Ever heard of carcinization, the phenomenon of non-crab invertebrates become crabs? Well, there’s sort-of an automotive equivalent, and that’s how seemingly almost all new products in a manufacturer’s lineup are now crossovers. For example, Toyota’s about to offer eight different crossovers in America, and the eighth is something called the bZ Woodland, not to be confused with the regular bZ.
In some ways, the bZ Woodland is close to a Tropic Thunder moment, because it’s almost a crossover playing another crossover, disguised as another crossover. This is a Toyota-altered version of the Subaru Trailseeker, which is an embiggened version of the Subaru Solterra, which is the Subaru-branded version of the Toyota bZ, which is also the mechanical basis for the new C-HR. Think of it almost like the Taco Bell approach to cars, more-or-less the same core ingredients remixed countless ways.
This means you get front and rear electric motors kicking out a combined 375 horsepower, 260 miles of range, a 74.7 kWh battery pack, and a NACS port, along with a few Subaru powertrain-related goodies. Toyota hasn’t rebranded X-Mode, an off-road traction control mode that limits wheel speed and tries to simulate a limited-slip differential, but it’s here for some of the trickier fire trails you might encounter if you’re outdoorsy. If you’re more into sportiness, the superleggera variant pictured below won’t be available to buy, chiefly because it’s a cutaway rendering only meant to show the powertrain, but you can expect a zero-to-60 mph time just under five seconds if this thing’s Subaru Trailseeker twin is anything to go by.
Unlike most Toyotas, the bZ Woodland will simply be available in one main trim level. The only option beyond premium paint and all-terrain tires is a Premium Package that includes ventilated front seats, a fixed glass roof, a JBL audio system, a love-it-or-leave-it digital rearview mirror, radiant heaters, and a memory system for the seats and mirrors. That last one’s unusual to be optional at this sort of market position, but if omitting it gets the base model to a certain price point, I could see why the product planners would shuffle it into an option package.
Taking a step back from the minutiae, I reckon the styling of the Toyota bZ Woodland is a bit more successful than that of the Subaru Trailseeker, in that the front light bar seemingly borrowed from the regular bZ complements the full-width taillight treatment well, and the unpainted fender flares don’t wrap around as far on the front bumper of the Toyota as they do on the Subaru. Other than the front-end treatment and the wheels, few exterior alterations have been made, and that feels like the right call.
What does having two virtually identical cars at pretty much identical market positions from two different brands do, other than economize development and dilute individuality? It hasn’t been a huge problem for Chevrolet and GMC trucks, but the North American truck market is insular, and brand loyalty is fierce. Taking a look at EV sales, the outgoing Toyota bZ4X sold nearly 50 percent more units last year than its Subaru Solterra twin, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Trailseeker actually outsells the bZ Woodland. Not only is the Crown Signia a closer product in execution to these EV twins than the new Subaru Outback, a wagonoid soft-roady crossover seems like an extremely Subaru thing.
Either way, this sales race between two largely identical electric crossovers will kick off early next year. Both seem pretty dope, wagon-ish EVs for North America that should offer some serious practicality, but we won’t learn where pricing lands until closer to the on-sale dates of the Toyota bZ Woodland and its Subaru Trailseeker brother.
Top graphic credit: Toyota
Busy woodland?
Now the Toyota model names sound like porn movies.
I worked just off Times Square in the late 70s, so probably everything sounds like the name of a porn movie, but I swear that looks like something off the Adonis “all male theater” marquee.
I don’t understand the range if these are being marketed as something you would take to the wilderness. Seems too low.
I feel like trail running is kind of an ok fit for EVs, if they can get to the trail on a decent charge, they could spend half a day driving around 35mph without a problem. Ideally if they found a fast charger near the trail they could top off before hand and then take a half hour after to charge up again and head home.
But yet, they still have no successor to the Supra… and no word on a future Celica. Regardless, we will pass by countless examples of the bz Woodland as they are waiting in the starbucks drive through on their way to yoga class.
If Toyota was really serious about giving us a real damn SUV with electrical go bits attached, they’d electrify the 4Runner and/or Land Cruiser.
But for this thing? While I’m certain that this is a perfectly cromulent vehicle, the fact that the thing looks like a biggified precision bread toaster from a German firm with all precision and zero soul means that this is the next Stanley Cup (the tik tok influencer type, not the awesome “I lost a couple of teeth to win this” type) for the crowd that has to follow internet trends and not blaze their own trail.
There headline just reminded me of when BMW split off the 3 series and 4 series, then made the 4 series gran coupe, which became the “4 door version of the 2 door version of their 4 door car”
Let’s call it the Woodland b…zzzzz.
Oh, sorry. Nodded off for a second there.
I’ve been calling it Toyawnta for a while. They’re really living up to that
You know what totally sold me on this vehicle? The action shot of the powertrain autonomously ripping along a trail.
I thought they might’ve been showing off a new camo paint job.
John Cena Edition
Yeah, I’m still confused where this fits in.
I really cannot make myself care any longer. This is beyond grim.
Toyota makes very good cars, but they seriously need to hire some world-aware English speakers in the model-naming departments. First it’s Turd and Pro Turd, now it’s a model (on the second naming attempt after a disastrous first) that can be pronounced Bozo. :facepalm:
Let’s not forget MR2, which can be pronounced in French and translated as also… Turd. There seems to be pattern here…
Toyota hasn’t pulled something like this off since the Toyota Voltz.
