- Toyota’s sole EV in the United States, the BZ4X, had a huge uptick in sales last year.
- Its Subaru twin, the Solterra, also saw its sales figures grow by double digits.
Toyota has big plans for the future of its all-electric vehicle portfolio. The Japanese automaker, which has been labeled as a laggard in the all-electric vehicle game, plans to launch between five and seven new EVs in the United States in the next two years.
Until that happens, though, the only EV in its U.S. portfolio is the BZ4X crossover. It’s a perfectly mediocre electric vehicle, but one that’s easily outpaced in the specs department by most of its competitors. With a maximum EPA-estimated range of 252 miles and a maximum DC fast charging rate of 150 kW, it doesn’t set any records.
By comparison, the Tesla Model Y, with which the BZ4X competes, can theoretically deliver up to 337 miles of range and can charge at up to 250 kW, making long road trips more or less a breeze. It’s a similar story with the Subaru Solterra, the BZ4X’s rebadged twin.
However, both the Toyota BZ4X and Subaru Solterra have an ace up their sleeve, and that’s massive discounts and great leasing deals. Betting on an aggressive pricing strategy made the BZ4X one of last year’s biggest unexpected winners in terms of sales. And the Subaru Solterra was close behind.
In the United States, sales of the Toyota BZ4X nearly doubled last year compared to 2023, according to official figures posted by the Japanese automaker. This means Toyota’s game plan worked superbly and that Americans will happily get behind the wheel of a perfectly average EV if the price is right.
In 2024, Toyota sold 18,570 BZ4X EVs stateside, an increase of 97.8% over 2023’s 9,329 units. The fourth quarter was especially productive, with 1,854 units sold–188.2% more than in Q4 2023.
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Granted, these are still rookie numbers compared to heavyweights like Tesla, General Motors and Ford. But percentage-wise, the growth is undeniable–BZ4X even managed to outsell the Supra and GR86, and nearly outsold the Crown sedan. That’s not much in the grand scheme of things, but in the case of the BZ4X, a car that Toyota itself recognized as being somewhat lackluster, it means a lot.
The Subaru Solterra is in a similar position. Last year, 12,447 Solterra EVs were sold in the U.S., 40% more than in 2023, making it the biggest winner in Subaru’s American portfolio, percentage-wise. Overall, Subaru recorded a 5.6% increase in sales last year.
Neither the Toyota BZ4X nor the Subaru Solterra are eligible for the $7,500 tax credit when purchasing. However, they can benefit from it when leasing, and here’s where both automakers did their homework because there were a lot of incentives on the table for customers. In Toyota’s case, dealers offered discounts of up to $16,500 on the 2024 model when leasing, together with a money factor equivalent to 0%. In some cases, one could get a brand-new BZ4X for just $219 per month for 36 months with a $2,999 down payment.
For the 2025 model, Toyota slashed the price by up to $6,000 and kicked off sales by offering up to $10,000 in lease discounts and 0% APR. That’s an offer that’s very hard to refuse.
