply called Solterra, as being up for a highly credible 465 kilometres. That’s a five kilometre advantage over the initial call. The more expensive Touring has ability to run 414kms before requiring replenishment; a penalty - identified in overseas’ tests - from it moving off the standard fare 18 inch rims onto 20 inch types.

The battery allows a 10-80 percent charge in 30 minutes at 150kW.

Subaru’s entry car also has cloth trim, whereas the Touring has leather, but both have a 10-way electric adjustable driver’s seat. Front seat heaters and a power tailgate also come with the rebate car. It has dual zone air conditioning, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a six-speaker stereo.

The Touring takes all those elements, and adds wireless phone charging, a panorama sunroof, upgrades to a Harman Kardon sound system, achieves a heated steering wheel, has sat nav and intelligent park assist. It can be ordered with a two-tone paint, which adds $1000.