Toyota C-HR Second Generation First Drive (2019 - )

Building on the success of a first-generation model that has proved a firm favourite with owners is not an easy mission. Yes, it needs to be better wherever possible, but it can’t be so radical it scares off the fanbase.

When the first Toyota C-HR was launched back in 2016 it became an overnight success for the Japanese carmaker with 60 per cent of its sales being conquest sales from other brands. Now there is an all-new second-generation C-HR on the market and Toyota is confident of seeing similar levels of success drawing more customers away from other brands.

Designed in Europe for European drivers, the C-HR is currently available with the choice of a 1.8-litre or 2.0-litre petrol hybrid powertrain featuring the highly-acclaimed fifth generation hybrid system that was first seen earlier this year in the Corolla. Customers have a wide choice of trim levels to select from, including a limited-run Premiere Edition specification and there will be the arrival of a plug-in hybrid version early in 2024.

In addition, the C-HR becomes an environmental leader in the Toyota range with a keen eye on sustainability, emissions reduction and the use of recycled materials wherever possible.

With the 1.8-litre model expected to account for 95 per cent of UK sales, it was that car in Excel trim level, that we tested.

The Toyota C-HR was considered quite a radically-styled model when it was launched back in 2016 with its couple-like silhouette and clever use of angles, but now those designers have been let loose to create an even more stand-out model. And they have certainly achieved that.

At launch, the C-HR was described as a ‘concept car for the road’ and, in fairness we have to agree with its motor-show concept-car styling, but everyday driving appeal.

Now the new second-generation C-HR features a widened stance, along with the option of bi-tone colours. There are flush door handles, a gloss black lower grille, rear spoiler, rear privacy glass, a panoramic sunroof, along with full LED headlights with integrated indicators in an eye-catching arrow-shaped design and 19-inch alloy wheels. And for the first time, the vehicle’s name can be seen in the rear light bar and is illuminated during the welcome and goodbye sequences.

Moving inside and the vehicle has a premium look and feel to it with generous levels of on-board technology. The black Alcantara upholstery looks and feels high-end and there are soft-touch surfaces and top quality fixtures and fittings throughout.

Entry-level Icon models have an eight-inch display with cloud-based navigation, voice assist and wireless smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other trims, including our Excel, feature Toyota Smart Connect+ with a 12.3-inch touchscreen and an additional embedded navigation set-up.

Other features include a 12.3-inch digital driver display showing all the vital data, a DAB radio, Bluetooth, a JBL sound system, a reversing camera with dynamic guidelines, 24-colour ambient lighting and lots more besides.

There are separate rocker-type controls for all the climate settings, which we like as it means less driver distraction and our car featured a digital rearview mirror. To be honest, I’m not a fan of the real-time camera-based view, so it’s good to see it can easily be flicked back to a more traditional setting.

The first-generation C-HR was always great fun to drive and it was vital, no matter what improvements the engineers and design team made, that it didn’t impact on those entertaining driving dynamics. 

And thankfully, the car has simply got better. Our front-wheel drive test car was powered by the 1.8-litre petrol hybrid unit delivering 138bhp with 185Nm of torque and mated to a CVT transmission.

It could reach 62mph from a standing start in 10.2 seconds and maxed out at 106mph. While these figures may not seem that exciting, the C-HR has to be taken as a complete package. It’s not meant to be a speed monster after all. Instead it covers a lot of bases very well. 

For starters, the acceleration is just fine and it can climb steep hills with a steady supply of power on tap, It cruises effortless at 70mph on motorways and is agile when fizzing through twisting lanes with good grip and next-to-no body movement in and out of bends.

Its agility impressed in busy town centres and there are drive modes called Custom, Sport, Normal and Eco to change the driving characteristics of the car, along with an EV Hold setting and B button that recoups extra energy under braking.

You will notice the hybrid system getting more vocal under particularly hard acceleration but other than that, the car performed really well. The steering was well weighted, the cabin nicely hushed and the slightly soft suspension doing a worthy job of smoothing out any road bumps.

The only real gripe is the rear visibility through the narrow screen and the over-the-shoulder view that is slightly obscured by wide B pillars. Thankfully all models feature a reversing camera though.

We also took a shorter run out in the C-HR 2.0-litre model and the extra power is instantly noticeable, so possibly worth a test drive if you like a more enthusiastic performance.

The Toyota C-HR looks dynamic from all angles and has a strong road presence without being oversized. It stretches 4,362mm in length, is 1,832mm across and 1,564mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,640mm.

Up front, there is bundles of space for a couple of tall adults to sit comfortably and, provided the front seats are not pushed right back, there is a fair amount of legroom in the back too. A couple of adults will be fine over a relatively short journey before they start complaining about their knees being squashed against the front seats, but a trio of youngsters will be fine. 

The slightly elevated seating and wide-opening doors make for easy access for anybody with mobility issues and, with families in mind, the outer rear seats are fitted with ISOFIX child seat anchors. On the downside, the narrow rear windows could prove a little claustrophobic to some occupants. 

The boot can swallow 388 litres of luggage (reduced to 364 litres on the 2.0-litre models) and this capacity increases further with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat. Although Toyota does not give a figure for the increase in boot capacity, the outgoing model could hold 1,164 litres with the seats dropped down, so expect similar on the second-gen car too.

Elsewhere, there are plenty of storage options scattered throughout the cabin, including a glovebox, deep central cubby, a seat back pocket on the driver’s side, a tray on top of the dashboard, front cup holders along with individual ones in the rear doors, plus some handy trays.

For anyone considering using their C-HR for towing, the weight limit is 725kg. 

The Toyota C-HR line-up consists of four core trims called Icon, Design, GR Sport and Excel, along with a Premiere Edition model that will be available for the first 12 months.

Prices start from £31,290 and rise to £42,720. There are no details yet about the cost of the C-HR 2.0 Plug-in hybrid range, but they will be announced nearer the on-sale date in early 2024.

Our test car, the 1.8 Excel model, cost £38,150 and there were no optional extras on the vehicle. That means it stays below the Government’s £40k premium car tax threshold so owners will not have to find extra funds to pay for that charge.

According to official WLTP testing, the car could deliver 60.1mpg with carbon emissions of 105g/km. This CO2 figure would result in a first-year road tax bill (or Vehicle Excise Duty charge to give it its official title) of £210 dropping to the standard fee for hybrid models of £170 after 12 months.

While insurance group ratings have not yet been announced for the new C-HR, the model as tested has a Benefit in Kind tax rating of 29 per cent for anyone considering it as a business car.

For added peace of mind, Toyota owners are offered one of the best warranty packages in the business. That’s because the basic three-year, 60,000-mile warranty can be extended for up to 10 years or 100,000 miles free of charge, provided regular services are carried out at an authorised Toyota workshop.

It’s always nice when a car comes along that stands out with its trailblazing design and the C-HR is exactly that. It seems to defy all the precedents set in the SUV sector with its quirky styling, but it definitely works and the car’s superb sales figures are testament to that.

So, why wouldn’t Toyota take things to a higher level for the second generation model? It’s clear some drivers like to stand out in a crowd and the C-HR offers that uniqueness but without being garish in any way.

Customers are treated to plenty of ways to personalise their car too with the option of bi-tone colours and when you also factor in the comprehensive list of safety technology that comes as standard, the C-HR is a really exciting model and certainly worth exploring if you want to be anything but beige!