2018 Toyota C-HR [US]

2018 Toyota C-HR [US] 

First shown in concept form at the 2014 Paris Motor Show, the 2018 C-HR maintains the concept's avant-garde physique; modern, comfortable cabin; and bold, outgoing character. The C-HR is available in two grades, XLE and XLE Premium, each equipped with a long list of standard features that includes 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, bucket seating, and 7-inch audio display.

But, the Toyota C-HR doesn't only look great - it's got the sportiness to impress thanks to the efforts of Deputy Chief Engineer, Hiro Koba, who is a diehard racer with speed coursing through his veins. Koba-san and team made sure the C-HR exhilarates its driver anytime, anywhere, including around the famed Nürburgring circuit where vehicle development was chiefly executed. Like its uncanny looks, the C-HR's blend of comfort, control, consistency, and responsiveness is extraordinarily impressive for the competitive paradigm it aims to shift.

At the Toyota C-HR's nose, two slim projector-beam halogen headlights with LED daytime running lights (DRL) and auto-on/off activation wrap deep into its toned shoulders - nearly all the way into the front quarter panels. Because of this, the vehicle looks wider than it is, and possesses an assertive fascia that's uncommon in the segment. In fact, its dimensions - width (70.7 in.), height (61.6 in), length (171.2 in.), and wheelbase (103.9 in.) - can best be described as compact and neat. Its front and rear tracks match that of Toyota's diehard sports car, 86, at 60.6 inches.

Along with the weight, there’s the matter of the CVT. Not all CVTs are bad these days, but this one is a throwback to when they were. In-gear acceleration, like passing, is painfully slow. If it hits 60 mph in less than 10 seconds, I’ll demand a recount. If you’re trying to find a hole in traffic, you’ll step on the gas, count two, listen to the engine wind up to 5,000 rpm, count another two, then feel the car begin to accelerate—slowly.

Responsibility lies at the feet of the powertrain, which is undersized and overstressed. The all-new 2.0-liter four-cylinder makes just 144 hp and 139 lb-ft of torque, which might be OK in a Mazda CX-3. But the front-drive C-HR weighs 300 pounds more than an all-wheel drive CX-3. How and why a vehicle this small weighs 3,300 pounds is a mystery, but regardless of where it comes from, it’s an albatross.