2026 BZ Woodland Review: Toyota's Take on the Ultimate Subaru Outback

Battery Electric Secret Wagons

Blasting through the tunnels, I emerge in a rocky valley under a small, cascading waterfall that makes me wonder if I've driven into a real-life version of the movie CARS. Nope, just a good old set of California canyons, a series of switchbacking mountain roads outside of Ojai with postcard views of green mountains struggling to stand against eons of erosion. The car picks up speed in a flash and hangs on in the corners, G forces pushing me around a well-bolstered seat, a grin tattooing itself across my face. 

No, I'm not in Akio Toyoda's latest Gazoo Racing sports car...

I'm in a low-key lifted station wagon that was co-developed by Toyota and Subaru to haul kids and outdoor gear with few all-wheel-drive trail-running bonafides. But imagine stuffing V8 power into a Subaru Outback, and you'll get a pretty good idea of what it's like to see and drive the all-electric 2026 Toyota BZ Woodland. 

Launching this year alongside a resurrected all-electric C-HR, the BZ Woodland is Toyota's second BEV (battery electric vehicle) and a cousin to the forthcoming Subaru Trailseeker. Five-passenger crossovers that look an awful lot like station wagons to me, with 375 horsepower, a bunch of standard technology, up to 281 miles of range, and pricing in the $45K-$50K range depending on color and configuration. 

In an era receding from the BEV revolution, Toyota has stepped into a market where many are retreating and delivered a new product that may be one of the company's best without a TRD or GR badge. But is it the right car for you and your family? Last week, Toyota USA hosted ClubLexus at a first-drive media event -- providing hotel & accommodation -- for the new BZ. So join me for a deep dive into the BZ Woodland's pricing, exterior, interior, powertrain, ride quality, and much, much more.

Image: Michael S. Palmer

Woodland vs Woodland Premium Pricing

While Subaru plans to offer three Trailseeker variants, including a base model that starts $5,000 less, Toyota has decided to sell two BZ Woodland variants. The base-model BZ Woodland starts at $46,750, including $1,450 for delivery and processing, and, wow, it boasts a lot of standard features, including --

• 375 combined system horsepower
• Up to 281 miles of range (all-season tires)
• 8.4 inches of ground clearance
• X-MODE with Grip Control
• Standard 120V/240V dual-voltage charging cable
• Standard NACS-to-CCS charging adapter included
• Roof rails
• 18-in. wheels with black covers
• Dual Qi-capable wireless device chargers
• 14-in. Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen
• SofTex-trimmed seats (fake leather)
• Heated front seats and heated outboard rear seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Four USB-C ports (two 15W front, two 60W rear)
• Heated, power-folding and adjustable exterior mirrors
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• 8-way power-adjustable front seats
• Digital Key capability on all doors and rear liftgate

Standard colors include Stepping Stone, Raven Pavement, Steel, and Trueno Blue. Or you can opt for the $475 Halo, a white metallic color that's hard to photograph on sunny days. Interior colors include Black and Stone Brown (two-tone). And you can also upgrade to All-Terrain tires for no charge, but the EPA estimated range drops to 260 miles.

If you're looking for more features, step up to the BZ Woodland Premium, which starts at $48,850, including destination and processing fees. Color and all-terrain tire options remain the same, but of course, you get a few more features --

• Auto tilt exterior mirrors with memory settings
• Ventilated front seats
• Front-seat radiant foot and leg heater
• Driver seat memory function
• Digital rearview mirror with HomeLink
• JBL 9-speaker audio system with subwoofer and amplifier
• Panoramic fixed-glass roof with power sunshade

Is the Premium package necessary? Not really, although I'm a sucker for ventilated seats. Also, it's worth pointing out that not only does the Trailseeker have a cloth-seat base model that starts around $40,000. But you can also opt for genuine leather that you can't get on the Woodland. Still, Toyota's variants are all well-appointed, as we'll discuss throughout this review...

Image: Michael S. Palmer

1. Style (8/10)

Subjectively speaking, the BZ Woodland is attractive, but flawed. On one hand, Toyota's Hammerhead front end looks really sharp, and its longroof wagon proportions make the whole thing look sleek and handsome. Especially with the standard roof rails and Toyota's various metallic paint offerings. (But I'd love to see a red or yellow tossed in for fun.)

Still, it's harder to justify all the exterior plastic, which includes all four fenders and a giant slab of plastic on the hood. To be clear, this design isn't itself bad -- the BZ Woodland's front grille is less busy compared to the Subaru Trailseeker -- but this type of plastic loves to fade and crack in the sun, and discolor if auto wax comes anywhere near it.

In short, this type of plastic ages poorly, looks cheap, and even on these brand new press vehicles, some were developing obvious scratches. If only the Woodland could be ordered with body-color fenders... but then again, maybe that would ruin the design.

