2024 Toyota C-HR Review

The first-generation Toyota C-HR was a bit of a trailblazer for the brand in Australia. Released locally in 2017, Toyota’s ‘Coupe-High Rider’ was actually the first small SUV of modern times it sold globally and it’s certainly been a success, particularly in Europe, so much so that the brand decided to make another generation. Now with both the Yaris Cross and Corolla Cross supplementing it, the new C-HR has been made edgier and sportier, as well as better equipped too. Is it still worth consideration if you’re after a small SUV? We tested the 2024 Toyota C-HR to find out.

When the original C-HR was released locally in 2017, it didn’t have many rivals to contend with. Fast forward to today, however, and there are numerous competitors from all mainstream brands: cars like the Hyundai Kona, Kia Seltos, Nissan Juke and Qashqai, Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, Chery Omoda 5, GWM Haval Jolion, Skoda Kamiq, Volkswagen T-Cross and T-Roc, Mazda CX-30, Subaru Crosstrek, Suzuki S-Cross, Peugeot 2008, Renault Captur and even friendly fire with the Toyota Yaris Cross and Corolla Cross. What separates the C-HR from all of those rivals?

How much does the 2024 Toyota C-HR cost to buy?

Priced from $42,990 plus on-road costs for the entry-level GXL tested here, the second-generation C-HR has undergone a massive almost-$12,000 price rise at the bottom of the range thanks to hybrid-only drivetrains, more technology and a new global production source: Turkey, which doesn’t have a free-trade agreement with Australia, unlike Japan. Because of that, you’re looking at around $48,000 drive away (depending on location) for the C-HR GXL and stepping up to the mid-spec Koba ($49,990 +ORC) or top-spec GR Sport ($54,990) costs even more. The new C-HR is not only more expensive than its predecessor but also a lot of its competitors – even larger Toyotas like the Corolla Cross too.

2024 Toyota C-HR GXL standard equipment:

• 17-inch alloy wheels with a space saver spare wheel
• Dusk-sensing automatic all-LED exterior lighting
• LED rear fog light
• Rain-sensing automatic wipers
• Keyless entry with push button start
• Heated and auto-folding mirrors with puddle lamps
• Synthetic leather steering wheel and gearknob
• 7.0-inch driver’s display
• 12.3-inch touchscreen
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Satellite navigation with live traffic updates
• AM/FM/DAB+ digital radio
• Toyota Connected Services (12-month subscription)
• Six-speaker sound system
• Dual-zone climate control 
• Auto-dimming mirror
• Alarm

C-HR GXL safety equipment:

• 10 airbags (including a driver’s knee, central and rear side units)
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Traffic sign recognition
• Driver attention monitoring
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert
• Auto high beam
• Safe exit assist
• Lane departure alert with lane keep assist
• Lane trace assist with active lane guidance
• Adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality
• Low speed rear auto braking
• 360-degree camera
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Semi-autonomous parking functionality

C-HR Koba ($49,990 +ORC) adds:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Upgraded LED headlights with adaptive high beam functionality
• LED front fog lights
• Heated fabric and suede front sports seats
• 10-way electric driver’s seat
• Head-up display
• 12.3-inch digital driver’s display
• Nine-speaker JBL sound system
• Wireless phone charger
• Power tailgate
• LED ambient interior lighting
• Front passenger seat rear seatback pocket
• Digital rear mirror

C-HR GR Sport ($54,990 +ORC) adds:

• Unique 19-inch wheels
• GR-specific exterior styling
• Upgraded brakes
• Heated GR-branded steering wheel
• GR-branded front sports seats with faux leather and suede upholstery 
• Aluminium scuff plates

C-HR colour range:

• Glacier White
• Frosted White (+$775)
• Stunning Silver (+$775)
• Emeraldine (navy blue, +$775)
• Graphite (grey, +$775)
• Ink (black, +$575)
• Feverish Red (Koba and GR Sport, +$775)
• Sunglow (yellow – Koba and GR Sport, +$775)

C-HR options:

