Toyota C-HR GR Sport gets Gazoo treatment

Toyota's high-performance Gazoo Racing division has created a sportier Toyota C-HR GR Sport for those in the market for a small SUV with added athleticism.

Created to help the Toyota C-HR compete with the Ford Puma ST-Line, the GR Sport revisions include sportier styling and chassis tweaks designed to sharpen up its handling.

Developed by the same team of engineers behind the recently introduced Toyota GR Yaris and the GR Supra, the C-HR GR Sport is also claimed to benefit from Gazoo's experience in competing both in Le Mans endurance racing and WRC.

Headline cosmetic treatments on the Toyota C-HR GR Sport include a darker finish for the headlights, fog light housings and front bumper within the grille, as well as a deep front splitter and black door mouldings.

At the rear there's a smoked light reflector, a tweaked bumper and plenty of GR Sport badging.

Finishing up the exterior revisions are a set of 19-inch alloy rims that hint at the sportier suspension, plus eight two-tone paint finishes that all come with a contrasting black roof.

Inside, buyers are treated to GR Sport treadplates and the choice of either Alcantara or fabric seats. The seats are heated and finished with red and grey stitching, while privacy glass is also thrown in.

A powerful JBL sound system also becomes a new optional extra.

According to Gazoo, engineers have made considerable chassis revisions to boost the C-HR's dynamic performance.

These include stiffening up the front springs by 10 per cent and the rear by a further 15 per cent and matching them with more reactive dampers and thicker anti-roll bars.

The standard C-HR's steering has also been tweaked.

The result, Toyota claims, is a C-HR that rolls less and is more engaging to drive.

Under the bonnet, the C-HR GR Sport is available with either an 85kW/185Nm 1.2-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder in front- or all-wheel drive configuration, or a 90kW 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid, in front-drive only.

It's not been confirmed if Toyota Australia will offer the more engaging C-HR GR Sport Down Under but evidence that it has already received ADR approval suggests it should land here in early 2021 when sales have been confirmed to begin in Europe.