Toyota’s C-HR is sweet eye candy for the road
Beach Wheels
Sincere kudos to Toyota for coming up with what must be one of the most stylish compact SUV crossovers now out on the market.
Seriously, check out the C-HR and you will see some of the most unique body styling and innovative exterior sheet metal work in the auto industry’s 2020 fleet. The fun high rear doors are a good example that this crossover doesn’t follow the traditional design rules.
Refreshed for 2020, Toyota was good enough to recently loan me a C-HR, which stands for “Compact High Rider,” and my experience behind the wheel was largely positive.
My tester, which came in the Limited trim-level, has a new grille and front bumper, LED headlights, and an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. The Limited comes in either Supersonic Red or “Hot Lava” which is a striking orangey-red color. My tester came sitting on beautiful 18-inch steel alloy wheels.
Inside the comfortable cabin, you will find an 8-inch touchscreen, heated exterior mirrors and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. It has both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Because of its distinctive shape there is only limited visibility out of the tail of the C-HR. For that reason, I would definitely add the blindspot monitoring system at a minimum.
Admittedly, I was let down a bit by my C-HR’s normally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. It really needed a turbocharger. My tester displayed good initial throttle response from a dead stop but then it just seemed to slowly lose its energy as it was wound out. About the best it could do in the 0-60 was a lethargic 11 seconds. My tester’s engine generated just a modest 114 horsepower and 139 pound-feet of torque and that power plant was mated to a continuously-variable automatic transmission.
I think you’ll find that the CH-R is a great little crossover SUV for around-town / daily driver use. Ride quality in the C-HR was stiff and lively. My tester’s steering was precise and the vehicle gladly went where I pointed it. Going into turns and curve my C-HR stayed in control and displayed a minimum of body roll.
In terms of mileage, I received a solid 27 miles per gallon in the city, 31 mpg on the highway and 29 mpg overall. The manufacturer’s suggested price for my C-HR was just under $28,000.
Final thoughts: Here’s the thing. With its somewhat quirky looks the C-HR stands out in a sea of sameness on our roads. It’s a fun and unusual looker that you’re either going to fall in love with immediately or want to step away from.
For my tastes, the C-HR was definitely my cup of tea. Get out for a test drive and perhaps it’ll be yours, too.
Jeff Mitchell is a Los Angeles-based automotive writer and reviewer. Reach him at j.edward.mitchell@gmail.com