China cannot seem to get enough of Toyota bZ3X small SUV, but the larger bZ4X is still struggling to find an audience in Australia.
Despite the lukewarm sales reception of the Toyota bZ4X mid-size SUV in Australia and abroad, another electric vehicle (EV) from the brand is resonating more strongly with customers.
The bZ3X, an all-electric small SUV built in conjunction with GAC and sold exclusively in China, has racked up more than 20,000 deliveries since March this year – that’s nearly 50 times more than customers for the bZ4X in Australia this year.
Toyota and GAC are also claiming to have taken 30,000 orders of the model since order books opened, but what is the secret to its success?
Price.
MORE: 2024 Toyota bZ4X review – Australian first drive
Starting at just 109,800 yuan – or $AU23,350 – the bZ3X is the right size, right shape, and right price to make customers turn heads, even in a saturated market like China.
For context, the BYD Atto 3 and MG ES5 are both pricier than the Toyota, positioned from 115,800 yuan ($AU24,510) and 116,900 yuan ($AU24,845) respectively.
In China, the base bZ3X nets buyers a 50kWh battery rated with a driving range of 430km when tested on the CTCL cycle.
Moving to the mid-grade increases capacity to 58kWh and the top-spec version makes use of a 67.9kWh battery, each increasing the range ratings to 520km and 610km respectively.
MORE: 2024 Toyota bZ4X vs Subaru Solterra electric SUV comparison – what’s the difference?
Regardless of battery size, all three feature a single, front-drive electric motor that punches out 150kW.
Despite its Chinese-market success, the odds of the Toyota bZ3X arriving in Australia are slim-to-none given its joint-venture status with GAC.
GAC however, has plans to arrive Down Under, with plans to launch models soon and having confirmed a Tesla Cybertruck-like pick-up earlier this year.
The Chinese brand could field the Aion V, which shares the same underpinnings and near-identical size as the bZ3X, which would be the closest local buyers get to the hot-selling Toyota electric car.
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