The funky little crossover is essentially Toyota’s take on the Nissan Juke. In both funkiness and flavor, the C-HR is a mess of lines, creases, and edges that coalesce into Toyota’s newest crossover. Tendrils of Scion’s styling has crept into the C-HR, with a nose that appears closely related to the Scion iM and funky details like the striking wheels and black roof.
Underneath all the busy styling resides Toyota’s tried-and-true New Global Architecture platform that also underpins the 2016 Prius. At launch, the first available powertrain will be a variant of the 1.8-liter hybrid system found in the Prius, pushing out a leisurely 120 hp. The C-HR will eventually be offered with a naturally aspirated powerplant following the hybrid. Europe will get a turbocharged 1.2-liter four-banger, while the U.S. will most likely get a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder. Power for the naturally-aspirated engine will be sent to either the front and/or all four wheels likely through a CVT transmission.
What took so long? Blame the Toyota New Global Architecture modular platform.
When Toyota started working on the C-HR six years ago, the automaker planned to put it on a small-car platform, Hiroyuki Koba, chief engineer on the C-HR, said.
But midway through the crossover's development, Toyota shifted to the upcoming TNGA. "We were studying which [platform] was best and after looking at TNGA we said, "This is best,'" Koba said.
The C-HR is the second Toyota -- behind the new Prius -- to use the TNGA platform. Its use allows the automaker to package three different powertrains into the C-HR. The TNGA also reduces production cost and complexity by sharing components with its platform mates, the Prius and next-generation Corolla, expected in 2019.