Toyota C-HR+ review

Appearances, as the saying goes, can be very deceptive. Because the new Toyota C-HR+ might look like the other Toyota family SUV that shares the same name, but under the skin, it’s completely different.

In fact, the C-HR+ has less in common with the Toyota C-HR hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) than it does the larger Toyota bZ4X. For starters, it shares its underpinnings with the bZ4X, making it a bigger car than the C-HR.

Then there’s the fact that you can only have it as an electric car (EV), putting it straight in the crosshairs of the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron, Skoda Enyaq Coupe, Smart #3, Tesla Model Y and Volvo EC40. Most of those rivals will cost you more money, though, so can the C-HR+ sneak in and give you a more affordable option?

In this review we’re going to test a late pre-production version to find out, testing it in all the key areas, including performance, range, charging, comfort and practicality. 

How fast is it and which motor is best?

There are two different versions of the Toyota C-HR+ to choose from, both with a single electric motor powering the front wheels but with differing power. We’re yet to try the entry-level 165bhp version, but with a 0-62mph sprint of 8.4sec, it should be fast enough for everyday driving. 

The top-spec version comes with 221bhp and drops the 0-62mph sprint to 7.3sec. That’s faster than the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron 40, but slower than most other rivals, including the Smart #3 and Tesla Model Y. 

Despite that, put your foot down and there’s plenty of power on offer, getting you up to speed easily and making overtaking manoeuvres a doddle. In fact, the response from the accelerator pedal is almost too sharp when you’re on the move, which takes some getting used to.

Is it agile and is the ride comfortable?

While many electric cars are quite firm, to counteract the weight of their heavy batteries, the C-HR+ feels quite supple. As a result, it’s a comfortable thing to drive down the road in, soaking up lumps and bumps without any fuss, especially at slow speeds. 

Despite being on the softer side, the C-HR+ has more than enough control over undulating roads, staying sufficiently upright and ensuring that you aren’t moved around in your seat too much. 

You still wouldn’t call the C-HR+ sporty, though. You see, while body lean is kept largely in check, there isn’t as much front end grip as in sportier rivals when you start to push on. What’s more, the weighting of the steering is quite odd, feeling light as you turn off the centre point before quickly building weight and becoming really heavy. 

Sure, it’s largely fine when you’re driving normally, but on a spirited drive it gives you little idea of what the front end is up to and reduces your confidence. The Q4 Sportback e-tron S-Line or Model Y will be more engaging if you value performance on a twisty road.  

Is it quiet and how easy is it to drive smoothly?

With very little road noise and only a small amount of wind noise, the C-HR+ is quieter than the Model Y and pretty much on a par with the Smart #3. 

You have four different levels of regenerative braking in the C-HR+, each incrementally increasing the amount that the car slows down when you lift your foot off the accelerator pedal. Even the highest setting won’t bring the C-HR+ to a complete stop, but all four levels feel very natural, making it easy to come to a smooth stop. 

The brake pedal itself is well-judged and has lots more feel than the Skoda Enyaq Coupe’s, so you’ll have no struggles when you need to use it to come to a full stop. 

What’s the range and efficiency like, and how quickly can it charge?

There are two different batteries to choose from with the C-HR+, each corresponding to how powerful the car is. Go for the least powerful version and you’ll get a 54kWh (usable capacity) battery, which gives you an official range of 283 miles, more than the entry-level Q4 Sportback e-tron and any #3, but less than the Model Y RWD. 

Going for the more powerful C-HR+ increases the battery size to 72kWh (usable capacity) battery. With this battery fitted, the C-HR+ will officially travel up to 378 miles. That’s only 10 miles off the Model Y Long Range RWD and more than any other rival. 

Both versions have a maximum charging rate of 150kW and should charge from 10-80% in between 20 and 30 minutes, depending on the ambient temperature and whether you’re using the C-HR+’s preconditioning feature. That can either work automatically in conjunction with the built-in sat-nav or can be switched on manually before charging. 

“Other countries are getting an all-wheel drive version of the C-HR+, which is the most powerful Toyota ever (outside of the GR Sport range). I thought that felt pretty quick, but didn’t find it so exciting to think we’re missing out” – Dan Jones, Senior reviewer

What does the interior look like and is it well made?

You might expect the Toyota C-HR+ to look a lot like the normal C-HR inside, but it actually feels much more modern, with a larger 14in infotainment touchscreen, a new 7in digital driver display and a redesigned centre console that now comes with two wireless phone chargers as standard. 

If you go for entry-level Mid or Mid+ you’ll find fabric seats inside the C-HR+, but that’s upgraded to faux suede and synthetic leather in the top-spec High trim level. We’ve only tried the latter and, despite the car we drove being a late pre-production model, they were comfortable and added some extra class to the interior. 

