Toyota bZ Compact SUV Concept Teases Possible New EV Model

Toyota focuses on electrification at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show. In addition to introducing the fifth-generation Prius lineup, the automaker premieres the bZ Compact SUV Concept. It imagines a smaller crossover for the brand's growing electric vehicle lineup.

The bZ Compact SUV Concept features heavily creased and sculpted styling. In front, it has Toyota's new light signature, which also appears on the new Prius. The styling uses bracket-shaped lamps on each side and an illuminated strip spanning the nose. An aggressive front fascia angles outward along the lower edge.

When looking at the vehicle in profile, you can notice the short overhangs. The roof has thin lines over the windshield and front doors but becomes thicker at the rear. In an odd touch, the third brake light is part of a fin on top of the roof. We'd usually expect this element to be part of the hatchback.

A sharp crease runs along the flanks. The front door handles are flush with the body. The ones at the rear are in the pillar.

The rear hatchback angles downward into a sharp point. The taillights wrap around the lower edge of it. A prominent diffuser occupies the lower section of the tail.

Inside, the bZ Compact SUV Concept has a minimalist aesthetic. The driver grips a wide, octagonal steering wheel. Like on the bZ4X and new Prius, the instrument cluster sticks up from the dashboard. The infotainment display is in the center of the cabin, and the bottom of the screen has a few capacitive buttons. The drive selector is a simple column of buttons at the base of the console.

The vehicle has an AI assistant named Yui. The occupants can use voice commands, and the system responds with audio and visual lighting cues that move around the cabin.

The bZ Compact SUV Concept is purely a styling showcase. Toyota makes no mention of the powertrain it would use for this model.

Toyota's current plan is to create five vehicles in the bZ model family. The bZ4X is already on sale, and the bZ3 is only for China at the moment. Although, it's reportedly arriving in Europe later. The brand's announcement of the bZ Compact SUV Concept doesn't specifically say whether a production version is coming, but the design fits closely with the other offerings in this sub-brand.