Overview
Toyota has launched the 2019 model of its sub-compact SUV, Toyota C-HR. which actually continues almost unchanged as compared to the 2018 model. made the competition to look for some new designs, but it seems like Toyota is pretty late to the party. The angular shape of C-HR looks pretty cool and stylish, both from inside & outside but does it drive well too? We will find it out.
Driving and Performance
Driving duty is done by a 2.0 liter 4-cyl. engine with 144-hp and 139 lb. ft. of torque with a CVT. This car sits true to a saying “it’s all show and no go”. This is a pretty lethargic engine and it takes more than 10 sec to cross the 60mph mark. If they could have used a turbocharger, the story might have gone a different way.
City driving is easy and fast as the throttle launches the car eagerly off the line but put your foot forward to get it to go faster, the engine revs and the CVT get confused about which gear to pick. The steering is light and precise and the quick turns are possible at medium speeds as the body roll is well contained. On the downside though, Toyota will not be offering AWD on this car even as an option.
The C-HR is pretty easy and comfortable to drive, but exceptionally so. The suspension is on a softer side and will glide over small potholes and road imperfections, but once you are on to a stretch of broken road, you will be bouncing around a lot with the way C-HR reacts.
Exterior
The design of this car can be best described as Hit or Miss. One might like all the spaceship-like curves and lines, another might absolutely abhor the awkward face of this car. Surely though, the CH-R will never be ignored. The curvy design of this car makes it unique in the category as no other car has such a bold approach towards styling. This car is not much different from its concept. It’s all about diamond patterns all around the car, be it headlights, seat texture, door pad stitch or even the buttons. The rear is much too busy though. It’s got angular taillamps which seems reminiscent of the Honda Civic. You have the rear spoiler, which enhances the looks and nothing more.
Interior
The material used inside is durable and looks nice. The diamond pattern stitch all across the dash, doors, and the headliner adds to the funkiness of the car and the use of piano black finish across the gear lever and the dash shines on a sunny day. These all tidbits add to the very youthful appeal.
Apart from Dual-zone climate control, there is nothing luxurious here. 2019 C-HR infotainment include an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay & Bluetooth standard across variants. If you are looking for some added features, you should upgrade to higher models.
Legroom is enough and headroom is just about acceptable. The major issue with integrating the rear door handle into the C-pillar is an increase in rear blind spot and all-black interior makes the inside claustrophobic. This is something your kids won’t like as it also hampers outward view, due to the uprising window line.
Safety
In the safety department, 2019 C-HR checks all the right boxes. All the variants come with Toyota Safety sense P which is actually a suite of active safety features which includes active cruise control, pre-collision warning with auto brake and pedestrian detection, and steering assists lane departure warning. What’s surprising is the addition of 10-airbags which is not common on the crossover.
The C-HR earned five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and performed well in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s crash tests; it missed out on a Top Safety Pick award from IIHS because its headlamps performed poorly in testing.
Final Verdict
Toyota CH-R’s price starts from just $21,990 for the base XE variant, is $24,025 for XLE, and the top trim ‘Limited’ comes at $24,025. If you are looking for an SUV which is quite funky stylish and you are not something looking for much practicality, then this is something you should consider buying. Although if you are looking for an AWD SUV, the CH-R is straight-up out of your list. Off-roading is a strict no-no; it’s better you stick to the tarmac with this one.
