Edmunds did a comparison with the bZ4X going up against the VW ID.4 and the Ford Mustang Mach-E. They said that the "hiccups are significant. The front-wheel-drive model we tested underperformed its EPA estimate by 15 miles on the Edmunds EV test loop, logging just 227 miles of range."
Is Edmunds right about the bZ4X?
Toyota bZ4X
The bZ4X is the no-stress EV. You can climb right in and quickly make sense of the controls. It's also supremely easy to drive, if uninspiring. But the hiccups are significant. The front-wheel-drive model we tested underperformed its EPA estimate by 15 miles on the Edmunds EV test loop, logging just 227 miles of range. The bZ4X has character and enough range for the majority of drivers, but with sleepy performance, annoying interior sun glare and no front trunk (frunk), the bZ4X misses opportunities.
The verdict: Toyota's first mass EV checks boxes but doesn't go the extra mile.
Volkswagen ID.4
The ID.4 is easy to love. It simply works as a family vehicle, with friendly pricing and loads of space inside. It's the right size, it comes with helpful features like standard adaptive cruise control, and it easily surpassed its EPA-estimated range on the Edmunds EV test loop. The problem is that the touchscreen system is especially difficult to use, and it's mind-boggling that Volkswagen decided to overthink something as simple as window controls. There's also no frunk. That's disappointing because the ID.4 is otherwise exactly the kind of comfortable, usable electric crossover that makes sense for lots of people in the market for an EV.
The verdict: If you can make peace with the controls, the ID.4 is a portrait of practicality.
Ford Mustang Mach-E
Driving the Mach-E is an adventure. It feels fun and personable, which is something that not all electric vehicles can say. It also does a nice job of accommodating people and their cargo — with a helpful frunk, for instance — and the touchscreen and operating system are our favorites out of this group. The Mach-E we tested is easily the most expensive of these three EVs, so find a lower trim or the standard-sized battery if you're looking to save. But other than perhaps the final sticker price, the Mach-E doesn't make many missteps. It walks the right line between everyday practicality and smile-inducing fun.
The verdict: EVs can be fun, cool and strange. The Mach-E is all three, though at a price.
Is Edmunds right about the bZ4X?
Toyota bZ4X
The bZ4X is the no-stress EV. You can climb right in and quickly make sense of the controls. It's also supremely easy to drive, if uninspiring. But the hiccups are significant. The front-wheel-drive model we tested underperformed its EPA estimate by 15 miles on the Edmunds EV test loop, logging just 227 miles of range. The bZ4X has character and enough range for the majority of drivers, but with sleepy performance, annoying interior sun glare and no front trunk (frunk), the bZ4X misses opportunities.
The verdict: Toyota's first mass EV checks boxes but doesn't go the extra mile.
Volkswagen ID.4
The ID.4 is easy to love. It simply works as a family vehicle, with friendly pricing and loads of space inside. It's the right size, it comes with helpful features like standard adaptive cruise control, and it easily surpassed its EPA-estimated range on the Edmunds EV test loop. The problem is that the touchscreen system is especially difficult to use, and it's mind-boggling that Volkswagen decided to overthink something as simple as window controls. There's also no frunk. That's disappointing because the ID.4 is otherwise exactly the kind of comfortable, usable electric crossover that makes sense for lots of people in the market for an EV.
The verdict: If you can make peace with the controls, the ID.4 is a portrait of practicality.
Ford Mustang Mach-E
Driving the Mach-E is an adventure. It feels fun and personable, which is something that not all electric vehicles can say. It also does a nice job of accommodating people and their cargo — with a helpful frunk, for instance — and the touchscreen and operating system are our favorites out of this group. The Mach-E we tested is easily the most expensive of these three EVs, so find a lower trim or the standard-sized battery if you're looking to save. But other than perhaps the final sticker price, the Mach-E doesn't make many missteps. It walks the right line between everyday practicality and smile-inducing fun.
The verdict: EVs can be fun, cool and strange. The Mach-E is all three, though at a price.