• Black two-tone effect (Koba and GR Sport only and only with Graphite, Emeraldine, Feverish Red, Sunglow, Stunning Silver and Frosted White exterior colour): $1,550
• Panoramic glass roof (including two tone colouring): $2,700

Competing in the small SUV segment, the 2024 Toyota C-HR will be cross-shopped with a huge number of rivals, though its positioning is somewhat unique. There are other coupe-like smaller SUVs like the Renault Arkana, Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross and Chery Omoda 5, though they don’t currently offer ‘self-charging’ hybrid drivetrain options. There are also rivals to the C-HR at its price point, like its Corolla Cross sibling and the Nissan Qashqai, though they’re both larger and more practical. Our guess is that if you’re after a C-HR, that’s what you want and nothing else will compare, for whatever reason. But just know that there is better value on offer in the segment, even from Toyota – a more practical Yaris Cross can be had for a lot less money.

How fuel efficient is the 2024 Toyota C-HR?

Regardless of 2024 Toyota C-HR model, a hybrid drivetrain is now your only choice as all models are hybrid-only now. Choosing the entry-level GXL or mid-spec Koba earns you the same 103kW 1.8-litre hybrid drivetrain in the Corolla, while the step up to the GR Sport adds the larger 146kW 2.0-litre hybrid drivetrain from the Corolla Cross. Both engines use an eCVT gearbox, while GXL and Koba models are front-wheel drive and the GR Sport is all-wheel drive. Toyota doesn’t publish a claimed 0-100km/h time, but we’d guesstimate the 1.8L’s time to be just under 10 seconds, and the 2.0L to be a few seconds faster.

As for fuel economy, the GXL and Koba are rated at a claimed 4.0L/100km on the combined cycle, and the GR Sport just a touch more at 4.1L/100km – our week in the GXL produced a result of 4.5L/100km. For emissions, the 1.8L emits a claimed 89g/km of CO2, while the larger 2.0L 5g/km more at 94g/km. Both drivetrains are rated to Euro 5 emissions standards, and both use 91RON regular unleaded fuel.

What is the 2024 Toyota C-HR like to drive?

The first-generation C-HR was one of the first new Toyotas to be sold in Australia that used the brand’s new (at the time) ‘TNGA’ platform, which increased the ride and handling enjoyment significantly across the lineup. As a result, the Toyota lineup went from dynamically forgettable to offering some pretty good driving experiences in their respective segments – the 2024 Toyota C-HR is no different with a pleasing driving experience that will impress both enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike.

Of course, it’s no sports car, but even the GXL handles well for the class with good balance and feel, though the steering could be a touch heavier as it’s quite light just off centre, which reduces driver confidence a bit. On the road, the C-HR’s chassis feels solid, even at higher speeds, and its road noise levels are reasonably well kept in the segment. Visibility, however, is not great thanks to its slinky shape and small rear windows, plus there’s no rear wiper and that was quite frustrating in our rainy week with it. Thankfully, the mirrors are large and a high quality 360-degree camera is standard to help out.

The new C-HR has been upgraded with Toyota’s latest active safety systems, most of which work quite well. The active lane centring while using the adaptive cruise control is excellent, as is the lane keeping assistance. Less impressive, however, are the high beam headlights of the GXL – the adaptive high beam in the Koba and above is much more effective, while the driver attention monitoring and low-speed rear auto braking are quite sensitive in our experience.

Under the bonnet of the 2024 Toyota C-HR is either a 1.8-litre or a 2.0-litre four-cylinder hybrid drivetrain, and even the smaller engine is totally fine for most urban situations. It does run out of puff a bit at higher speeds, so if you’re doing a lot of higher-speed driving, we’d suggest going for the GR Sport – or a Corolla Cross, which has the 2.0-litre hybrid as standard. When activating the petrol engine, the C-HR can be a bit noisy in the traditional CVT sense, but when driving on electric power alone – which occurs a lot more than the last one thanks to new battery tech – it’s very quiet.

How practical is the 2024 Toyota C-HR?

