Toyota New Zealand pricing has all-wheel-drive under-cutting Subaru Solterra equivalent at face value, front-drive on new turf.

PRICNG announced today for the Toyota’s bZ4X battery sports utility puts the front-drive $7000 below the cheapest edition of its Subaru twin, which restricts to all-wheel-drive here, while the AWD sites $3000 above.

In sharing that stickers for the front-drive Pure and AWD Motion will respectively be $72,990 and $82,990, Toyota New Zealand has also said it is now taking orders.

However, it is still resisting saying exactly when the cars will arrive, beyond repaying that release is scheduled for “early next year”.

Subaru NZ’s first Solterra shipment will land in December, with the local distributor hopeful the first cars will, in $79,990 entry form, achieve the $7015 Clean Car rebate that is expected to be wiped at the end of the year.

Subaru NZ also has a $84,990 Touring edition that, from cross-referencing of specifications that the makes distributors have shared, seems a closer match to the bZ4X Motion.

Perception of the Toyota holding $2000 advantage might prove illusionary, however. Solterra Touring has a leather trim that has been described as being an option for bZ4X - and Toyota NZ has yet to share how much it will cost.

Solterra is also produced in front-drive, but Subaru NZ says its dedication to AWD determined decision to decline that type.

The cars have an identical 71.4kWh battery and drivetrain behind either badge with each also citing identical outputs - 160kW (AWD) and 150kW (front-drive) and 337Nm torque.

TNZ is citing bZ4X as being “an SUV that will meet the needs of most customers.”

TNZ chief executive Neeraj Lala says the car will provide capable and practical everyday mobility and says his brand’s legacy “has been further enhanced to meet the future needs of Kiwi drivers in our low carbon economy.

“The bZ4X is just the beginning of a new chapter as Toyota has up to nine more BEV models for production globally over the next three years.”

The Palmerston North-based market leader says the car’s low centre of gravity will ensures a flat and composed ride on both the highway and secondary roads.

The Pure and Motion trim with a fabric and synthetic leather but an upgrade to black or grey synthetic leather is available for the Motion.

Safety assists include a pre-collision system with motorcycle detection, intersection collision avoidance support and emergency steering assist. The Motion adds a panoramic view monitor and blind spot monitor with safe exit assist. While the package is being described as the Toyota Safety System, it is also provisioned in Solterra, under a different label.

TNZ has acknowledged bZ4X having been designed with help from Subaru and has suggested the co-share’s main contribution has been the all-wheel drive system. It says the set-up can easily handle dry, dusty trails involving steep climbs and descents, and is equally capable on wet, claggy ground. It can cope with up to 177mm water depth. Both models can tow 750kg unbraked.

The Pure has 18-inch alloy wheels whereas the Motion variant features 20-inch black and machined finished alloys with resin accents. The latter also takes a panoramic roof and power shade, and a larger split rear spoiler.

TNZ shared two days ago that the NZ cars will have release with refinements Toyota Japan announced at last week’s Tokyo motor/mobility show last week.

Reduced charging time in low-temperature environments and reduced power consumption are cited. 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, though previous economy figures assessed to WLTP measure have not changed.

TNZ has not yet shared range estimates but the parent has previously said the front-drive format delivers up to 516 kilometres, which is a 51km optimal advantage over the AWD, a gap that widens depending on wheel choice. Subaru says its base car, on 18 inch rims, will achieve 465kms on a charge, but says the Touring’s 20 inch rim bring that back to 414kms. Whether than is the same for bZ4X remains to be clarified.