2024 Toyota C-HR SUV

 

      This all-new version of the Toyota C-HR family SUV aims to build on the efficiency and driving fun that the original offered, while also greatly improving practicality. The trouble with ‘one size fits all’ is that it rarely does, and the team behind the new, second-generation Toyota C-HR family SUV appear to have recognised that. You see, the outgoing model has long been available only as a conventional hybrid. But while that’s great if you want something efficient that you never have to plug in, it also means you’re very limited in how far you can go purely on electric power. For this new C-HR, though, there's also a plug-inhybrid (PHEV) variant with a much longer electric range, as well as a lower benefit-in-kind tax rating that makes it a more appealing company car choice. This new C-HR PHEV borrows the 147bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine and 158bhp electric motor from the latest Prius PHEV, along with that model’s 13.6kWh battery, resulting in an all-electric range of 41 miles. That’s about on a par with what you get from the equivalent Ford Kuga and Kia Sportage. Alternatively, if you don’t want to mess around with charging cables, there are still two regular hybrid C-HR models: a 138bhp 1.8-litre and a 193bhp 2.0-litre. Both set-ups already feature in the Toyota Corolla family car, in which we favour the 1.8 because it offers superior efficiency and a lower price, yet is still more than fast enough. C-HR PHEV drivers can set different levels of regenerative braking, recovering energy released as the car slows down and using it to extend the range, with the side effect that the car slows more dramatically when you lift off the accelerator. In its highest setting, this effect is claimed to be strong enough that you can drive the C-HR using only one pedal. The system can also automatically reserve some electric charge for use in low-emissions zones, using sat-nav data. A new 12.3in touchscreen infotainment system is the focal point inside, with this offering wireless connections for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring.

      It’s mounted beside a digital instrument cluster of the same size, which can prioritise different information depending on what type of journey the car is doing – showing appropriate driver assistance information, for example, when you’re joining a motorway. When we sat inside the new C-HR, we were impressed by the pleasing mix of dense, soft-touch materials on the dashboard, although there isn’t quite the consistently plush finish of the Honda HR-V. Interior space isn’t noticeably different from before, despite an increase in width and height, and most rivals are more spacious. However, with a panoramic glass roof as standard and larger rear windows, the new C-HR feels less claustrophobic in the back. The All-New Toyota C-HR offers a seamless and personalised experience. Turn drives into experiences with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, responsive ambient lighting, and immersive surround sound. Available on selected grades. Bespoke JBL speakers deliver a moving performance. Metal grilles on the tweeters help deliver clear high notes, while a powerful subwoofer brings bass with definition. Available on selected grades.

 

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2024 Toyota C-HR SUV revealed