Compared to its Corolla Cross or Yaris Cross siblings, or a lot of the small SUV segment, not very. The 2024 Toyota C-HR offers a good quality and tech-filled cabin, but its coupe-like roofline and small dimensions mean that it’s not particularly practical. That’s nothing new for the C-HR badge, but unlike when the original was launched and the CH-R was the only small Toyota SUV with few competitors, there are a lot of more practical options on the market.

Quality inside the C-HR’s cabin – at least in GXL form – is a bit of a mixed bag. The synthetic leather on the steering wheel feels cheap, but the soft touch plastics on the side of the centre console, top of the dashboard and even covering the dashboard fascia are good to touch. But the door tops are hard to touch, as is the centre console lid, and it’s a drab cabin with colouring as everything is dark grey, even the door handles. Upper-spec models add more expensive trim pieces and nicer suede and synthetic leather trim, as well as ambient lighting, for a more special feel inside.

Centre of the cabin is a 12.3-inch touchscreen with the company’s latest infotainment software that also features in cars like the updated RAV4. It’s well featured with wireless smartphone mirroring, live services, inbuilt satellite navigation and DAB+ digital radio, while its screen quality is excellent, it’s easy to use and it’s nice and bright as well – it’s overall a big contrast to the systems used in the previous model, that’s for sure. The six-speaker sound system in the GXL is not bad either.

As for cabin storage, the front seat space of the C-HR is pretty good with a large glovebox, a large tray underneath the centre console – where a wireless charger should be – and underneath the centre console and reasonable door bins, but that’s it. The front cupholders are a bit shallow, however, and oddly shaped too. As for charging options, a USB-C port lies underneath the centre console, another USB-C port in the centre box and a 12V socket next to that.

The rear seat of the C-HR – like the previous model – is snug and if you’re after a car to carry children and even adults, a Corolla Cross is a much better option. With a high sill line and small windows, the space on offer isn’t huge and it’s a largely featureless space – there are no air vents, map pockets, armrests or even charging options, with just a door-mounted bottle holder on each side on offer, plus a single map pocket and USB-C port in the Koba and GR Sport. The doors don’t open particularly wide either, making it difficult to install child seats. There are two ISOFIX points and three top-tether points for child seats.

The boot of the C-HR isn’t its strong point either, though it is larger than the last model at 388-litres (for the GXL and Koba, the all-wheel drive GR Sport is slightly smaller at 362L), which expands to 1,155L with the seats folded (1,134L in the GR Sport). The boot is largely featureless as well – it’s got a space saver spare wheel in the GXL (but a tyre repair kit in the Koba and GR Sport) and a bit of underfloor storage and a hook to hang bags off, but that’s it. For reference, a Corolla Cross hybrid 2WD’s boot measures 425L.

How much does the 2024 Toyota C-HR cost to service?

Like the wider Toyota range, the C-HR is covered by a five-year/unlimited km warranty with no roadside assistance, but mechanical coverage up to seven years if servicing is done to logbook specifications and hybrid battery coverage up to 10 years if an annual hybrid battery health test is done at a Toyota dealership.

Like a lot of rivals, the C-HR’s service intervals are once-yearly/every 15,000km (whichever comes first) and five years or 75,000km of servicing costs just $1,250 ($250 per service).

Should I buy a 2024 Toyota C-HR?

Overall, like the last-generation model, the 2024 Toyota C-HR is a car that does a lot right, but depending on your view, it also has a lot of compromise. It’s handsomely and distinctively styled, good to drive, efficient, cheap to run, well equipped, reasonably good quality and features more character than a lot of other small SUVs on the market. As before, Toyota has managed to make a car that feels un-Toyota-like, and depending on your view, that could be either good or bad. Mixing Toyota reliability and hybrid tech with slinky styling and fun dynamics is a good thing, to us.

But on the flip side, and this is what will lose it sales, it’s just not as practical as you’d expect for a Toyota with a snug and featureless rear seat and a small boot. Plus, it’s now a lot more expensive to buy, so much so that the Corolla Cross – which is larger, more practical and better value for money – will be a much better small Toyota SUV for most people. But if you’re after a small and stylish SUV without expecting too much in the way of practicality, the new C-HR is a great option.