Image: Michael S. Palmer

2. Fit & Finish (7/10)

Inside, the BZ Woodland is a bit of a mixed bag as well. On the positive side, new dash textures, center console, and the seats themselves are all pretty stylish. Toyota appears to be playing with the patterns of its seat perforations, a subtle thing to be sure. But for those who notice, it instills a sense of craftsmanship. Plus, the seats themselves are extremely comfy, and you can get both heated and ventilated seats with the Premium package. And that's really the world for it; the interior feels very premium in form and function even without luxury materials like real metals and real leather. The exterior, too, feels well put together.

Still, there are some downsides to the new interior. First, the small gauge cluster is plopped onto the top of the dash, and it's not as high-quality a screen as you'll find in other vehicles. More concerning is how the (adjustable) steering wheel blocks the screen from many angles. I, personally, couldn't find a wheel placement that was both comfortable and didn't hide a portion of the screen. I suppose this is why the Subaru Trailseeker offers a flat-topped and flat-bottomed "squircle" style wheel that you see in a lot of modern vehicles.

Image: Toyota USA

3. Tech (7/10)

No modern car -- especially an EV -- is complete without a suite of included technology. Every BZ Woodland features Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 with Adaptive Cruise Control, a Wi-Fi Connect (hotspot) free trial, 4 USB ports, and a 14-inch Toyota multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Basically, the BZ Woodland has gone full Lexus with dual wireless charging pads and no physical buttons for heating and air conditioning controls. Woodland Premium customers also get upgraded to the nine-speaker 800W JBL Premium audio system. And it's got that feature where the side mirrors fold down to show you where you're backing up. 

Overall, it's a pretty modern setup with easy-to-navigate screens, a good-not-great sound system, and a lot of smart ergonomics and must-have safety features. But it is odd that we're a few months past the RAV 4's debut with the latest Toyota multimedia interface (and newest safety system), but this car is using the older variants of both. Not that either is a bad system -- you've still got the virtual assistant, a snappy interface, and lots of safety features -- but both are already a generation old at this point. 

Image: Toyota USA

4. Horsepower & Acceleration (8/10)

We live in extraordinary times, with companies routinely making 500 to 1,000 horsepower monsters and EVs that blast to 60 mph in under 2.0 seconds. And so on paper, the BZ Woodland's 375 horsepower may seem a little lackluster. But the thing about BEVs is that they deliver near-instant torque and a very smooth, linear power band. In a way, they all pretty much deliver get-up-and-go like big, honking V8 engines, although even that's not quite right. 

The bottom line, despite weighing 4,500 lbs, the all-wheel-drive BZ Woodland sprints to 60 mph in a Toyota-quoted 4.4 seconds, which is roughly 1/10th of a second behind MotorTrend's measured for the lighter current Mustang GT. But, while I was at the press drive event, the video production team from the Chasing Horsepower YouTube channel told me they recorded a sub-4.0-second 0-60 run with their GPS-based Dragy device.

In short, the BZ Woodland isn't a performance EV, but it's got enough shove to deliver sports-car acceleration and all the power you'd need for highway onramps and passing. 

Image: Michael S. Palmer

5. Efficiency & Charging (7/10)

We'll have to do more thorough testing on this matter in a future review, but let's talk a little bit about power usage and charging times. 

As we previously mentioned, the BZ Woodland offers up to 281 miles of estimated range with all-seaon tires, or up to 260 miles with all-terrain tires. That's a completely usable amount of range for folks who aren't daily long haulers. (Although many people become furious when range estimates aren't in the 300-400-mile universe.)

The BZ Woodland features a NACS charging port -- the Tesla charge port -- compatible with DC fast charging speeds up to 150 kW. Toyota says that, in ideal conditions, you should be able to charge from 10% to 80% in roughly 30 minutes. The system also includes a battery prep feature that will heat up the battery so it can charge more quickly. For home charging, the BZ Woodland features an 11 kW onboard charger that works with Level 1 (110v) and Level 2 (240v) AC charging. Toyota says a Level 2 charger can recharge the Woodland in seven hours.

In terms of energy spent, the computer systems various testers at this event netted 3.6-3.9 miles per kWh, which is pretty good for multiple EVs being driven hard by auto journalists. That said, I noted driving in a spirited manner UP to the top of the mountain dropped that figure to 1.8 miles per kWH... Although coming back down the mountain quickly brought that number back up to almost 4 miles per kWh.

Image: Michael S. Palmer

6. Practicality (8/10)

In terms of interior volume, the BZ Woodland features seating for five (no third row), which translates into 74.3 cubic feet behind the first row, and 33.8 cubic feet behind the second row. (Both numbers are reduced slightly with the upgraded JBL sound system.) This is roughly 10 fewer cubic feet than the Highlander or Land Cruiser. 

Still, the BZ Woodland feels very roomy inside, with more room than most sedans, although the models with the panoramic moonroof lose some headroom to account for the shade and its motor.

Image: Toyota USA

7. Ride Quality (9/10)

You expect a BEV to be fast, but unfortunately, some of the most successful EV models drive around like 1990s malaise-era rattle traps with blown shocks and springs. (Cough cough first gen Model Y cough cough.)

