2025 Toyota bZ4X could get a name change

There could be a name change coming for Toyota’s inaugural EV, one that’ll ideally stop the medium SUV being mistaken for a fax machine in conversation.

According to Motor Illustrated, the 2025 Toyota bZ4X will be “completely rebranded” late next year in preparation for the 2026 model year, with Toyota’s Quebec and Atlantic Canada regional director Patrick Ryan confirming as much in a recent interview.

No comments or even paraphrases were published in the admittedly brief report, however the Canadian outlet is adamant the high-ranking exec announced a rethink of the electric SUV’s acronymic nameplate on the record.

Toyota Australia’s PR department meantime said it had no immediate knowledge of a locally planned name change when contacted by carsales, let alone what it could be changed to.

The ‘bZ’ element of the ‘bZ4X’ nomenclature stands for ‘beyond Zero’ in reference to Toyota’s EV strategy while the ‘4’ denotes its size – i.e. mid-sized like the RAV4 – and the ‘X’ identifies it as a crossover.

Subaru’s virtually identical twin under the skin meantime is known as the Solterra, whereas Toyota’s own – Suzuki-based – compact electric SUV is known as the ‘Urban Cruiser’, all of which points to the bZ4X being given a more traditional, non-white good name.

Toyota has a series of (23) pending nameplate trademarks with IP Australia at the time of writing, many of which apply to models reserved for ASEAN and the North American markets, though it wouldn’t take much for the brand to slip another in there – we’ll keep you posted.

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