Version review

Toyota C-HR 1.8 Hybrid Icon 5dr CVT Review

Why the overall winner won

Best small SUV

Best family car

Best small electric car

Best luxury car

Car of the Year Awards 2023 >>

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In 1.8-litre form, it's fair to say the C-HR is no speed demon, managing 0-62mph in 11 seconds and therefore taking a while to get up to motorway speeds. It's significantly cheaper than the 2.0, though.

1.8 Hybrid

Hatchback

Toyota is a company undergoing a quiet revolution, as it works hard to replace its sensible but somewhat bland reputation with one for being a bit more daring, in areas such as the styling of its cars and its enthusiastic leadership of cutting-edge technology, such as hybrid systems.

That process seems to be working for buyers, with the hugely popular and striking-looking C-HR SUV in particular attracting a great deal of interest. The latest version of the hybrid Prius is also rated highly by What Car?; it’s the first Prius to go on sale that our testers have felt can truly compete all round with existing petrol or diesel rivals.

However, it’s worth noting that this period of transition is also a work in progress, and that many of the firm’s cars are still rated as being no more than average among class rivals by our testers.

TOYOTA

C-HR

Entry-level Icon is anything but as far as safety tech goes: automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assistance and speed limit recognition tech all come as standard. You also get 17in alloys, an 8.0in touchscreen with full smartphone capabilities, a reversing camera, dual-zone climate control and LED headlights.

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1.8 Hybrid Icon 5dr CVT

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SRS Airbags - Driver + Front passenger, front side, front and rear curtain and driver's knee airbags

Lane departure alert with steering control

Manually adjustable lumbar support on driver seat

Toyota C-HR

Good to drive, well equipped and makes lots of sense for company car drivers. Shame it isn’t cheaper to buy and bigger in the back. And while the infotainment is much improved with the inclusion of full smartphone integration, it lags behind the class best.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Comfortable ride </li> <li>Feature-filled infotainment </li> <li>Space for child seats </li> <li>Robust build quality </li> <li>Practical storage spaces </li> <li>A boot fit for a family holiday </li> <li>Fuel-efficient engines</li></ul>

While we define a small SUV&nbsp;as something&nbsp;less than 4.3 metres long and a large SUV as measuring more than 4.5 metres, family SUVs tread the middle ground.

As the name suggests, the vast majority are&nbsp;designed for family duties rather than serious off-roading, so practicality is paramount. However, that&nbsp;shouldn't come at the expense of a decent drive; the best examples combine tidy handling with smooth engines&nbsp;and a ride that's comfortable&nbsp;enough to ensure the kids aren't left feeling queasy.

The Seat Ateca and&nbsp;Skoda Karoq should definitely be on your shortlist. But if you have a bit more to spend,&nbsp;the Range Rover Evoque is another strong option. If money is a concern, then the Dacia Duster provides comfortable, spacious and well-equipped transportation for an affordable price.

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Car of the Year Awards 2023 >>

Toyota C-HR 1.8 Hybrid Icon 5dr CVT Review

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57.6

443

litres

110

g/km

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