Toyota’s line-up is made up of many distinct crossovers and SUVs, but few of them look nearly as unique and as eye-catching as the new C-HR! Bold, sharp, and sporty, this latest generation of Toyota’s compact SUV brings a lot of style and refinement to the table, and coupled with some added spice and zest thanks to Toyota’s racing division, it offers a lot more excitement than a hatchback-on-stilts crossover might otherwise inspire.
However, having previously driven the old, last-generation Toyota C-HR, I concluded that it was very competent at being a compact SUV, with a lot of practicality and interesting looks wrapped up in a well-rounded package, though it could perhaps have been even better still. With that said, can its successor, the new Toyota C-HR GR Sport that we have here, with some electrified, hybridised surprises under the bonnet, up the ante?
What Is The Toyota C-HR GR Sport About?
Compared to the entry-level Toyota CH-R models, this GR Sport trim does come packed with a lot more cosmetic add-ons. Most notably, you now get a bigger set of 20-inch machined alloy wheels versus 17-inch rims on those cheaper models. The GR Sport comes with two-tone paint, creating a striking contrast between the body paint and the piano black roof, the B-pillar, as well as even more gloss black everywhere you look.
This sea of black encompasses the front grille, around the door trim, the front side grilles, rear bumpers, the rear spoiler, and loads more. That’s then paired well with some dark grey surrounds on much of the exterior, too! It’s actually quite easy to tell apart a regular C-HR and a C-HR GR Sport, thanks to its one-of-a-kind paint job, as well as the sportier extensions and accessories around it, not to mention that highly coveted GR Sport badge.
For enthusiasts like you and me, the GR Sport editions really do stand out quite a bit, and even if it really isn’t a hot hatch by any means, its angrier, meaner, and pointy looks alone at least carry a bit of that essence. I do feel that, overall, this all-new Toyota C-HR as a whole looks pretty cool and striking, and I’ve found a lot of the styling cues here somewhat interesting, like those sharp body lines and creases, which you won’t find on other SUVs.
How Does It Drive?
The brand-new Toyota C-HR range comes with a variety of potent yet efficient hybridised powertrains for you to pick from… Starting with a 1.8-litre (140 hp) full-hybrid petrol engine (otherwise known as a self-charging hybrid) on the entry-level models, and as the default engine on most C-HR variants, then moving up to the 2.0-litre (223 hp) plug-in hybrid petrol engine as a beefier, speedier optional upgrade on the mid-tier trim levels.
On the other hand, the C-HR GR Sport also comes with one of two engine options, which, regardless of which one you pick, they’re all front-wheel drive and paired to a similar e-CVT automatic transmission. The default choice on the C-HR GR Sport, similar to the exact spec that I have here, is a 2.0-litre inline-4 full-hybrid petrol engine, which is good for around 197 hp, and it could handily hit a 0 to 62 mph time in around 8.1 seconds.
On top of that, as far as hybrids go, it’s fantastically fuel efficient, as it averages, impressively, in the high 50s MPG with mixed driving conditions, and I bet you could easily hit 60 or so MPG with more careful driving! I’ll be focusing more on this one, since it’s what I have, but for context, let’s take a quick glance at the other engine, where we get a slight performance uplift thanks to an upgraded hybrid system and the electric motor.
Alternatively, the other option that you could choose on the C-HR GR Sport is a 2.0-litre inline-4 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) petrol powertrain, which boosts your output to a pretty modest 223 hp. This should be enough to help you leap from 0 to 62 mph in around 7.4 seconds, and it’ll reach a similar top speed of 111 mph. Fuel efficiency-wise, as you might expect for a plug-in hybrid, it brings a whole new meaning to hypermiling.
This powertrain option not only boasts way fewer tailpipe emissions, but also a rather outstanding WLTP fuel economy figure, officially, at around 313.8 MPG! Unlike the other 2.0-litre engine, this one’s a plug-in hybrid, so you do have to plug in and charge up its 13.6 kWh lithium-ion battery to keep it topped up, though at least it offers you up to 41 miles of clean, pure-electric driving, assuming, of course, you have enough juice in that battery.
Anyway, going back to the aforementioned 2.0-litre full-hybrid engine, you also get an EV button, where you can drive the C-HR GR Sport basically like an EV, running purely off the electric motor and battery. However, with the ‘full’ hybrid or ‘self-charging’ hybrid engines, this ‘EV Mode’ is really only meant to give you all-electric propulsion at slower speeds and at short distances, such as when you’re stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Another useful scenario where it might prove handy would be when you’re driving in or out of your driveway and down the neighbourhood street without waking anyone up in the early morning. It won’t replace the EV-like pure-electric driving that you’d otherwise get with the plug-in hybrid model, but it’s still nice to have. Behind the wheel, the new Toyota C-HR absolutely shines in day-to-day driving and managing your daily commutes.
In particular, you’ll find it right at home around local towns, cities, and urban environments, and the C-HR also features a light steering wheel. This makes it super manoeuvrable, and when you couple that with good visibility out of the car, it makes driving it such a joy in more normal, mundane situations. To add to that, Toyota’s shiny new 5th-gen hybrid isn’t just stunningly eco-friendly and fuel-efficient, but it’s wonderfully smooth, too.
You don’t ever feel or sense that the hybrid system is constantly switching between the engine and the electric motor, nor are there any odd jerks and vibrations as the engine and motors kick in. Moreover, the old-school, somewhat conventional nature of this hybrid system, at least compared to an electric car, also makes the C-HR effortless to just get in and drive, without ever needing to fuss around or fiddle about with anything.
