Auto Express 1718

ANOTHER week, another new entry into the electric-car market. And this time it’s a biggie: Toyota, the leading light of hybrid electrification over the past 20 years, has finally ditched the combustion engine altogether for the first of its bZ EV line-up. We’ll leave you to read Sean Carson’s full verdict on a late prototype of the bZ4X in this week’s Top Story – but one interesting aspect to take from the review is that Toyota is trying to use this car to shake up its retail model. Fact is, a four-wheel-drive version of this car is going to have a list price of more than £48,000 – which is quite a lot for a five-seat family SUV. However, Toyota is aiming to make this figure irrelevant for many private customers by…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● First EV from Toyota in new series of ‘bZ’ electric vehicles ● One battery and two motor options; more than 280 miles of range TOYOTA has decades of experience when it comes to electrification, which makes it all the more unusual that it’s only just launching its first full EV, the bZ4X SUV. Of course, the Japanese brand says it’s not late to the party, citing early-adopter manufacturers and that it, as a mainstream brand, is arriving in this sector at the right time and with the right product. It’s the first in a series of seven bZ-badged models (five of which are confirmed for Europe), the initials standing for ‘beyond Zero’, Toyota’s commitment to reduce its carbon footprint – not just with the cars it sells, but also with how it manufactures…

ANOTHER week, another new entry into the electric-car market. And this time it’s a biggie: Toyota, the leading light of hybrid electrification over the past 20 years, has finally ditched the combustion engine altogether for the first of its bZ EV line-up. We’ll leave you to read Sean Carson’s full verdict on a late prototype of the bZ4X in this week’s Top Story – but one interesting aspect to take from the review is that Toyota is trying to use this car to shake up its retail model. Fact is, a four-wheel-drive version of this car is going to have a list price of more than £48,000 – which is quite a lot for a five-seat family SUV. However, Toyota is aiming to make this figure irrelevant for many private…

Ford Mustang Mach-E THE Mach-E is a great EV, offering sporty dynamics and some impressive in-car technology. Having been on sale for a little more than a year now, there are more variants in the line-up – including Standard Range, Long Range and a sporty GT version (driven on p26). FOR Fast and fun, tech, range of battery options AGAINST Quality could be higher, not the comfiest Verdict: The driver’s electric SUV Hyundai Ioniq 5 AS the reigning Auto Express Car of the Year, the Ioniq 5 is a superb machine that offers a genuinely premium feel, plenty of practicality and impressive range and charging capability. It’s a brilliant all-rounder that’s kickstarted Hyundai’s Ioniq EV push to great effect. FOR Range, charging tech and refinement are great AGAINST Car’s size, boot could be a more useful shape Verdict: Our…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● First EV from Toyota in new series of ‘bZ’ electric vehicles ● One battery and two motor options; more than 280 miles of range TOYOTA has decades of experience when it comes to electrification, which makes it all the more unusual that it’s only just launching its first full EV, the bZ4X SUV. Of course, the Japanese brand says it’s not late to the party, citing early-adopter manufacturers and that it, as a mainstream brand, is arriving in this sector at the right time and with the right product. It’s the first in a series of seven bZ-badged models (five of which are confirmed for Europe), the initials standing for ‘beyond Zero’, Toyota’s commitment to reduce its carbon footprint – not just with the cars it sells, but…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @JPBrods ● All-electric family car is expected to be called MG4 ● Full production model will be revealed late this year ● Could share EV tech with recently updated MG5 estate and ZS EV ● Expected to cost less than ZS EV; starting price of £26,000 possible “The totally modernised look is in complete contrast to the brand’s biggrille design language used at present” MG will expand its range in the UK later this year and has teased a new all-electric model, which the brand says it will reveal towards the end of 2022. Although there’s no official confirmation, data on the brand’s UK website suggests the vehicle will be called the MG4. Alongside the teaser images (above) this suggests that it will be a larger family hatchback compared with the brand’s MG3 supermini. MG has already…