The Japanese firm has decided to renew its best-seller. It is, without a doubt, a risky maneuver, because as the saying goes: “If something works, don’t change it.” And so much so that it did work. In the hotly contested C-SUV segment, one in every 10 SUVs sold was a Toyota C-HR. And he had to compete with more than 30 candidates, no more, no less!
But the firm led by Akio Toyoda knows what it is doing, as made clear by the 9,483,137 units that the company sold last year, making it the brand that sold the most units in the world.
Well now, without a hint of a doubt, it has given its flagship model a new design, respecting the original lines, and more technology.
Exterior and interior
The one from the test, the Toyota C-HR 140H 2024, maintains numerous features of the prototype, the Toyota C-HR prologue, and that, from my point of view, is a success. It is characterized by its edges, its short overhangs and its large tires, which can be up to 20 inches. All of this is combined with its characteristic coupe line, its rising waistline and the two-tone paint on its body.
Without forgetting, obviously, its headlights, where the influence of the new generation of the Prius can clearly be seen in the front. For its part, The rear ones are joined, and in the center of them, the model name appearsa really cool resource, especially at night.
Likewise, and for the first time in a Toyota, the door handles are flushachieving lower aerodynamic resistance and a cleaner design.
That’s on the outside, because on the inside the changes are also notable. Perhaps he has left aside some of the modernity that characterized the first generation to give it a little more seriousness.
The 2024 Toyota C-HR 140H equips a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel with various information and the possibility of configuring it to the driver’s taste. Also, an 8 or 12.3 inch screen, as in the case of this test unit – it depends on the finish -, with the latest evolution of the Toyota Smart Connect+ systemwith an improved response and a different interface, which I think sometimes exposes somewhat childish graphics.
An important point is that it has improved the materials compared to its predecessor and, now, both the perceived and tactile quality is superior.
He new Toyota C-HR maintains the TNGA-C platform, so the cabin space is the same. It is located in the middle of the league table that plays with its rivals. It is true that the rear windows with their characteristic vertical cut are still small, but with the incorporation of the panoramic roof, the feeling of spaciousness has increased.
The trunk of this 2024 Toyota C-HR 140H has a capacity of 388 liters, 24 more than the 200H variant and 78 more than the 220PH, the C-HR PHEV. Advantages of incorporating the 12-volt battery in the front compartment, where the engine is, and not in the cargo space, as in the most powerful ones. It is not a volume to write home about, but it is not bad either and the usable shapes it offers allow you to easily place packages. Also its large gate, which can be electric.
Engine and performance
The Toyota C-HR engine range consists of the 140H and 200H hybrids and the 220PH plug-in hybrid.. The system of the last two is made up of a 2.0-liter gasoline engine with 152 HP that works with an electric engine of 113 and 163 to jointly produce 200 and 220 HP, respectively.
The one in the test is equipped with a 98 HP 1.8 block supported by a 95 HP electric block to deliver 140 HP. It is the same as that of the Toyota Corolla, but instead of the 125 of the compact, in the SUV it delivers 15 HP more by mounting an electric drive and a higher-performance lithium-ion battery.
With that kick of energy, the Toyota C-HR 140H 2024 It is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.2″, 8″ faster than the C-HR 125H Active of the previous generation. Likewise, the top speed is 170 km/h, the same as that of the 2020 model.
Behavior
The improvement in the thrust of the C-HR 140H is noticeable, since it delivers more energy from lower down. Of course, you have to control the pressure you exert on the right pedal, because since its transmission is continuously variable, a transmission mode that has never convinced me, the noise becomes evident.
Also appreciated in this SUV is the acoustic insulation work that Toyota has carried out, so the connection and disconnection of the gasoline engine is almost imperceptible. The same thing happens with the rolling.
The steering is not the most direct or communicative, but it does stiffen slightly in Sport mode – there are four profiles: Eco, Normal, Sport and Custom-. For its part, the suspension filters road irregularities well. I have not tried the GR Sport one, but it surely keeps the body firmer because it comes standard with the FSC (Frequency Sensity Control) suspension, which softens in the event of impacts or stiffens in turns.
Price
He Toyota C-HR 140H 2024 with Active finish It has a starting price of 32,350 euros. This figure includes a very generous standard equipment consisting of: keyless entry and start system, electric exterior mirrors, heated, electrically foldable and with logo projection, electrochromatic interior rear view mirror, light and rain sensor, daytime running lights, headlights and LED lights, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control and 12.3″ digital instrument panel, among others.
The following assistants and systems are also included: emergency braking warning, blind spot detector, lane keeping, intelligent high beam control, traffic sign recognition, rear view camera, speed limiter, hill start system, pre-collision, tire pressure warning, emergency stop system and rear anti-collision visual alert as highlights.
