Toyota has brought excitement and driving pleasure to the SUV market with the launch of its radically styled C-HR, or Coupe High Rider.
The new car stands out in the Toyota range and its segment with a coupe-like upper body, powerful underpinnings, engaging driving dynamics, punchy turbo petrol engine and advanced cabin quality.
A high level of standard features and sharp pricing add to the appeal with every C-HR equipped with a suite of advanced safety technologies and in-demand features such as satellite navigation, alloy wheels and dual-zone automatic air-conditioning.
Toyota has created a simple pricing structure that starts at $26,990 for the six-speed manual front-drive C-HR, increasing by $2,000 for the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and a further $2,000 for the traction of all-wheel drive.
Top-of-the-range Koba variants add luxury features including leather-accented seats, key-less entry and ignition, bigger (18-inch) alloy wheels, LED lamps and innovative nanoe (pronounced nano-e) technology that moisturises cabin air – all for an additional competitive $4,300.
A vibrant colour palette accentuates the extroverted styling of the C-HR and is taken further on Koba grades with a $450 two-tone paint option, adding a white or black roof to specific body hues.
Personalisation is a by-word for the newest Toyota with more than 60 available Toyota Genuine accessories – second only to HiLux in the Toyota range in number – encouraging owners to express their individuality.
Customisation options to expand driveway appeal include eight alloy wheel designs; coloured exterior garnishes, wheel caps and mirror covers; and roof cross-bars for bicycles and other sports equipment.
C-HR is the first Toyota to offer five years of Toyota Service Advantage with annual services capped at just $195 each.
Toyota Australia’s executive director sales and marketing Tony Cramb said C-HR’s stunning design brings together the best aspects of a hatchback, a coupe and an SUV.
“C-HR will bring new customers to the Toyota brand – typically younger, image-conscious people who take a more emotional approach to purchasing a car compared with our more traditional customers,” Mr Cramb said.
“Owners will appreciate C-HR’s refined engine, its supple chassis that rides and handles well, its premium airy interior – and the bonus of excellent fuel economy,” he said.
Low-end torque, quick response and high efficiency are characteristics of the 1.2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that is offered for the first time in a Toyota model in Australia.
Featuring direct injection and advanced combustion and heat-management technologies, the quiet and smooth engine delivers peak torque from just 1,500rpm through to 4,000rpm and maximum power of 85kW.
The manual gearbox, standard on the 2WD C-HR, is engineered with an “intelligent” system that promotes smooth gear changes by automatically adjusting engine revs.
On all other variants, the CVT also offers M-mode for manual access to seven simulated gears, giving a sense of response and control similar to a traditional transmission.
All C-HR variants offer two drive modes, in addition to Normal, that vary throttle response, steering weight and CVT strategies – favouring fuel economy in Eco mode and driving performance in Sport mode.
A strong focus on fuel consumption has resulted in combined-cycle economy from 6.3 litres/100km and CO2 emissions from 141 grams/km^.
CVT-equipped models can also be specified with Toyota’s Dynamic Torque Control, an electromagnetic all-wheel-drive system that can direct up to half of the engine’s torque to the rear axle.
C-HR is built on a Toyota New Generation Architecture (TNGA) platform that offers fluent, engaging driving behaviour due to its exceptional rigidity, low centre of gravity and optimised suspension layouts.
Space-efficient MacPherson strut front and double-wishbone rear suspensions, newly developed for C-HR, promote crisp driving with hatchback-like handling and smooth, accurate steering.
TNGA also enabled designers to produce a dynamic-looking car with low roof and bonnet heights without compromising headroom. The platform is constructed so that key components are placed lower in the structure; for example, the turbo engine is mounted low and angled backwards.
Designers adopted sleek coupe styling cues and the raised height of an SUV to develop C-HR’s distinctive features, including a steeply sloping roofline, “hidden” rear door handles and body panels that feature complex curves and creases.
C-HR’s interior sets new quality and design standards for Toyota with its wrap-around dashboard, soft-touch surfaces and attention to detail that reflect the individuality and style that buyers in this segment are seeking.
A 6.1-inch display audio touch-screen is the centerpiece of the interior, extending proudly from the instrument panel rather than being enclosed by it. As a result, the dashboard is set low, contributing to driver visibility.
Interior space is similar to Corolla, comfortably accommodating four adults and offering 377 litres of luggage space along with a 60/40 split-fold rear seat.
A new “diamond” architecture theme results in faceted gemstone-like shapes evident in the fluid exterior surfaces and elegantly integrated into details such as the shape of switch-gear and patterns on the door trim, headliner, speaker grilles and scuff plates.
C-HR offers a high level of standard safety features including a pre-collision safety system, active cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure alert with steering assist and reversing camera.
All variants are equipped with seven airbags, stability and traction control, auto high beam, blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, rain-sensing wipers, front and rear parking sensors and hill-start assist control.
Satellite navigation is paired with Toyota Link connected mobility and a six-speaker sound system while other C-HR features include dual-zone auto air conditioning, 4.2-inch multi-information display, electronic park brake, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and 17-inch wheels.
C-HR models for Australia are built in Japan.