Toyota is focusing on electrification at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show. In addition to introducing the fifth generation Prius lineup, the car manufacturer also launched the bZ Compact SUV Concept. It envisions a smaller crossover for the brand’s ever-expanding line of electric vehicles.
The bZ Compact SUV concept embodies deeply wrinkled and sculpted styling. Up front, there’s Toyota’s new headlight signature, which also appears on the new Prius. The styling uses bracket-shaped lights on each side and a luminous strip that runs down the nose. Aggressive front fascia angles outwards along the bottom edge.
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When looking at the vehicle profile, you can see a short overhang. The roof has a thin line over the windshield and front doors, but gets thicker towards the rear. An odd touch, the third brake light is part of the fin above the roof. We usually expect this element to be part of a hatchback.
Sharp folds run along the sides. The front door handle is flush with the body. The one behind is on the pillar.
The rear hatchback tilts downward into a sharp point. The taillight wraps around its lower edge. The protruding diffuser occupies the lower part of the tail.
Inside, the bZ Compact SUV Concept has a minimalist aesthetic. The driver grips the wide octagonal steering wheel. As on the new bZ4X and Prius, the instrument cluster sticks out from the dash. The infotainment display is in the center of the cabin, and the bottom of the screen has several 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. Passengers 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 pure storefront style. Toyota did not mention the powertrain that will be used for this model.
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Toyota’s current plan is to build five vehicles in the bZ model family. The BZ4X is already on sale, and the bZ3 is only for China at the moment. Although, reportedly will arrive in Europe later. The bZ Compact SUV Concept brand announcement didn’t specifically say whether a production version would be coming, but its design closely matches the other offerings in the sub-brand.
