2018 Toyota C-HR Preview
CARS.COM
Competes with: Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, Nissan Juke
Looks like: A real-life version of the fantastical cars sketched in middle schools around the country
Drivetrain: 144-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with continuously variable automatic transmission; front-wheel drive
Hits dealerships: Spring 2017
A lot can change in a year. It was only a year ago that Scion showed off its wild C-HR concept car, but fast-forward to the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show and Scion is no more, yet we now have the production version of the C-HR — badged as a Toyota.
More 2016 L.A. Auto Show Coverage
The transition from concept to reality hasn’t diluted the C-HR’s wild styling too much, putting it in direct competition with models like the Nissan Juke. The C-HR hits dealerships next spring and will be offered in XLE and XLE Premium trim levels to start.
Exterior
Toyota says C-HR stands for Coupe High-Rider, and that’s a fitting description. With its sloping roofline and aggressively raked liftgate, the C-HR has the look of a modern hatchback. The thin upper grille and larger lower front opening recalls Toyota’s RAV4 compact SUV. The headlights use projector beams and it also has LED daytime running lights. Large 18-inch aluminum wheels are standard.
Interior
There’s room for up to five people on front bucket seats and a three-person rear bench. The slender dash has just a few buttons in the center for the standard dual-zone air-conditioning system, and the standard 7-inch touchscreen in the middle of the dash has a tablet-style appearance. The multimedia system includes a USB port, auxiliary jack and Bluetooth connectivity but not Apple CarPlay or Android Auto smartphone mirroring.
Additional standard features include a 60/40-split folding backseat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated side mirrors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and a backup camera. The Premium version adds heated front seats, a power lumbar adjustment for the driver’s seat, puddle lamps, foglights and push-button start.
Under the Hood
The C-HR is powered by a 144-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels through a CVT. The drivetrain includes a Sport mode that makes the gas pedal more responsive and keeps engine rpm higher for better acceleration. Power-steering assistance is also adjusted to give the wheel a weightier feel.
Safety
Standard active safety features include forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with steering assist, and adaptive cruise control. Automatic high-beam headlights are also standard. The Premium trim also includes a blind spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert.
