Toyota Just Went Off Script… And Off Trail With Its New EV – HotCars

By now, we all know Toyota’s been dragging its feet on fully electric vehicles like a teen told to take out the trash. But with the new all-electric 2026 bZ Woodland, they’re finally packing up their gear, hitting the trail, and realizing they actually know how to rough it in style.

Toyota

Toyota is, today, the world’s largest automobile manufacturer. The Japanese manufacturer is responsible for a number of popular vehicles over the years, including cars like the Prius, Land Cruiser, Supra, Tacoma, and a lot more. 

Divisions

Lexus

Founded

1937

Founder

Kiichiro Toyoda

Headquarters

Toyota City, Aichi, Japan

Make Way Subaru

Yes, it’s electric. Yes, it’s an SUV. And yes, Toyota actually gave it some guts in the form of 375 horsepower, standard AWD, and enough torque to make the Subaru Trailseeker rethink some of its life choices. The bZ Woodland doesn’t just plug in. It pulls up, zips out, and hauls 3,500 pounds of whatever you feel like dragging through the mud. You know, electrically.

It has a range of about 260 miles under ideal conditions. So, no, it won’t outrun a Rivian on a cross-country Instagram flex. But it will get you from L.A. to Big Bear without needing to barter for electrons behind a Cracker Barrel. And when you do need juice, it’s rocking the NACS port (finally), so you can charge up where the cool Teslas do – in 30 minutes, if the stars align.

But let’s talk design. The bZ Woodland looks like the regular bZ4X hit the gym, got outdoorsy, and now insists on calling you “brother.” It comes with black overfenders, nearly 6 inches of additional length, and is slightly taller than its city-dwelling sibling. Plus, there’s more than 30 cubic feet of cargo space, so throw in a tent, a dog, maybe a goat. Or whatever the algorithm says is “outdoorsy” this week.

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Nerding Out In The Wild

Inside, it’s still Toyota through and through: functional, comfortable, and blessedly not weird. You get heated SofTex seats, a 14-inch touchscreen, and enough ambient lighting to make your dashboard feel like a synthwave music video. The optional Premium Package brings in JBL audio, a glass roof, ventilated seats, and front radiant heaters, which sounds like something NASA tested on the moon, but we’re into it.

Toyota bZ Woodland Vs Nissan ARIYA Specs

Toyota is late to the EV party, sure. But now they’ve brought a bottle of bourbon and a Bluetooth speaker. The bZ Woodland matters not because it’s revolutionary, but because it’s proof Toyota is finally getting serious about building EVs people will actually want to drive. It’s practical, powerful, and unafraid of a gravel road.

The bZ Woodland isn’t just an electric SUV. It’s a sign that even the most cautious giants eventually get tired of standing still.