The C-HR was a bold departure for Toyota when it was first launched a few years ago. Bold styling, a small niche market and the first local use of the small 1.2l turbo motor.
Since launch there have been a number of small upgrades to the model. I say minor because the bold exterior styling has not really changed but a lot has happened on the interior and under the skin.
Our recent test car was a great example. Same Crossover/coupe body style, edgy with lots of sharp accents at both front and rear. I must admit that the metallic purple paintwork was a bit of a surprise but it actually grew on me as the week progressed.
As the top spec Luxury model in the range, I was still initially concerned at the list price of R549 900...........however, after finding a few surprises in the spec, I actually consider it to offer great value for money as a package.
Starting with the powertrain, the small turbo delivers 85kW and 185Nm to the front wheels through the familiar Toyota CVT automatic transmission. Quite simply this combination works, and works extremely well and smoothly in all conditions. It's a perfect match for modern motoring, especially in urban conditions.
Overall fuel economy of around 8l/100km for the test period is fair but possibly a bit higher than I would expect from a car in this category. But, Leadfoot did also drive it during the test so maybe I can just blame him!
As mentioned earlier, it's the added spec levels that are important. Beyond the expected like Infotainment screen, leather and such, it's the safety suite that really matters. Items like lane-keep assist, active cruise control and active braking are important items.
The cherry on top, which I didn't find until Leadfoot showed it to me is the parking assist feature. As shown in the video, this car can literally park itself. Unless I'm mistaken, this must be the "cheapest" car on the SA market that offers this feature.
The C-HR is slightly compromised by the sleek styling with rear seat and boot space compromised in the interests of style. However, it fares no worse than it's competitors in this niche market.
At the end of the day, although it could be deemed as left-field, it's a Toyota and that says it all for the vast majority of SA buyers.
Alan Rosenmeyer: MotorMatters: www.motormatters.co.za
