Toyota has announced a global recall of its new bZ4X crossover. The reason behind the recall is loose bolts connecting the bZ4X's wheels to the body of the vehicle, which could result in detachment. Toyota issued the following statement in a Japanese recall notice:
"The hub bolt may loosen due to repeated sharp turns and sudden braking. Therefore, if you continue to drive in that state, abnormal noise will be generated, and in the worst case, the tires may fall off.”
Toyota has advised all bZ4X owners to stop using the vehicle immediately. Currently, there are around 2,700 bZ4X units on the market according to data obtained by The Financial Times. 2,200 are in Europe, 280 in North America, 110 in Japan, and 60 in the rest of Asia.
It is unknown if the bZ4X's twin, the chassis-sharing Subaru Solterra, has the same problem. However, it doesn't go on sale until later this summer so any potential issues should be resolved by then.
The bZ4X is Toyota's first mass-market EV. The hydrogen-powered Mirai can only be bought in Japan, California, and a few European countries. Previous all-electric Toyotas, like the RAV4 EV, were only available in a handful of markets.
The bZ4X aims to compete on the more entry-level side of the electric crossover segment. At $42,000 starting (or $34,500 after the FTC), the bZ4X is targeted directly at the Volkswagen ID.4 and Nissan Ariya. Although it's far from fast, the bZ4X offers good range (up to 252 miles EPA) and plenty of storage space.
Toyota wants to sell 3.5 million EVs globally in 2030. The firm also wants to have 30 electric offerings by that year, many of which were previewed in concept form several months ago. However, unlike most other manufacturers, Toyota has not committed to being an all-electric brand at any stage. The marque still firmly believes in the combustion engine and has formed an alliance with Subaru, Mazda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha to help research and develop ICE engines further.
