Toyota C-HR: Fashion has its price

by Chris Riley

What is it?

We've always liked the look of the Toyota C-HR.

Can't say the same for its most direct competitor the Nissan Juke, a truly ugly attempt to be different.

Now in its second generation and built in Turkey, C-HR offers more style, more power and more equipment than before -- but it comes at a cost because prices have jumped considerably since our last encounter with the little crossover.

Sitting between Corolla and RAV4 and updated in late 2019, for some price is unimportant.

The letters C-HR stands for Compact High Rider, Cross Hatch Run–about or Coupé High–Rider -- in case you are wondering.

What’s it cost?

A rationalised lineup sees three models, with a choice of two drivetrains and either front- or all-wheel drive.

Adopting Toyota’s new ‘Hammer Head’ design language, C-HR is distinguished on the outside by 17- or 19-inch alloys, LED lights with automatic high beam, a rear spoiler plus a grained pattern for the front grille, black bumpers and pillar trim.

Entry GXL is priced from $42,990 plus on-roads and comes with a 1.8-litre four cylinder hybrid drivetrain, together with a 7-speed CVT style transmission and front-wheel drive.

Next comes the flashy Koba, the subject of our test, priced from $49,990, with the same 1.8-litre hybrid and 7-speed CVT.

This hybrid is shared with many Toyota models, including Corolla, Corolla Cross and Lexus CT hatch.

At the top of the range sits the all-wheel drive GR Sport, priced from $54,990 plus on-roads, with a larger 2.0-litre hybrid.

Two-tone paint adds $775, two-tone plus premium paint $1550 and two-tone plus premium paint and a panoramic roof $2700.

Toyota describes the all-new, European-built, second generation C-HR is a truly premium offering.

Inside, the fitout uses a range of recycled materials and no animal-derived products.

Standard kit includes heated sport front seats with combination suede-like and fabric upholstery, powered driver seat with memory, dual-zone climate air with nanoe X air cleaning technology, ambient lighting with colour selection and privacy glass for the rear and rear-side windows.

There's also 19-inch alloys, adaptive cruise, digital rearview mirror, keyless smart entry and start, digital rear-view mirror, auto LED lights and wipers, auto-leveling bi-LED headlights, electronic parking brake, front and rear parking sensors, and a 4.2-inch colour driver display and a powered tailgate.

Infotainment comes in the form of a 12.3-inch touchscreen, with Bluetooth, voice recognition, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cloud-based satellite navigation, AM/FM and DAB+ digital radio with voice recognition.

Both Koba and GR Sport score 9-speaker, premium JBL audio.

There's also wireless smartphone charging, USB-C and 12V charging ports and a rear USB-C accessory port.

Cloud-based navigation requires a network connection to ensure the latest map, traffic, and routing information available.

When connectivity is limited, it uses previously downloaded map information to maintain coverage across the entire route.

More specifically, the cloud feature requires an active Drive Connect subscription.

A one-year complimentary Toyota Connected Services, includes Safety and Security features, Remote Connect, Multimedia Connect and Driving Insights, accessible through the myToyota Connect app.

After that . . .

A comprehensive five-star safety package encompasses 10 airbags, panoramic view camera, colour head-up display and Forward Collision Warning, Brake Assist and Autonomous Emergency Braking.

The Toyota Safety Sense suite which includes the pre-collision safety system, active cruise control, lane trace assist, parking support brake, road sign assist (speed signs only), safe exit assist and more.

Koba and GR Sport both get a tyre repair kit.

C-HR is offered with the Toyota Warranty Advantage, consisting of a five-year/unlimited kilometre term with capped-price servicing for the first five years/75,000km (whichever comes first) and each 12-month/15,000km service costs $250.

What’s it go like?

Two words spring to mind when it comes to describing the C-HR -- stylish and tight.

In fact, it's tighter than before. At 4362mm in length, the Euro-designed C-HR is in fact 28mm shorter, although the wheelbase remains the same 2640mm.

But it’s 37mm wider than its predecessor which provides more shoulder room.

Unfortunately, if you start with a small car and add a plunging roofline, the result is guaranteed to be even smaller.

That said the design is amazing and unlike anything out of the Toyota playbook, with a two-tone paint job that is a minor masterpiece.

But as good as it looks navigating the plunging roofline and heavily bolstered sports seats takes some athleticism, and once ensconced in the seats it becomes clear they are better suited to a smaller, younger frame.

The rear seat is claustrophobic, lacks legroom, doesn't have rear air outlets and looks like it would get little use.

The concealed rear door handles, designed to give the car a coupe-like appearance, are awkward to use.

The privacy glass also makes it difficult to see out of the back.

The boot is on the smaller side.

The cabin has a more premium feel than before and it's worth taking some time out to sit and study the interior.

Check out the textures, finishes and the way panels flow into each other -- they're really something.

Though the infotainment screen is angled towards the driver, it and the instrument cluster remain separate units, instead of being housed in a single panel as is the norm.

It suggests the design is a reworking of the previous setup, rather than all-new approach.

The digital rear vision mirror is a waste of space and liable to make you car sick, and we'd ask if we could delete it? .

The hybrid powertrain consists of a naturally aspirated 1.8-litre engine, with a combined output of 103kW and 142Nm -- up 14 per cent on the previous model.

The electric motor contributes 70kW and 185Nm to this equation, with an updated lithium-ion battery pack replacing the old nickel metal hydride unit.

A smaller and lighter hybrid transaxle improves noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels, while the 1.8-litre petrol- engine has been refined.

Both GXL and Koba are front-wheel drive -- only GR Sport is all-wheel drive.

The extra power shows, with greater electrical assistance where it is needed around town, but is offset to some extent by an extra 30kg of weight.

The car also spends more time in EV mode, thanks to the better battery and electric motor combination.

The CVT transmission provides seven steps or simulated gears that provide a sportier drive, but lacks paddles.

There's also three drive modes – Normal, Eco and Sport – along with a Custom mode that allows drivers to set up things the way they want it.

Eco is targeted at reducing fuel consumption, Normal is the mode most people will use, while Sport stiffens ride and handling.

There's also EV or stealth mode, but it is restricted to low speeds. Punch the accelerator and the petrol- engine will kick in.

Based on a revised version of Toyota’s TNGA-C platform, suspension is Mac strut at the front and double wishbones at the rear across the lineup.

Don't get the wrong impression, however, because the C-HR in all its forms is still no sports car.

Ride and handling are terrific, with grippy Bridgestone Turanza rubber.

But the steering feels rubbery at times and the drive experience is far from engaging.

You need to work the drivetrain hard to get the best out of it, but the CVT's ability to deliver the goods is limiting.

Under hard acceleration, it becomes harsh and noisy, producing a sound like a lawnmower about to run out of fuel.

In the end you'll run out of power before you run out of grip.

Fuel consumption is a claimed 4.0L/100km, it takes standard 91 unleaded and has a 43-litre tank.

We were getting 4.7L/100km after more than 600km behind the wheel.

What we like?

Looks great
Superb paint job
Superior ride quality
Excellent fuel economy

What we don’t like?

Big price increase
Tight claustrophobic back seat
Smallish boot space
Hidden rear door handles a pain
Superfluous digital rear vision mirror
Tyre repair kit instead of spare

The bottom line?

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

C-HR is a better looker than the Nissan Juke, its most direct competitor.

It's a car I want to like but one which always seems to fall short -- short on power, short on space and short on practicality.

And the price? The all-hybrid lineup has pushed up prices more than $10,000, with the mid-spec Koba expected to account for 70 per cent of sales. That's a stopper right there. Maybe next time . . .