Toyota C-HR 2017 Review

Toyota helped pioneer the compact SUV segment in the early 90s with the RAV4, and now it has returned – albeit, a tad late – with its newest high-riding incarnation. The C-HR rides on a new platform and utilises a new small turbocharged petrol engine. More than that, though, the Nissan QASHQAI competitor is tasked with re-writing perceptions for the Toyota brand. Does it succeed?

Recipe for success
Being prudent and conservative has paid massive dividends for Toyota in Australia.

It’s difficult to argue with a company that outsells its nearest competitor nearly two-to-one, retains many customers on the basis of sterling reputation and reliability, and upholds excellent, sometimes unheard-of re-sale values.

But one thing Toyota hasn’t really stumbled on for a couple of decades, possibly with the exception of the 86 coupe, is excitement. X-factor.

That’s where the new C-HR purportedly comes into play.

Introduced into Australian showrooms from this month, the diminutive SUV has allowed Toyota to finally unleash itself from years of humdrum conservatism. At least, that’s what the Japanese company will have you believe.

Edgy, sensual, exciting -- these are some of the superlatives thrown around at the national launch of the C-HR in Melbourne this week.

The car-maker even flew out the car’s equally edgy, race car-driving chief engineer to Australia -- Hiroyuki Koba, a Supra-loving revhead whose passion for the C-HR helped inspire the name for the high-spec Aussie grade, the Koba.

Priced from $26,990 (plus on-road costs) in two-wheel drive manual spec, the two-prong C-HR line-up is not cheap, relative to some vehicles in its broadly-defined segment.

But each C-HR is well equipped, as our full pricing story attests – so much so that Toyota Australia is more concerned about keeping up with demand than it is comparing with rival machines such as the Nissan QASHQAI and Mazda CX-3. That’s a big call considering the range topping, all-wheel drive automatic costs $35,290 (plus on-road costs).

What’s worth mentioning is that the C-HR delivers admirable levels of safety, including adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure alert with steering control, automatically dimming high-beam headlights and a reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors.

On pure spec trim, Toyota might not have ticked every box in some people’s eyes. The company’s insistence, for example, to shy away from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in favour of its own phone mirroring software might not satisfy all tech heads. And similarly, the C-HR’s stipulation of premium unleaded petrol (95 octane) might come as a surprise to some.

Yeah, OK. But is it an edgy Toyota?
Riding on Toyota’s brand-new TNGA platform and boasting a new 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine, the C-HR has all the makings of a game changer.

The truth is that it is a mix of old and new: old in the sense that the driveline doesn’t set any new records for speed and economy and the cabin is lacklustre in parts; and new because the vehicle’s ride and handling will represent a significant step forward for most Toyota aficionados.

During the national launch in and around Melbourne this week, the C-HR feels well acquitted across urban jungle and varying country roads. It’s not the sort of car you’d want to drive long haul – although arguably, it would be up to it – but it is a car that would be fairly easy to live with day to day.

First, the engine. The 1.2-litre turbo-petrol offers 85kW of power and 185Nm of torque, and is fitted with the choice of a rev-matching six-speed manual or an optional ($2000) automatic. It consumes a claimed 6.3L/100km in front-drive form and 6.5L/100km in automatic, all-wheel drive guise.

With peak power coming on between 5200-5600rpm, you can begin to imagine the C-HR’s low-down grunt isn’t much to write home about. Bury the accelerator and, like many modern CVTs, this one reverts to a slow, drawling slur, as it lethargically picks up the pace. The engine noise isn’t what you’d call inspiring, though it never breaks into the thrashy chorus that many rivalling units do.

That said the engine-automatic combination (we didn’t drive the manual) does do daily conveyance well. It will naturally push for higher gears in the name of economy (we saw about 8.0L/100km), and feels refined and linear in its delivery. At 100km/h, the engine spins just above 2000rpm.

A sport mode in the transmission also brings seven ‘stepped’ ratios like a traditional torque converter. In sportier driving it combines with slightly more weight in the steering, however, the absence of steering-wheel mounted shifting paddles offsets its impact.

More impressive is the C-HR’s TNGA platform, and the promise that it will be the basis for other new Toyota models. The C-size architecture is slightly bigger than the current Mazda CX-3 and Honda HR-V cohort, meaning the car has a useable rear seat and boot.

On the road, the chassis unlocks a surprisingly enjoyable driving experience. The C-HR is responsive and composed in the corners while striking a neat comfort-performance balance over rough bumps.

The car’s steering is accurate, if a little inert, and the body is well hinged through corners, with a moderate but controllable amount of roll respective to this car’s brief.

Push the tempo a little more and the C-HR’s kerb weight (up to 1510kg) tends to become accentuated by squelching through the tyres and moderate understeer. Body roll is also more prominent, though the car never feels overly flustered.

The C-HR’s suspension – MacPherson strut front and double-wishbone with coil spring at the rear – is supremely compliant and well controlled. It follows the road faithfully and resists the temptation to crash over harsh undulations, helping the car to feel well planted at speed.

These character traits are reinforced by a cabin that is well insulated from road and wind noise, and a well-appointed driving position that enables decent forward vision but a slightly obscured rear outlook. It all helps to distract you from the reality that you’re riding in something quite small and compact.

Useable interior space
The other redeeming feature in the C-HR is its interior space. Thanks in part to its 4.36-metre length, the rear seat is suitable for two adults on longer journeys, or three at a pinch.

As for children, parents may first want to consider the car’s heavily skewed rear window. For many little ones, it will completely restrict their outlook, which could pose problems for the annual road trip.

The other bugbear here is the C-HR’s lack of rear air-vents or a flip-down armrest. Fortunately, you do get three top-tether child anchor points.

Further back, the C-HR’s 377-litre boot offers a wide opening and useable proportions, and is underlined by a space-saver spare tyre. There is no cargo net to stop groceries from sliding around and, if you want to access the 60:40 split-folding seats, you’ll need to access the second row, as there are no levers from the boot.

Up front, Toyota has channelled the car’s bold exterior design with an angular dashboard complemented by neatly presented buttons and switchgear. On face value the contact surface treatments feel nicely textured and soft-to-touch, though some of the out-of-sight plastics don’t live up to the same expectation, like the glove box, which refused to click open on one test car.

The C-HR’s infotainment screen screams 2010. The 4.2-inch infotainment touchscreen is small and finicky in comparison to rivalling units, surrounded by external buttons that are difficult to operate on the move. Also, there’s only one USB port.

It slightly undoes Toyota’s efforts at making the cabin practical and contemporary. Shame, because the assortment of bottle holders and the easy-to-read driver instrument cluster present nicely, while the comfortable front chairs feel well up to longer journeys.

In short, this is still a compact SUV with a small engine and CVT transmission – so by default, its brief is not to excite the masses as Toyota may hope.

But the C-HR does go some way in brightening Toyota’s image, setting the stage for a new generation of models.

That said, Toyota’s efforts may be a moot point for some prospective owners: the type more concerned with sterling reputation, reliability and re-sale.

2017 Toyota CH-R pricing and specifications:
Price: $26,990-$35,290 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 85kW/185Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual / seven-speed continuously variable
Fuel: 6.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 144g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

Related reading:
>> TOYOTA CH-R INTERNATIONAL REVIEW
>> TOYOTA CH-R TRD BREAKS COVER
>> TOYOTA CH-R DETAILS FIRM