New Toyota C-HR Review: 2024's best small crossover?

The second-generation Toyota C-HR must be one of the most striking crossovers that's ever been launched. In fact, it looks every bit like a concept car that's somehow slipped through to production unchanged, with more swoops and creases than Paris Fashion Week.

It is available as either a self-charging hybrid or plug-in hybrid, and all models will comfortably return 50mpg while offering decent performance. In this CarGurus UK review, Chris Knapman tests the 2.0-litre self-charging hybrid C-HR to see if it offers just the right blend of style, space, quality and performance.

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#cargurusUK #toyotachr

[jhonnypusong]

This is the one of the best car I owned and driven for 8 years. Toyota hidden gem.💎
Best safety reliability smoothness easy to drive and economy. I don’t mine the performance. 2.0 engine hybrid is enough to a normal driver. 😁
Not quite advance and not too much tech but the satisfaction of simplicity is the best of this model.
For me a four star ⭐️ car.

[robc]

54 ambiant light shades, yet no air vents in the back !

[abderra]

I recently purchased the 1.8L self-charging Design spec and overall, it's been a positive experience. It's incredibly comfortable to drive, and I've been pleasantly surprised to average 60mpg (UK). You get very high mileage in and around town (if not stuck too long in jams) and 40-50 on the motorway. However, it's far from perfect, especially given the price. Here’s a list of annoyances…

The constant beeping – whether it's for going just a mile over the speed limit or changing speed zones, the alerts are excessive. The major crash alert has come on a couple of times, when there's no way I was going to crash - just driving normally during busy school runs.

Specific to the design spec, the sounds system. It’s disappointing. This is fixed in the higher specs which push the car near to or over £40K. The volume adjustments are either buttons on the screen or up/down toggle on the wheel. Both are terrible. Given me a twisty knob anyday.

If you want the trip data to sync to the app, you have to turn on car, wait 20secs or so for the blue privacy screen and click to accept 3 notices (yes 3!!). If you just start the car and drive off you cannot accept the privacy agreement and so the trip data is lost for ever!

Noisy motors. The windscreen wipers are super noisy. Driving this car for long periods in the rain becomes irritating. The motors that opens and closes the boot is also super loud & whinny.

We’ve had so much rain in the UK lately, yes I would very much appreciate a rear wiper. The rear screen tends to fog up easily.

Visibility out of the rear is rather limited, and the reversing camera's in the design spec has poor resolution nothing better than my previous car (marginally better than an 90s Nokia phone though).

Random alarm. Sometimes the alarm sounds for 5 seconds when locking the car. Every other drive it sends the app an alert to check the rear seats and if you turn off the alerts for those darn bleeps, it's reset the next time you start the car.

Software bugs. The car is loaded with tech and hence there's loads of software bugs. For eg. When reversing, the screen does not always show the radar when approaching objects you could hit.

Tight space in the back, only suitable for kids and 2 small adults. The rear windows are really tiny.

With a couple of passengers are in the rear, going up hill, the 1.8L engine feels like it struggles. The engine screams like you are driving a Ferrari.

When you fold down the rear seats, there’s a 4” lip between the boot height and seat height.

At the time of writing this, UK roads are full of potholes and you tend to drive more towards the middle of the road to avoid them. However, the lane assist trys to nudge you back, but towards the right and not the left. It’s like the correction software has been written for Europe and not adapted to the UK!

Price. Much better deals to be had at Nissan and Honda, with regards to discounts and extras. For eg. UK Honda are offering 5 years breakdown, 5 years servicing, 5 years warrently included where as with Toyota you only get 1 years breakdown, 3 years manufactors warrenty. They try and sell you 3 years servicing on top as well as so so many extras, cameras, insurance, paint protection etc… Buying a car from Toyota takes 2 full days.

Scam 10 year extended warrenty. Is only free if you service from year 3 onwards at Toyota at a cost currently of £500 per service which is 2x as much as local garages. Also the 10 year warrently is not as comprehensive as the first 3!

[levelboy]

'B' mode is for engine braking, not more regen. You actually get less regen in 'B' mode.

[BenDemeyere]

Can't wait for our C-HR to arrive in Australia

[hovelad]

This is on our short list alongside Niro and Kona

[eyesopenednz]

So its a Toyota then :), we drove one in NZ the GR 2.0l AWD hybrid very impressed quite a bit cheaper here model for model well under 30 thousand pounds here, just have to wait for delivery which we are told is April/May we will see. I hope it's as good as our present Rav4 2008 Limited AWD that has never missed a beat after 216k's. Sales may sell the first but service and reliability will sell the next one.

[wayneheyes]

This is getting way way too expensive !!!! Road tax will be horrific! And the base models look so cheap

[vinothpermal]

To connect with the morning and your family and friends 😁❤️

[sevensixtysteve]

I like this a lot and the hybrid drives do offer impressive economy whenever I have tried them. However, I was shocked at the price and as much as I like the C-HR, I could not justify spending that much on one.

[clivegeary]

Don't forget cars over £40k will have to pay super road tax. So that's £560 per for alternative fuel vehicles. Toyota cars are getting stupidly expensive. The omission of no rear wash wipe is a mistake.

[rhysmainwaring]

Wow - £43k for a CHR. The challenges in turning off the unnecessary safety turns me off immediately

[chasf]

Designed by someone who does not use a car as family transport, the styling internal and out imposes too many compromises for daily use in UK crowded roads.

[mbingham]

That MPG was disappointing for a small car, the BMW 520 will do more than that in comfort and its quicker and looks more expensive

[paulgingo]

You can tell the 1st review is staged without a doubt. Join the Toyota forum and see the CVT has been a mess for every owner. Transmission failures at 50k is pretty ugly- - -common. Not sure what to tell you other than do your homework!! Nice looking car though - - - but I wouldn't take one for free. This is like nothing I've ever seen. Toyota not helping customers!!

[bertie]

CVT gearbox is horrendous, not sure why all of these motoring journalists don't mention it more tbh. The back window in Toyota's are known to fog up regularly. These cars are only efficient in town, take on onto the motorway and a standard petrol will easily match/beat the C-HR

[jamesthomas]

Terrible transmission problems and toyota would not recall it even though there were thousands of people having the same issue.

[newbeginnings]

Drivers of these report poor performance as soon as they leave town or have hills to climb ..

Overpriced and short of interior space... Dark uninteresting plastic gives a wholly underwhelming feel...

[tonys]

Had this for a rental. This car is a piece of garbage and very poorly designed. Very bad back seat area, even with booster seats, children cannot see out the side windows. Very bad Android Auto interface, would periodically disconnect as you're driving when using Google Maps navigation and bluetooth audio from your phone. Annoying chime when you go 4km over the speed limit. Oh and it's UGLY.