The new BZ Woodland, much like the Crown Signia reviewed last year, drives more like a Lexus in all the best ways. There's some interior tire noise (depending on the type of road surface), but otherwise you're isolated in a quiet environment that soaks up the road's various bumps and dips and drops and corners with ease. It's an extremely luxury-forward suspension tune. But unlike early Lexus models or various American barges from decades past, the BZ Woodland isn't a slouch in the corners. There's some brake dive and body roll, but the vehicle's overall comfort level doesn't come with any sensation of being floppy or loose. 

For a touch of context, I drove up to this press drive in a Lexus GX 550 Luxury+ with an adjustable, adaptive suspension that offers a "comfort" mode. An SUV that costs almost double the price. But quite honestly, I'd much rather cruise around in the far more stable and smooth Woodland. 

Image: Michael S. Palmer

8. Off-Roading & Towing (7/10)

The BZ Woodland is set up to tow 3,500 pounds conventionally, not too shabby for a light-duty unibody wagon, er, crossover. Enough to haul a small camper or watercraft on your next adventure. 

Speaking of which, when it's time to trade pavement for dirt trails, the BZ Woodland includes two off-roading modes dubbed X Mode. Both X Modes help the BZ Woodland shift torque between the front and rear axles, while delivering two different levels of traction control. SNOW/DIRT X Mode is looking to deliver traction and torque wherever necessary. In this mode, if one wheel spins, the traction control locks that wheel's brakes so (hopefully) the other side can find traction. DEEP SNOW/MUD X Mode has similar goals, but allows for more tire slippage, presuming that the Woodland needs to get a little wheel speed while crawling.

Both X Mode offerings include access to GRIP Control, Toyota's name for crawl control. Basically, you pick between five different speeds (roughly 1 mph to 12 mph), and the vehicle will cruise at that speed unless it loses all traction or you hit the brakes.

So how does the Woodland do with All Terrain tires, X Mode, GRIP, and 8.4 inches of ground clearance?

TLDR it's a terrific trail runner. 

A massive rainstorm washed out the trail the night before we were set to drive up to a ranch that was once owned by Paul Walker. The trail even managed to swallow a Tundra chase vehicle, looking to see if things were safe. It turns out that clay loves to fill up tire tread and eat traction. In short, without true Mud Terrain tires and locking axles, the BZ Woodland would have been outmatched.

Does that mean the BZ Woodland is a bad off-roader? Of course not. I mentioned only because it's a perfect lesson in picking the right tool for a job. No Subaru Outback or BZ Woodland is going to compete with a Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco with full M/T tires. Because that's not the point of an AWD wagon with a slight lift. 

BZ Woodlands and others in this class are made to run trails and fire roads to get to camp sites and river bends, to feel confident driving home on a snowy winter night. And to that end, the BZ Woodland is a blast to drive off-road. The instant EV-torque, the balanced all-wheel-drive system, and its spectacular suspension provide all the go you need, and far more comfort than we expected. 

Seriously, I've spent a lot of time in off-road-engineered trucks and SUVs from companies like Ford and Toyota, and the BZ Woodland is extremely compliant and comfortable. Much better than many trucks, in fact, even if it lacks ground clearance compared to more serious rigs.

Image: Michael S. Palmer

9. Fun Factor (8/10)

When you think of the Subaru Outback or any Toyota that doesn't feature a GR or a TRD badge, fun isn't exactly the first word that comes to mind. Auto enthusiasts -- if you happen to be one -- don't wake up craving a quick drive in their Camry, as wonderful as that sedan is to daily.

But the BZ Woodland does two things you won't find on most Toyotas...

It's sports-car fast. And, because Toyota teamed up with Subaru, this is the first AWD Toyota "crossover" (secret wagon) with equal power front and back. And, while it can shift torque delivery up to 70% to the front or 70% to the rear as needed, in general, this is a rear-biased all-wheel-drive.

What does that mean? 

Not only is the BZ Woodland comfortable, but it delivers a thrilling, balanced driving experience that put a massive smile on my face as I guided it through a variety of twisty, California mountain roads. The body leans a touch in corners, but the BEV's lower center of gravity hides its added heft. The brakes aren't Gazoo Racing worthy, of course, and the steering is quite numb on center. 

But overall, with regenerative braking engaged, the Woodland tears up the road with a driving experience and suspension that was once relegated to purpose-built sports cars. All in something with room for five adults and a whole bunch of cargo. 

Image: Michael S. Palmer

Final Score (70/90)

Here in the mid-2020s, BEVs can be a controversial, political lightning rod. But my take as an auto enthusiast is this: if an EV fits your lifestyle and you have at-home charging, there's a good chance you're going to love the driving experience. (It absolutely smashes most Toyota 4 or 6 cylinder engines.) In my humblest opinion, Toyota's BZ Woodland is an absolute home run and one of the best Toyotas I've ever driven, thanks to its blend of power, ride quality, technology, and a stylish, roomy interior. 

Yes, I wish it had more range and less cheap plastic, but I have to congratulate Toyota for building a terrific, secret, hot road station wagon. Highly Recommended.

Image: Michael S. Palmer