I’d describe driving it to be friendly, and it’s the sort of car that you can get used to, and then familiarise with and bond with rather quickly. So, unlike how quirky it might look from the outside, it feels a lot more traditional once you drive it. More to that, being a relatively small and lightweight SUV, when given a modest amount of power, the C-HR GR Sport felt nimble and sprightly, making it at least a bit more exciting than your typical small SUV.
What Is It Like Inside?
Just like the exterior of the C-HR, step inside, and the GR Sport edition cars feature even more distinct cosmetic changes in the cabin. For instance, there’s a nice set of shiny GR Sport scuff plates, in addition to an abundance of customisable ambient lighting, and even some luxurious suede interior finishing, which is certainly a boon for anything in this price range. It’s a surprisingly posh cabin, though it does come at a price (more on that later).
Some other noteworthy goodies as part of the upgrade to the C-HR GR Sport model further includes a powered tailgate, as well as dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats for both the driver and passenger, a heated steering wheel, memory function for the driver’s seat, and the many different powered adjustments and controls in the seats, as well as extra sound insulation layers on the windscreen and the front windows.
Next to that, the GR Sport version features a suite of cool techy goodies compared to the cheaper C-HR models. Notably, the GR Sport models come with a handy little heads-up display, and on top of that, you also now gain a wireless charging pad for topping up your phone, as well as a clever little air purifying system included, too. One other perk is the inclusion of a heat pump in this GR Sport model, which ought to help your HVAC system.
It might be just as comforting as those superbly comfortable sports bucket seats, and the fact that the GR Sport variants net you a convenient 220V power outlet in your boot. Another huge upgrade between the entry-level C-HR versions and this GR Sport model, and one that I probably welcome the most, is moving up from a modest 7-inch semi-digital gauge cluster, and we now get this massive 12.3-inch fully-digital instrument cluster, instead.
Furthermore, other add-ons as part of the GR Sport trim include built-in satellite navigation, built into the slick, intuitive, and easy-to-use 12.3-inch infotainment system, which is a vast improvement over the 8.0-inch unit that you’d normally get in the cheaper models. Then, there’s the 9-speaker set-up that you now gain in the GR Sport variant, as opposed to the default 6-speaker unit, which is then paired to a JBL premium sound system.
Alongside voice recognition controls and a rear USB port, you now gain the ability to use wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The layout of the CH-R’s cabin looks and feels great, and the flash of black and red stitching and upholstery as part of the GR Sport package looks particularly high-class, as is the use of materials inside here, complementing the many creature comforts that come bundled in with the GR Sport edition.
Unlike some of its contemporaries, I also love that Toyota is still sticking with physical buttons and switchgear, and that joyful tactility can be said about the distinct, but neat-feeling gear shifter, which I’ve found does add a bit to creating some specialness to the driving experience. From a practical standpoint, the GR Sport models spring up other pleasant surprises that you’ll gain by moving up from the cheaper trim packages.
Starting off, the new Toyota C-HR GR Sport features underfloor storage in the boot, a fully flat loading area, and even a seatback pocket for all your rear passengers. Of course, with many optional extras and accessories, you could spec your C-HR GR Sport to be even more practical, with additional cargo organisation, such as the option to fit in cargo nets, bike holders, dog guards, ski holders, storage bags for the roof rack, and more.
By default, the new Toyota C-HR’s boot itself is decently spacious and cavernous for a compact SUV in this class, although that coupe-like silhouette and roofline do compromise your vertical cargo capacity a tiny bit. Equally, knee room and legroom for rear passengers, especially if you have a taller driver or passenger in the front, is very limited, though this kind of a tight squeeze is pretty expected for most smaller crossovers in this segment.
The Experience
One of the things that I appreciate most about Toyota is that most of their safety systems and driver aids come as standard, and the same can be said with the new C-HR. This includes a handful of neat systems that keep an eye out for you while you’re driving along, such as a blind-spot monitor, hill-start assist, road sign recognition, intelligent adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, lane-keep assist, and automatic high-beams, among others.
There’s a bunch more that I’ve not mentioned here, as part of the Toyota Safety Sense suite. Aside from that, the GR Sport version comes with a few more nice-to-haves when you move up from the entry-level models, in addition to a couple more that could be fitted as optional extras, such as LED headlights and front fog lights, a rear cross-traffic alert system, extra parking sensors, a remote-controlled parking assist system, and more.
Toyota C-HR GR Sport Cost
The new Toyota C-HR line-up starts from £31,645, though if you want to get yourself into the GR Sport model, you’ll need to cash out at least £41,245 to match its starting price, or as high as £44,045 for those of you who want to upgrade to that aforementioned plug-in hybrid powertrain. It’s a bit pricey for the GR Sport model, in particular, though given all the goodies and perks that you get, the value proposition might be worth it.
Verdict
In short, the new Toyota C-HR is a gargantuan leap forward over its predecessor, in more ways than one! Moving past all the fancy new tech and that exceptionally refined cabin, not to mention its striking, futuristic looks, the highlight of this new generation of C-HRs is undoubtedly that phenomenal hybrid powertrain, with awesome fuel efficiency, low tailpipe emissions, and solid day-to-day performance that makes even the finest of EVs blush.
Specification
Toyota C-HR GR Sport Specs
- Price: £41,245
- Engine: 2.0-litre inline-4 full-hybrid petrol
- Power: 197 hp
- Torque: 206 Nm
- Transmission: e-CVT automatic gearbox
- 0-62mph: 8.1 seconds
- Top speed: 111 mph
- Weight: 1475 – 1515 kg
- Economy combined: 57.6 mpg (WLTP)
- CO2: 110 – 111 g/km