Road test review: Toyota C-HR Limited Hybrid

Tuesday, 1 September 2020

This is the first time New Zealand has been able to sample a hybrid C-HR.

TOYOTA C-HR LIMITED HYBRID
Base price: $39,490
Powertrain and economy: 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol hybrid, 90kW (total system output)/142Nm, continuously variable transmission, FWD, fuel consumption 4.3 litres per 100km, CO2 99g/km (Source: RightCar)

Subtle tweaks to the design have turned the C-HR from oddity to genuine looker.

Vital statistics: 4385mm long, 1795mm wide, 1565 high, 2640mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 318 litres, 18-inch wheels.
We like: Styling looks better with age, sharp price, hybrid fuel consumption
We don't like: Not the most engaging drive, tiny rear passenger windows

Toyota updated the C-HR back in January with slightly tweaked looks and a new hybrid powertrain. This is the first time New Zealand has had the hybrid version so let’s see if the new powertrain pairs well with the small SUV.

It looks pretty good in white too. Not many cars can pull off white.

Looks like the same C-HR as before. What’s new?

Toyota has given the electrified version of its smallest SUV the 1.8-litre hybrid set-up from the Corolla and Prius. It’s geared entirely toward efficiency, so 90kW/140Nm of output is all you get. The electric motor kicks in more often than you would think, which means fuel consumption is low: 4.3 litres per hundred kays.

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The interior is quality too. Plenty of leather and the seats are nicely padded.

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Other changes include a resculpted face, LED headlights and taillights and a larger touchscreen with Android Auto support.

The high-mounted rear handles are still a bit strange but you get used to them.

There are two Hybrid models on sale, the base model and this, the Limited. The latter adds leather upholstery, power lumbar support for the driver’s seat, ‘Bi-Beam’ headlights which switch automatically between two different modules for dip and high beam. It also features automatic headlight levelling and a panoramic rearview monitor.

So it’s a mild update and it came out at the start of the year. Why are you driving it now?

We were meant to get it ages ago but two lockdowns have muddied the dates somewhat. So while it’s not really a “new” model any more, the changes still make it worth testing.

Happily, I can report that the changes do improve the C-HR. The new aesthetics accentuate the avant-garde styling of the crossover well. So much so that I have to admit the C-HR Limited really looks quite good now.

That strong character line swooping over the front wheel arch, along the side and back over the rear wheel, the vertical vents on the corners of the nose and the new-look taillights define the C-HR in a crowded segment. The rear door handles are still something of an oddity, but they give the SUV a two-door appearance without the two-door drawbacks.

Taller folk won’t mind sitting in the back seats, at least for short stints, but tiny windows positioned quite far forward of the seat are frustrating for rear occupants.

I found the C-HR a little strange on the eyes when it first debuted here in 2017 but, ultimately, I’m glad Toyota stuck to its guns with the funny little crossover.

What about the new engine?

Well, the 1.8-litre hybrid powertrain isn’t entirely new, already pressed for duty in the Corolla and Prius. As mentioned above, it’s not a performance dynamo, instead opting for maximum efficiency. It’ll slip into EV mode when under light throttle load to keep fuel usage down and there’s a dedicated EV button to force the powertrain into electric-only mode when parameters like current speed and charge state are met.

Toyota’s CVT with the physical first gear and the help of instant electric torque means the C-HR Hybrid gets off the line briskly. The efficiency-driven approach means the SUV runs out of puff fairly quickly, with a 0-100kmh sprint completed in somewhere around 11 seconds, but it’s enough to comfortably navigate urban and country roads. The TNGA platform balances vim with comfort well.

Interestingly, the hybrid C-HR and its 1.2-litre turbocharged sibling have largely identical performance figures. In my eyes, that pushes the hybrid out front in terms of which to buy as it offers markedly better fuel consumption and CO2 emissions for only around $3.5k more. Unless, of course, you want all-wheel drive, in which case the 1.2L turbo is your only option.

I’d love to see a future model get the battery-loving powertrain out of the new Yaris Hybrid, perhaps with a bit of fettling to boost total output. Perhaps one with the GR badge on the back?

Does the hybrid system come with any penalties?

Not really. The battery is under the rear seats which means it doesn’t eat into boot space and the added weight gives a more settled ride than the combustion-only models.

Every C-HR gets a swag of active safety gizmos like automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring and active cruise control with lane-keep assist. Other niceties include an eight-inch touchscreen with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay support, dual-zone climate control and auto high-beams.

Any other cars I should consider?

The only other small hybrid SUV for less than $40k is the $39,990 Kia Niro HEV, which has more power, more torque and lower claimed emissions but doesn’t quite look as good.

If you lust after a hybrid but don’t need an SUV, then elsewhere in the Toyota line up offers a ferw options, with the Prius starting at $39,990, the Corolla Hybrid starting at $33,690 and topping out at $39,990 for the top-spec ZR.

Conversely, if you are sold on a small, interesting SUV and aren’t fussed about it being a hybrid then there are offerings like the upcoming Ford Puma, the Volkswagen T-Cross, the Seat Arona, Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona or any number of other choices.