Toyota has unveiled the second-generation C-HR as a sharply styled crossover with the aim of drawing new customers to the brand, aided by the availability of a plug-in hybrid powertrain for the first time.
The production car has adopted the radical looks of the C-HR Prologue concept, which was shown late last year. It is the first SUV in Toyota’s European line-up to feature the new ‘hammerhead’ front-end design that made its debut on the latest Toyota Prius, which is not sold in the UK.
The new C-HR has the same powertrain line-up as the Prius: a 2.0-litre plug-in hybrid alongside 2.0-litre and 1.8-litre parallel hybrids.
The 1.8-litre powertrain pairs a 97bhp petrol engine with a 94bhp electric motor, driving a combined 138bhp through the front wheels and good for 56.5-58.9mpg on the WLTP cycle. This entry-level powertrain is essential for preserving the model’s “accessibility”, product manager Andrea Carlucci said in December.
The 2.0-litre parallel hybrid bumps power to 198bhp but suffers no MPG penalty. A four-wheel-drive model, with a second electric motor on the rear axle, cuts the C-HR’s 0-62mph time to 7.9sec and achieves upwards of 53mpg.
The new front-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid option features the same 2.0-litre petrol engine but gains a beefier, 163bhp motor for a combined 223bhp. It can complete 41 miles on electric power alone and features new geofencing technology, which automatically switches the car to EV mode when it detects you have entered a low-emission zone, if there is enough power in the battery. However, Toyota has yet to confirm if UK cars will have this function.
Inside, the Mk2 C-HR has been reinvented with a focus on upmarket materials and technologies. A 12.3in digital instrument display and a 12.3in infotainment touchscreen are reserved for higher trim levels. Entry-grade cars get an 8.0in touchscreen.
Prices are expected to start from around £35,000, a slight increase on the outgoing model and competitive with higher-trim variants of the similarly sized Mazda CX-30 and Honda HR-V.
The plug-in hybrid is likely to carry a sizable premium: the Toyota RAV4 PHEV started at £44,140 before orders were paused – £5990 more than an equivalent parallel hybrid.
The C-HR was Toyota’s fourth best-seller in Europe last year, with just under 100,000 delivered, and its popularity was cited as a reason for the new Prius not coming to the UK. The C-HR sold nearly 18,000 units in the UK in 2021, compared with just 563 Priuses.