Speaking of which, all of the important touchpoints in the C-HR+ are covered in soft touch materials – that includes the top of the dashboard and most of the front doors. Sure, you’ll find some scratchy plastics, but they’re generally hidden lower down and out of sight.

Is the driving position comfortable and is it easy to see out?

You sit closer to the ground in the C-HR+ than you do in most of its rivals, including the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron, Skoda Enyaq Coupe and Tesla Model Y. In fact, it feels more like you’re sitting in a regular electric car rather than an SUV.

If you don’t mind that, the driving position itself is comfortable and lines you up perfectly with the pedals and steering wheel. To help you tailor the driving position to your preferences, the C-HR+ comes with plenty of steering wheel and driver’s seat adjustment as standard.

Despite the fact that you sit quite low in the C-HR+, you still get a good view out of the front and over the bonnet. Better still, the pillars are quite thin, with an additional cut out in the bottom, helping to increase your view at junctions. 

The heavily-styled rear end of the C-HR+ means that rear visibility is compromised a little, with large rear pillars getting in the way when you look over your shoulder. What’s more, the rear window itself is pretty small, making it a little more difficult to see when you’re reversing. 

Luckily, to make parking easier, every C-HR+ comes with front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera and Toyota’s Advanced Parking Assist system, that can park the car for you. 

Is the dashboard and infotainment system easy to use?

While the other Toyota C-HR comes with physical controls for the air conditioning, the C-HR+ only has two physical controls, each changing the temperature of their respective side. Everything else has to be done through the infotainment touchscreen, which is more distracting to do as you’re driving along. In fairness, though, it’s the same situation in all of the C-HR+’s rivals.

As mentioned, the new infotainment touchscreen measures 14in, which is about 2in larger than what you’ll find in the regular C-HR. Even so, the software is very similar to that other car, meaning it has the same easy to read sharp graphics but with a slightly faster operating system, making it more responsive as you prod around. 

Every C-HR+ comes with a good amount of standard infotainment features, including wireless Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto smartphone mirroring and built-in sat-nav. That’s similar to most rivals, but isn’t the treasure trove offered by the Model Y, which has everything from games to Netflix streaming.

“I really like the amount of physical buttons that you get on the C-HR+’s steering wheel. Not only do they make life easier as you drive along, but they also feel much higher quality than the cheap plastic ones in the Q4 Sportback e-tron” – Dan Jones, Senior reviewer

How much space does it have for people?

We doubt anyone will struggle for head or leg room in the front of the Toyota C-HR+, while the width ensures plenty of shoulder room, too. 

You get a few storage spaces in the front, including a couple of cupholders, a cubby within the central armrest and a decent-sized glovebox. The door bins are split into two sections, giving you space for two water bottles, but limiting the space for anything else. 

The C-HR+ is actually slightly larger than the normal C-HR, meaning that you have a little more room in the rear. Even so, it still feels cramped, with the coupe-styled rear end eating into head room for those measuring six-feet tall. The rear seats can be reclined slightly, increasing head room a little, but it’ll still be a squeeze. 

Knee room is quite good, but the high floor means that your thighs don’t actually touch the seat base. As a result, it’s less comfortable to sit in the back of the C-HR+ than it is the more spacious Smart #3 and larger Tesla Model Y. 

Three people sitting in the rear will have enough shoulder room to get reasonably comfortable, while the person sitting in the middle seat will be thankful that there’s only a tiny central tunnel to straddle.

How much room does it have for luggage?

With 416 litres of space, the C-HR+’s boot is more generous than what you’ll find in the #3 but quite a bit smaller than the Skoda Enyaq Coupe and Tesla Model Y. True, it’ll swallow a big food shop with relative ease, but you’ll fit way more in those latter two rivals. 

The C-HR+ isn’t helped by the fact that its boot isn’t all that high, making it harder to load tall items in. That is, unless you remove the back part of the floor, which unveils a small cubby (ideal for storing the charging cables) and gives you a little more clearance. 

For a little extra space, you can split the rear seats in a 60/40 configuration and fold them completely flat with the boot floor. That’s less versatile than the 40/20/40 split that you get in the Model Y – you don’t even get a ski hatch in the C-HR+, to negate the issue. 

It’s a bit of a shame that the C-HR+ doesn’t come with a frunk underneath its bonnet, to give you some more storage space. Again, the Model Y is king here, with its frunk managing to swallow a carry-on sized suitcase. 

“I found it really handy that the C-HR+ has a 12V socket in the boot, allowing you to plug things like a coolbox in while driving” – Dan Jones, Senior reviewer