Compare the2026 BMW i4VS 2026 Toyota bZ

The i4’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The bZ doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the i4 and the bZ have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the i4 is safer than the bZ:

The i4 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The bZ’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The i4’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the bZ’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the i4 for 1 year and 11000 miles longer than Toyota pays for maintenance for the bZ (3/36,000 vs. 2/25000).

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the i4’s reliability 21 points higher than the bZ.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. With 4 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Toyota.

The i4 has more powerful engines than the bZ:

The i4 can travel longer on a full charge than the bZ on a full charge:

The i4 has a standard locking charge port which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The bZ doesn’t have a locking charge port. A locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

The i4 M50’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The bZ doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the i4’s brake rotors are larger than those on the bZ:

The i4 stops much shorter than the bZ:

For better traction, the i4 M60’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the bZ (F:255/35R20 & R:285/30R20 vs. 235/60R18).

The i4’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the bZ XLE’s standard 60 series tires. The i4 M60’s optional 255/35R20 front and 285/30R20 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the bZ Limited’s 50 series tires.

The rear suspension of the i4 uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the bZ, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The i4 offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The bZ’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The i4 has a standard automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The bZ doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The i4 M60 handles at .96 G’s, while the bZ Limited AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The i4 is 8 inches shorter in height than the bZ, making the i4 much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

The front grille of the i4 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The bZ doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the i4. The bZ doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The i4 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The bZ uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The i4 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The bZ doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The i4’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The bZ’s power window (except driver window) and power lock switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the i4 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The bZ doesn’t offer cornering lights. The i4 also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The i4’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The bZ has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Consumer Reports® recommends the BMW i4, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The i4 was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2023. The bZ has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The BMW 4 Series outsold the Toyota bZ by almost three to one during 2025.