Yes, the Toyota that was based on a Pontiac (Vibe), that was based on the Toyota Matrix, sold overseas, built in a GM Plant that was partially run by Toyota. Makes Perfect Sense!
“The Taco Bell approach” reminds me of a great Simpsons joke.
Eff-it lets go full soviet and this is the only car any of us can buy from any dealer/car company. (snark)
We’ve been here before. It’s the K-car. One platform with about forty or so related cars.
With automotive “twins” it comes down to dealer externalities. Who’ll cut you a better deal, whose service department’s better, that sort of thing. Subaru sells a lot of BR-Zs in a much more manual-heavy mix because they’ll let you order what you want while Toyota dealers can only work with what they’ve been allocated.
Back in the day a lot of people bought Mercurys, especially the smaller ones which were the most minimally differentiated, because the L-M dealer treated them better than the Ford place, or, in my hometown, the dealer was conveniently located for them (close to the big IBM plant across town from the main “auto row”). My mom bought a Plymouth Horizon in 1986 because the Dodge dealer didn’t offer as good financing.
My own anecdotes have me believing the Subaru versions will sell much better given the dealer experience.
I’ve not kept up with how Toyota dealers are with EVs, but they’re going to turn a lot of buyers away if they have the markups they put on their ICE vehicles.
I’ve never had a good experience walking into a Toyota dealership – even as recently as when the Crown Signia hit the lots late last fall.
Toyota has more dealers, brand awareness, and a larger volume of default buyers that won’t consider anything else, but it will be interesting to see how that will translate to BEV as neither company is big on them. Will Subaru pull in more people who were turned off by Subaru’s lesser rep for powertrains and worse mileage in their classes (largely because their AWD systems actually work) or will Toyota just be juggernaut Toyota?
For the twins—obviously very different cars—Toyota outsells the Subaru about 3:1 or better despite generally worse dealers (though that doesn’t match my personal experience where I ended up with a GR86 from the first shipment that was exactly what I wanted without markup and the entire buying process was 1.5 hours, most of which the test drive they let me go on alone). Then again, Subaru also seems to have no interest in selling BRZs whereas this EV is their kind of thing, so who knows!
A direct comparison of Toyota and Subaru sales volume will always favor Toyota, but I do believe Subaru will sell more of these as a percentage of relative market share than Toyota will.
Yeah, if you’re going by market percentage, I suspect you’ll be right. I think this matches the demo of Subaru owners better and I would think they’ll have more interest in selling it as they really need to reduce their average emissions and establish themselves in the BEV market.
So far, Toyota EV buyers haven’t had to worry about markups. Unfortunately, that’s because the bZ products are so ugly and painfully uncompetitive that they’re about the only Toyotas not selling before they hit the lots!
Another ugly electric vehicle loaded with gee gaws and gim cracks. Too much plastic …everywhere. Have you seen all the hoses for the cooling systems? Leaks? Oh yeah. Plastic pipes. Leaks oh yeah. Maintenance free…not really. Who needs a 5 second 0-60 time? Most people want more range. These things are money pits…as soon as you drive it off the lot. No thanks. P.S. it’s getting to where to charge an EV up cost about a tank of gas.
Between this and the C-HR, why haven’t they gotten rid of the regular Bz?
And when you say they haven’t rebranded X-Mode, do you mean it doesn’t have Subaru’s X-Mode or it does and they chose not to rename it?
bZ4x almost sounds like an outdoorsy named version of bZ.
Subaru wouldn’t add a FWD version, but I feel like Toyota would introduce a FWD version after a year and if they can tweak it to 300 mi of range at the same time, the bZ and Solterra will be discontinued.
Or – this is just a placeholder until the 3-row EV arrives.
Topshot joke is up my damned alley. I often mention things at work being an ouroboros and get blank stares. This is how I win work arguments.
I always think of the Red Dwarf episode where it unpacked to “our Rob or Ross”.
Everybody dig in! This ouroboros isn’t going to eat itself, you know.
The headline gives me real mid-90s Blur vibes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDswiT87oo8
Life is easy BZ when you badge engineer your crossovers.
If the press shots from the manufacturer aren’t well lit enough to show the car, I suspect that’s because the car looks like crap.
This shot at Subaru’s market is sure to result in some passive aggressive mid-level executive comments at the next joint project planning meeting.
You never go full Crossover. Look at Subaru with the Outback — still a wagon, but competes with crossovers. Honda Element, funky little wagon, sold to people who like crossovers before they even called them crossovers! And then you got Volvo and Audi with their “offroad wagons.” They might seem like crossovers, but they’re just wagons.
See, the problem with you, BZ? You went full crossover.
Oooh….you missed the new Outback unveil, didn’t you?
I prefer the term “psychological trauma suppression”
I know complaining about the unpainted front wheel arch surrounds is about as original as calling this car the Busy Forks, but they seriously look like they are on backwards on this car.
I was also thinking the “superleggera” picture could make for a fun ride if you ran it backwards (i.e. towards the camera rather than away).
I believe their technical name is Malignant Plastic Tumors and, yes, these grew on backwards.
Woodland BZ?
I’m fairly certain they are called Carpenter Bees
I love carpenter bees, even as a homeowner. Even as someone with an utter phobia of Flying Stinging Things, I force myself to stay put and appreciate it when one of these fat friends blesses my property with its presence.
What am I missing?