According to Japanese media reports, Toyota and Suzuki are jointly developing a small electric SUV that will be released in 2025. This model could correspond to the production version of the bZ Small Crossover prototype, which was presented at the end of 2021.
Toyota currently owns a 5% stake in Suzuki. Both companies have several collaboration agreements; For example, the Suzuki Baleno is sold as the Toyota Glanza in India and as the Toyota Starlet in South Africa, while the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports and RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid are offered in Europe as the Suzuki Swace and Across.
The choice of Suzuki as a partner to develop the new electric SUV would be due to its vast experience in manufacturing small cars. Toyota already confirmed at the time that the bZ Small Crossover had been designed with Europe and Japan in mind, being called to become its access electric proposal in both markets.
Its dimensions should be similar to those of the Toyota Aygo X Cross, which measures 3.70 meters long. Its main rivals will be the Hyundai Casper and the future Renault Twingo and Volkswagen ID.1, which will arrive in 2027. Although due to its body format (small crossover ), it will also be similar to the Dacia Spring, it should be one step above in terms of price.
The Toyota bZ Small Crossover will have a consumption of 12.5 kWh/60 miles
The bZ Small Crossover will be based on the e-TNGA platform of the bZ4X, making it one of the last Toyota models to use this architecture (its replacement will be launched in 2026). It will be aimed at urban use since the brand itself defined it two years ago as “an electric vehicle with a small battery and a comfortable interior. “
«The more batteries are added to extend the range, the larger, heavier, and more expensive a vehicle becomes. Because this SUV is a small vehicle, there is something we need to be thorough about. And that is energy efficiency. The target consumption of the youngest Toyota is just 12.5 kWh per 60 miles, a very tight figure.
This will allow it to offer competitive range despite the use of an affordable low-capacity pack. In the absence of confirmation, we practically assume that its commercial name will be bZ1X or bZ2X, although it would not be ruled out that Toyota chooses to change its nomenclature system after the lukewarm reception of the bZ4X. The Suzuki, for its part, could resume the Ignis name.
