Toyota C-HR (2024)
Anyone who already finds the current Toyota C-HR exuberant will be amazed by the new one. But under the hood everything remained familiar, with pico bello hybrid technology.
What is striking about the Toyota C-HR (2024)? With the old C-HR (2016) we were reminded of the famous Flodder statement: “But neighbor, what are you doing now?” It’s a bit brave Toyota suddenly stood out with an eccentric model full of folds and lines, where practical convenience was less important than appearance. And that was appreciated, because the car was sold 21,500 times in the Netherlands alone. In total he managed to charm 840,000 enthusiasts. The new Toyota C-HR (2024) even looks a bit more radical than the current edition. In terms of dimensions, everything remained about the same. Against the trend, it became 3.5 centimeters shorter, but also 2.5 centimeters wider and a few millimeters higher. But the appearance is more radical, with enormous rear light units spanning the full width of the car, extending to the rear doors. In profile, the new Toyota C-HR still looks quite similar to its predecessor. If you look closer, you will see that the door handles of the rear doors are no longer concealed, but ‘normal’ where they ‘replace’. Although they are sunk into the sheet metal. The slits of LED light units are – just like in the new Toyota Prius – included in the X-shaped design of the nose. If you don’t think the design is extravagant enough, you can order the Toyota C-HR (just like the Aygo X) with a rear in contrasting black color. The C-HR shares its chassis with the new one Toyota Prius and will also be available from 2024 as a 223 hp plug-in hybrid, with an electric range of 66 kilometers. But as always, it is also available as a ‘normal’ hybrid, with 140 or 197 hp. What’s good about the Toyota C-HR? We drive both hybrid versions, where the Toyota C-HR 2.0 High Power Hybrid with 197 hp is clearly more powerful than the 1.8 Hybrid with 140 hp. Although he mainly uses that advantage in mountainous areas; In the Netherlands you can also get by with the entry-level C-HR. Stay up to date with the latest Toyota news with our newsletter! Toyota is at the top of the hybrid monkey rock in the automotive world. No brand manages to make the collaboration between petrol engine and electric motor run so smoothly. The C-HR also impresses. The great thing is that the WLTP consumption (the theory) almost corresponds to how you really drive. Toyota states a consumption of 4.8 l/100 km (1 in 20.8) for the 2.0 High Power Hybrid. We are only 0.2 liters above that, without making the slightest effort to be economical. The on-board computer also indicates that we drive electrically 51 percent of the time. Tip Well insured on the road Choose the coverage that suits your (electric) car with Interpolis Car Insurance. Standard €0 deductible and free choice of repairs. With a quiet driving style you benefit from excellent sound comfort. Up to a speed of about 80 km/h you hear virtually no sound entering the interior. The CVT transmission works best if you do not drive too sporty. If you ask for more power, it will start to howl for a moment. But that is especially annoying on beautiful, quiet mountain roads and we don’t have those in the Netherlands. The well-balanced chassis and the comfortable seats with ample lateral support provide even more advantages. What could be improved about the Toyota C-HR Hybrid? Although the dashboard is logically laid out, with real buttons for climate control and a large touchscreen, you sometimes have to delve a little too deep into the menus to turn off the beeping safety systems. These are now mandatory in new cars due to EU legislation, so you have to silence them every time you drive. You do this via a button on the steering wheel, after which you must switch off all systems individually in the Settings menu. And so every time. It’s quite a job. With a car with a distinctive design, you shouldn’t complain too much about practical inconveniences, but we can’t resist. Due to the sloping rear window, the luggage compartment is not ideal if you have big plans at the hardware store. The rear seat is more spacious than you would expect given the sloping roofline, but the rear window is so small and the C-pillar so gigantic that it is quite dark even in broad daylight. Although that can be nice if you want to seduce your fellow rear passenger… Anyone getting out of an old C-HR will have less trouble with this, because it had an even smaller window. Another disadvantage of the large C-pillar is the poor view diagonally to the rear. When will the Toyota C-HR come to the Netherlands and what is the price? The new Toyota C-HR is available in three flavors: Toyota C-HR 1.8 Hybrid with 140 hp, from 37,295 euros Toyota C-HR 2.0 High Power Hybrid with 197 hp, from 42,495 euros Toyota C-HR 2.0 High Power Plug-in Hybrid met 223 pk, vanaf 45.995 euro The new Toyota C-HR will appear in the showroom in 2023, the plug-in hybrid will follow in the first quarter of 2024. An electric Toyota C-HR will not be available, at least not really. Toyota is working on an electric bZ3X, which will be launched in 2024 and looks quite similar to the C-HR. In Belgium, the price of the cheapest Toyota C-HR is 37,760 euros. Toyota is not childish with the safety equipment, because every C-HR has standard adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning and a system that warns of cars or cyclists via a light signal in the door when you get out. What do I think of the Toyota C-HR? It’s nice that Toyota has shaken off its boring image. The fact that the Japanese dare to go even further with the 2024 C-HR than with its predecessor is certainly commendable. Technically everything is familiar and the hybrid powertrain once again impresses. You shouldn’t go to C-HR for space and practical options. But even then the Toyota salesman need not despair, because he can always find the practical and approximately equally expensive one Toyota Corolla Cross praise.