I got to preview some of the coolest EVs at the New York Auto Show 2025 recently. One thing remains true about the majority: they’re still obnoxiously expensive.
However, one EV manages to do the unthinkable by cutting its price over last year’s model. That’s none other than the 2025 Toyota bZ4X.
Last year’s model didn’t leave that much of an impression on me when I drove Toyota’s first EV for a week. As much as its futuristic design made it striking on the road, its short 252-mile range well behind rivals crossovers like the Honda Prologue and Chevrolet Equinox EV.
At the same time, its $43,070 starting price was still high enough to dissuade car shoppers from pulling the trigger.
Thankfully, Toyota addresses the biggest elephant in the room when it comes to EVs; their pricey cost. That’s because the 2025 Toyota bZ4X has a lower MSRP of $37,070, which is a 14% price cut over last year’s model. Given how pricing continues to be a point of contention, this unexpected move makes the bZ4X much more appealing to me.
Price drop surprise
By lowering the price, Toyota puts it into the same conversation as other affordable EVs — like the Chevrolet Equinox EV and Hyundai Kona Electric. Actually, the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV LT I tested out last month is impressive for its lower $35,995 cost, which is made better by the 3.5 mi/kWh efficiency I got out of it. That still beats the 3.1 mi/kWh efficiency I got from the 2024 Toyota bZ4X.
In today’s economy, it’s almost impossible to find prices rolling back compared to what they were last year. This is why the 2025 Toyota bZ4X stands out over all the other refreshed models I checked out at the New York Auto Show.
Quite frankly, a $6,000 price drop is hard to overlook when the average price of an electric vehicle is $59,205 according to Kelly Blue Book.
Yet, the 2025 bZ4X comes with the reliability that Toyota is known for (and potentially better resell value). I would argue that the bZ4X is a better buy, unless it somehow falls drastically short of matching the efficiency I achieved with the Equinox EV LT.
While premium features such as traffic jam assist, lane change assist, and front cross-traffic alert are available in the Limited trim, you still get dynamic radar cruise control across all trims. Furthermore, I can’t stress enough about the additional savings you’re getting with the 2025 bZ4X because Toyota’s also throwing in one year’s worth of complimentary charging through EVgo’s charging network.
That’s also a big deal because it can offset the cost of charging the EV outside of home. I know how expensive it can be to charge at an EV station, which can often cost as much as filling up on gas.
These are all the reasons why the 2025 Toyota bZ4X is shaping up to be one of the biggest underdogs this year.
