Credit: Toyota

When you think about what makes a perfect single-car garage—occupied solely by a vehicle that can do it all—you probably think of some crossover or SUV like the Toyota RAV4 or BMW X5. Something that can handle the snow and weekend camping trips with a decent-sized cargo capacity. If you’re European, you might gravitate towards a wagon like any of the Volvo Cross Country models or an Allroad from Audi. For the longest time, Subaru offered a near-perfect solution in the Outback, but the new one is much more SUV than wagon.

That left an opening for Toyota to swoop in, and the bZ Woodland is not only the best take on the Subaru Outback I’ve driven, but the nearly perfect single-car solution for the electric age.

What makes it a Woodland?

The bZ Woodland is a lifted wagon electric vehicle that is 6 inches longer than the non-Woodland bZ and has 33.8 cubic feet (957 L) of rear cargo space. That, on paper, is 6.1 more cubes (173 L) of storage with the second row in place but in practice feels even more spacious. The Woodland also has 8.3 inches (211 mm) of ground clearance, which is up one-tenth (2.5 mm) over the normal bZ. But like the cargo space, how the bZ Woodland uses those extra numbers is what makes it feel so different.

Further adding to its capability is a standard roof rack and all-season tires. For no additional fee—but a 21-mile (34 km) range hit—buyers can spec all-terrain tires. These were the tires my test vehicle was equipped with and the tires I’d get if I were ordering the car. Not only are they immensely capable in sand, dirt, and snow, but they don’t make a ton of noise at highway speeds like some off-road-focused tires do. In the real world, 260 miles (418 km) of range is more than enough, but the 281-mile (452 km) number is there if your bZ will never leave asphalt.

The bZ Woodland is the most powerful bZ—even more powerful than the new Highlander EV—at 375 hp (280 kW). Toyota claims a 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) time of just 4.4 seconds, and it feels every bit as quick when you put your foot down. In some ways, it’s too much power, but if you ever thought that the Subaru Outback was a slouch… well, this isn’t an Outback.

Ride quality is on the soft side, which is a pleasant change from a lot of EVs that have stiffer springs to support the weight of the batteries. The car isn’t light, weighing in 4,500 lbs (2,041 kg), but it floats down the road better than most EVs at this price. If you live in a part of the country where roads aren’t pristine, this is the EV to have.

There’s no room for a frunk here.
Credit: Toyota

The bZ Woodland makes do with a 400 V architecture, with peak DC fast charging at 150 kW and peak AC charging at 11 kW. It has a total battery capacity of 74.7 kWh. Toyota claims a 10-to-80 percent fast charge time of approximately 30 minutes.

How it drives

On the roads around Ojai, California, the bZ Woodland felt more than capable. The longer wheelbase helps with high-speed stability over the regular bZ, and the suspension tuning is excellent for pockmarked roads. Following a two-track trail to the top of a mountain, the bZ Woodland had great grip, and handled ruts and holes as well as a purpose-built off-road vehicle like a Ford Raptor. Add in the instant torque of electric motors, and you can have yourself an entertaining drive to your favorite ski lodge or campsite.

There are several drive settings that you can choose from the car’s X-Mode system. There is no sport mode, but there are two different settings for how gnarly the snow and mud is. New for bZ Woodland, and part of X-Mode, is Grip Control. Grip Control is basically off-road cruise control, where the driver sets a speed and steers the car, while the on-board computers figure out how to navigate the terrain. Toyota has a similar system in its Crawl Control, but since the system is shared with Subaru on Trailseeker they probably couldn’t call it that.

Speaking of the Subaru Trailseeker, the Toyota bZ Woodland is nearly identical to the Subaru. Both EVs are built at Subaru’s plant. Both have similar features. In fact, the main difference is the Subaru is approximately $5,000 less to start. The reason? There is a decontented base version that Subaru gets. The standard bZ Woodland has the same feature set as the Trailseeker Limited. While I haven’t driven the Trailseeker yet, I can’t imagine the experience being any different than the Toyota, so depending on what features you want or need, you could save some money by going with the Subaru.

What it costs

Speaking of pricing, the standard bZ Woodland starts at $46,750. The Subaru, remember, starts at $41,445. But that’s also a less-equipped model. $45,445 with delivery in most states gets you into the similarly equipped Trailseeker. The Subaru gets 20-inch wheels on some models, which you really don’t want because taller sidewalls improve ride quality and reduce the risk of punctures.

Even Subaru knows that these cars are the true Outback replacements, because in Europe the Trailseeker is called the E-Outback. And regardless of how good the new Outback is here in the US, its SUV-ification has moved its appeal away from people who want a wagon into a larger, SUV-seeking audience.

For Toyota, the bZ Woodland also fills a gap in its showroom. The company has never truly had an Outback competitor—no, the Crown Signia doesn’t count—and it’s such a right-sized vehicle for people who might miss the first-generation Toyota Venza. Or for anyone who just likes the idea of a practical wagon that can do things.

The bZ Woodland’s horsepower makes it one of the quickest cars in the company’s lineup. The 3,500 lbs (1,588 kg) of towing capacity matches some pricier RAV4 trims. It’s also pleasant to drive and will likely remain so in all weather conditions anywhere in the country.

It’s not a perfect car. I wish the instrument cluster was traditional, and not mounted higher like it is on the other bZs and the Prius. I also wish it had the newest infotainment system that debuted in the RAV4, though the current one is capable and supports Apple CarPay. And while I’d be willing to trade some range for the usefulness of the Woodland, I still would like a bit more range if I were making a wish list.

But the bZ Woodland is the first Toyota EV I’d wholeheartedly endorse people buying. It’s competent at the EV stuff and excels at the lifted wagon stuff. If you’re sad that the new Outback isn’t a wagon, the bZ Woodland is 100 percent the spiritual successor you’re looking for.