Compare the2023 Toyota bZ4XVS 2023 Tesla Model S

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota bZ4X are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Tesla Model S doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the bZ4X are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model S doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The bZ4X has standard post collision braking, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Model S doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The bZ4X has standard Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Model S doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the bZ4X AWD’s standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The Model S doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

The bZ4X Limited has a standard Bird’s Eye View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model S only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the bZ4X’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Model S doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The bZ4X has standard Safety Connect™, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model S doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the bZ4X and the Model S have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the bZ4X for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Tesla doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Model S.

There are over 8 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the bZ4X’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 54 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Tesla is ranked 19th.

On the EPA test cycle the bZ4X gets better mileage than the Model S:

The Toyota bZ4X may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 pounds less than the Tesla Model S.

The bZ4X is 1 foot, 1.1 inches shorter than the Model S, making the bZ4X easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the bZ4X’s rear seats recline. The Model S’ rear seats don’t recline.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the bZ4X’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model S doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The bZ4X’s entire steering wheel hub sounds the horn, facilitating hitting the horn in an emergency. The Model S has a small, single button on the steering wheel spoke that can be hard to find quickly in an emergency.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The bZ4X’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Model S’ headlights are rated “Poor.”

The bZ4X’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model S doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the bZ4X has standard extendable sun visors. The Model S doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The bZ4X is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Model S doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.