– By David Brown –
It has taken Toyota a long time to produce a compact SUV in what is an important part of the market.
Now they have released their C-HR.
They say that they were slow to the market because they waited for the development of their new TNGA platform on which the vehicle is based.
Among other things this has allowed them to lower the centre of gravity for the car to give a lower profile and improved handling. It is part of a modern trend where manufacturers are moving away from the image of an SUV as being plain, sitting up tall in a gawky manner and not performing as well as a sedan.
And while Toyota has not had a vehicle that will fit into the current definition of a compact SUV, the C-HR is about the same size as their previous RAV 4.
Toyota has clearly made a big effort in the exterior looks of the vehicle. To say the least it’s distinctive. They have incorporated a lot of creases and angles with a reoccurring theme of a diamond shape.
If one crease in a car looks good I am not sure that twenty creases are automatically twenty times better. One the cautious side, one person asked if it was the younger brother of the transformer Optimus Prime. On the positive side it is certainly has a modern character that stands out in a rather bland crowd and is likely to appeal to a younger market.
The tail of the car which in these types of vehicles is often bland, they have incorporated tail lights similar to a Honda Civic and a rear spoiler of sorts. And the handle for the rear doors is recessed into the C pillar so as to give the image of a two door couple, similar to what Alfa Romeo did a few years ago.
If you want to get a fleet car that stands out then this is your vehicle.
The engine is new and technically advanced. It is a 1.2 litre, direct injection, turbocharged petrol engine but it does need 95 octane fuel.
The engine was quiet and produced usable power for its limited 85kw output. It is rated at a combined-cycle economy from 6.3 litres/100km.
You can get a manual gear box in the entry level 2 wheel drive. I tested this model and enjoyed how easy it was to drive but the fact is that Toyota is anticipating the 95% of sales will be the CVT automatic transmission although you can lock it into seven distinct steps if you want the feel of a traditional automatic.
In the same week I drove the new Peugeot 2008 and found it a more pleasant and comfortable package – but much more traditional in looks. The other problem is that I have just driven the new Audi Q2 compact SUV. It is much more expensive but if you can afford the price it is definitely more rewarding.
Toyota is proud of the 6.1 inch centre screen that is not recessed into the facia but I thought the interior did not have a feeling of standout style and felt a little like a few bits and pieces fitted onto a plain background.
There are a good range of traditional features plus nano e-technology that is used to prevent your hair and skin drying out.
You can get one of eight colours and with some of the colours you can have a black or white roof. You can also specify several personalising features such as the colour of the casing for your outside rear vision mirrors. I preferred the look of the car in the brighter colours but without the two-tone style.
Toyota has had a virtual realty system in its dealership for at least a year so you can experience the car and some of the colour options, but they are now bringing this technology to selected shopping centres.
Pricing (excluding on –road costs) starts at $26,990 for a 2 wheel drive manual increases by $2,000 for the CVT auto and a further $2,000 for four wheel drive. There are two feature levels the base C-HR and the C-HR Koba which tops out at $35,290.
Europe has a hybrid option for this vehicle but this is not available in Australia but as time goes on they will be looking at it.
So the Toyota C-HR has a strong “look at me” appearance, it has an advanced engine and good features. But there is no bargain basement entry level price. It represents a solid entry in the compact SUV market with typical Toyota back up. It will help continue a trend of people having a sedan like SUV.
