The Ford Mustang Mach-E has been winning awards left and right, but its greatest competition may not have even hit the streets yet. Toyota has the compact SUV game on lock with the Toyota RAV4. The Japanese automaker knows how to produce a successful small SUV nameplate. Is the 2023 Toyota bZ4X really a better deal than the Ford Mustang Mach-E?

The 2023 Toyota bZ4X could be much more affordable than the Mustang Mach-E

Ford’s Mustang Mach-E rollout is nothing short of masterful. The Mach-E has broken down several barriers for electric vehicles by proving that they can be just as quick and exciting as internal combustion engine vehicles. When word got out that the Blue Oval was producing an electric Mustang, consumers were rightfully concerned. Who knew an electric Mustang SUV could have such exciting driving dynamics?

Ford is clearly playing the long game and staking a claim to market dominance in the electric future of the automotive industry. It is producing an electric pickup truck and is achieving great success with its electric SUV. Unfortunately for Ford, the best options on the market aren’t always the most popular options.

Take the Toyota RAV4 as an example. Today, there are several other compact SUV options that are arguably better models than the RAV4, such as the Mazda CX-5. The RAV4 remains the most popular in its segment because of affordability, practicality, and familiarity. The bZ4X’s official pricing could be a gamechanger.

According to Car and Driver, the bZ4X has an estimated cost of $37,000. Subtract the federal electric vehicle tax incentive, and the electric SUV’s price is closer to $29,500. This price would make it one of the most affordable electric SUV options on the market.

The Toyota bZ4X could outlast the Ford Mustang Mach-E

Toyota may be late to the market, but the bZ4X will still have a major impact on its vehicle segment. It lacks the flair that some other electric SUVs have, but the secret to the future success of the bZ4X lies within. Toyota focused heavily on producing a lithium-ion battery that would be able to deal with many of the issues EVs grapple with today.

Battery degradation is one of the biggest obstacles to the success of electric vehicles. Extreme temperatures can cause electric vehicles to quickly lose battery capacity and even lose all power while being driven. The Toyota bZ4X is designed with extreme temperatures in mind, and it should be able to withstand high and low temperatures that are problematic to other electric vehicles.

The bZ4X will retain 90% of its battery capacity after a decade. This slow degradation rate will make the electric SUV one of the longest-lasting EVs on the market.

Toyota is making consumers an offer that’s tough to refuse

Rising gas prices have many Americans searching for ways to ditch gas guzzlers. Toyota is offering shelter from the storm that is high gas prices in the form of its new bZ4X incentive. According to Road Show by CNET, the automaker has partnered with EVGo to provide bZ4X buyers with an entire year of free EV charging.

That’s right, consumers can go from paying hundreds of dollars a month for fuel to saving money when purchasing a bZ4X. Factor in the bZ4X’s potential affordability and longevity and this may be the sweetest EV deal ever offered. Ford’s Mustang Mach-E is worthy of praise, but can it really stand against the value that Toyota’s new cornerstone provides?