Updated 2020 Toyota C-HR 1.2Lux CVT

Looking back at the C-HR’s local release back in 2017, the Sub-Compact served as the Japanese brand’s entry into the Sub-Compact segment. With the likes of the Nissan Juke, Suzuki Vitara, and Renault Duster serving as the primary competition. The C-HR proved edgy and stood out with a sporty distinction that made it a formidable foe to most. A few years down the road and the sudden boom that began late last year means the C-HR needed to sharpen its edges to keep relevant. A facelift and spec upgrade proved the obvious choice but with new Rivals regularly appearing from the least likely manufactures does the C-HR still meet the current market standards?

2020 Toyota C-HR Interior 

2020 Toyota C-HR: What’s it like to drive? 

The C-HR benefits from Toyota’s TNGA design architecture platform and the latest in the brands, innovations in chassis development and structural rigidity shine through. This way, the C-HR feels sporty and fun to drive, compact dimensions make the car feel smaller than it is and an egger little thing. It pitches well into corners and doesn’t roll or have tremendous understeer traits when driven enthusiastically. A more sedate approach means the car feels like a great grand tourer that will gobble up any long-distance driving. The addition of the Pre-Collision System, Lane Keep assist, and Radar Guided Cruise Control make the commuting in the C-HR effortless. The Large 18-Inch Alloy Wheels don’t compromise the ride at all, and the ride quality is impressive. A standout for me is a statement from my grandmother being “it’s more comfortable” than her AMG-LINE Mercedes C-Class on poor road conditions (fitted with wheels of the same size), which is questionable but mostly true. The 85kW & 180Nm 1.2Litre Turbocharged Engine is punchy enough and provides ample shove from low down, turbo lag is minimised through the CVT mapping but the most considerable drawback of the C-HR being the transmission. The CVT is very good for a CVT but still has the typical issues that one can akin to such transmission. The Gearbox tends to hunt, and throttle response is feeble in almost all scenarios unless the vehicle is the Manual override, which still will do what it pleases even when asking for either an up or downshift. This is made worse when loaded as the revs sit very high and the car refuses to upshift ruining the fuel consumption, which in a mixed driving setting a best of 7.8L/100 was achieved. The City driving element needs an adjustment period to the throttle to avoid the prevalent 9.6Litre consumption which is mainly due to the pressing hard into the peddle to get the car going. The steering is light and perfect for a car of this nature, but the car would be almost faultless with a traditional gearbox. One should mention the excessive tyre roar, which even at low speeds, can become an irritation and on the open road and outright grip.

2020 Toyota C-HR 1.2 Practicality 

The interior has been cleverly thought out with plenty stowage compartments for bits and bobs, throughout the cabin. The rear seats provide enough space for passengers, more to the point children with ISOFIX anchor points and innovative doors which open wide for loading and the like. The Boot is ample but falls short to other vehicles in its class providing only 377litres due to the sloped rear boot clamshell with comparable traditional SUV’s offering well into the 400plus Litres. Enough room for two large suitcases and some Nik-naks beside, the similarly sized Hyundai Creta offers 433Lites and swallows the same load while providing more space for additional luggage on top and around the cases as a result of the more traditional boxy design.

2020 Toyota C-HR 1.2Lux CVT Safety

The Sub-Compact class and purchasing decisions are heavily swayed by vehicle safety, and this way, Toyota has thrown the gauntlet to the consumer with TSS 2.0 (Toyota Safety Sense) as standard on the top-spec models. This means Lane Tracing Keep Assist with auto-steering; Dynamic Radar guided Cruise Control with auto brake feature, Automatic Highbeam Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross-traffic Alert, Pre Collision Assist with auto braking and accident mitigation and full Park Assist with Auto park feature as standard. All options which are features that are usually rather expensive to spec in the Germans and only standard in the more premium class offerings. The usual 5 Star crash rating and six airbags are standard.

Toyota C-HR 1.2Lux CVT: Verdict?

The good: 

The Toyota C-HR has always been an immaculate car, being the best selling subcompact in the UK since its inception, Offering a standout and uniquely different choice to those who fall seek a family car but still want to stand out. Excellent driving dynamics, a spacious interior and near class-leading interior quality make the vehicle a genuinely great offering. The current spec and safety updates are set to remind us all of this and updates the C-HR to be on par with rivals.  

The No-So Good: 

Its key to note that the price point of R486 100 for the top-spec Luxury CVT is a lot of money for a vehicle which is ultimately not as practical as many others at this price point. A point proven by its big brother the Rav4 which in 2.0L GX AT comes in at under R450k. The design which translates very well into the looks means practicality is hampered slightly and the dimensions are not as conducive to the utility that a family may desire. The CVT complaint is inevitable, but this is easy to get used to once mastered, and realistically the fuel consumption suffers when this car is in town or loaded. 

The C-HR is very good at what it does and is worthy of any shortlist. Granted it might not be as practical and somewhat pricey to others, but it’s charismatic, and in the copy-paste world of sub-compacts it’s easy to make a very uninteresting car that ticks all the boxes. Toyota’s move away from this is why the C-HR has road presence and feels like an exceptional offering and has the brand power of Toyota to drive this home. The endly Sub-compact entries are worthy contenders, but the C-HR does a great job of defending its position. With the launch of the smaller Urban Cruiser set to slot in under neither the C-HR one should move that way if you want to fit in, and straight into the C-HR is you don’t. 

All C-HR models are standard with a six-year/60 000Km Service plan and a three year/100 000Km Warranty.