The 2026 Toyota bZ Woodland Probably Isn’t the EV You Were Expecting

Toyota’s product onslaught continues, and its latest electric vehicle (EV) probably isn’t what you were expecting.

Rest assured, the 2026 Toyota bZ Woodland caught us off guard, too — mostly because that outdoor-inspired designation was previously used to identify a mildly adventurous package offered with the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Toyota even sells the treatment with the hybrid-only Sienna minivan, although somewhat sadly, that’s only the case in the United States.

That means we’d all be forgiven for assuming the recently restyled — and renamed — Toyota bZ was getting the same rugged-ish package, and yet all it takes is a passing glance to tell this EV apart. Now, if you still can’t shake the feeling that the bZ Woodland looks familiar, don’t worry: it does.

It comes hot on the heels of the cool new Subaru Trailseeker, and it’s all but a carbon copy, save for the front end that looks like it was taken right from the bZ — or even the Toyota C-HR that’s coming back to Canada after a years-long absence. The cooperation between the two brands shouldn’t come as a surprise, either, considering the brand’s first EV was the result of a collaboration that produced the Subaru Solterra, which also happens to be getting the same updates.

Digressions aside, the bZ Woodland is a wagon-like EV with 210 mm (8.3 in) of ground clearance, dual-motor all-wheel drive, and the ability to pull a claimed 1,588 kg (3,500 lb), all of which its corporate cousin is capable of, too. Toyota even says the bZ Woodland has X-Mode — Subaru’s signature system that tailors its drivetrains for off-pavement use.

According to Toyota, this new EV stretches 140 mm (5.5 in) longer than its namesake predecessor and uses a 74.7-kWh battery pack — slightly smaller than the updated bZ’s big unit (77 kWh), which is also used in the relaunched C-HR. (The front-wheel-drive bZ uses a 57.7-kWh battery.)

Range estimates are a little disappointing, with the ability to travel just 418 km with a full battery, although it has a Tesla-style North American Charging System Port (NACS) and can make the 10-to-80 per cent jump in about 30 minutes in ideal conditions. It also has an 11-kW onboard charger, and steering wheel-mounted regenerative braking paddles (although just like the Trailseeker, it’s unlikely the system includes one-pedal driving capability).

Toyota said just one trim will be available in Canada, although an optional Premium package will be offered as well. Either way, it comes with a 14-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a full advanced safety and driver-assist suite. Meanwhile, the Premium pack will add stuff like a panoramic glass roof, nine-speaker stereo, and ventilated front seats.

The 2026 Toyota bZ Woodland is set to go on sale early next year, and will be available across the country. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.