The world is changing and, with that, so is transportation. Cars used to be the staple of the private mobility world, however the last few years have seen a new mode climb to the top spot. They’re big, roomy and can climb mountains if you’re into that. We’re talking about SUV’s. Almost every manufacturer has shifted their focus into building SUV’s these days, from luxury manufacturers like Jaguar all the way up to the exclusive manufacturers like Ferrari. Toyota, however, has been building SUV’s before they were cool and the newest Toyota C-HR is a reflection of their many years of experience.
The Toyota C-HR is part of the second wave of modern SUV’s. The first wave was made up of conventional SUV’s that were shaped the way SUV’s were always shaped. The second wave began with the introduction of the SUV-Coupe – a lower, wider, curvier SUV with a sloped roofline that swept into the rear. A good example is the BMW X5 and BMW X6. Now, the C-HR is essentially the sportier, coupe version of Toyota’s popular RAV4.
The Toyota C-HR range starts from R371,700 for the entry-level 1.2T model, all the way up to R476,600 for the flagship 1.2T Luxury CVT model. The value-for-money factor becomes even more apparent once you dive into the standard features list, which includes a touch screen infotainment display, multifunction steering wheel and your choice of six exterior colours; Glacier White, Graphite Grey Metallic, Inferno metallic, Cosmic Blue, Oxide Bronze and Metal Stream metallic. The more premium top-of-the-range C-HR features creature comforts such as leather seats, which are both heated and electrically adjustable in front, adaptive cruise control and automatic dual-zone climate control.
Standard exterior features include LED head and tail lights, whereas the Luxury CVT model gets automatic wipers, fog lamps, LED auto high-beam headlights and a contrasting black roof. Wheel choices range from the standard 17-inch alloys up to 18-inch alloys on the Luxury model, which is available in five exclusive colours; Pearl White metallic, Lunar metallic, Passion Red, Orange metallic and Nebula Blue.
The entire C-HR range employs one engine across all models – a 1.2-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol motor, sending 85kW of power and 185Nm of torque to the front wheels through either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a CVT transmission, returning fuel consumption figures of 6.3-litres/100km and 6.4-litres/100km respectively.
