[Toyota C-HR News]

At least that’s what Car And Driver thinks after taking the new 2018 Toyota C-HR for a spin.

Though they will give credit where it’s due, mainly around the C-HR’s interior and exterior design, which Editor John Pearley Huffman describes as “Grape Ape styling”. An acronym for Coupe and High Rider, the C-HR is Toyota’s answer to the Nissan Juke and Honda HR-V. Appealing to a similar market with high-mounted rear door handles and shortened rear, its side profile is reminiscent of a crouching chimpanzee.

Then there’s the very extensive list of standard equipment that the $23,495 XLE base model comes equipped with; adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, projector-beam headlights, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather covered steering wheel and shift knob, and a 7.0-inch centrally mounted touchscreen.

But where the C-HR failed is in its performance on the road. The 2.0-liter engine’s 144 horsepower just isn’t enough to move all 3286 pounds fast enough. Accelerating to 60 mph takes a full 11 seconds and you’ll need a quarter-mile and 18.4 seconds to hit 79 mph. Perhaps the C-HR would have been more appealing if peak torque (139 lb-ft) was achieved at lower rpms and sustained for longer, similar to what you’d find in the Honda Civic.

But this is all just from Huffman’s perspective. Let us know what you think of his review below.

 

[TubeMan]

I've pretty much moved away from reviews because they're based on an individual's preference. Yes, the C-HR may not have as much power as some people would prefer, but if the kind of horsepower they want would cost more and for what we're paying, the C-HR is great.

 

[utahfred66]

I agree with TubeMan. My CH-R has enough pep and power for my driving. I love it.

 

[pdrumans]

Sport mode does help. I wonder if they even used that when testing. I just sport mode would stay on instead of having to be reset each time you start the vehicle.

 

[aviscomi]

Sport mode does help. I wonder if they even used that when testing. I just sport mode would stay on instead of having to be reset each time you start the vehicle.

I agree...my Mercedes always defaults to normal mode too and I hate it.

 

[SiR]

At this rate all they need to do is drop a TRD version with a bit more power and it could very well be the next hottest CUV on the market as long as Mazda doesn't do anything special with the Mazda CX3.

 

[erichsieh22]

At this rate all they need to do is drop a TRD version with a bit more power and it could very well be the next hottest CUV on the market as long as Mazda doesn't do anything special with the Mazda CX3.

Probably next year, some news said toyota will put a 1.5 turbo engine with 180hp into C-HR.

 

[TubeMan]

Well if that is the case, I wouldn't mind going for the 180hp depending on how much more it'll cost. With more power comes a larger price tag and the C-HR has affordability going for it.

 

[andrew3]

I think C-HR deserves turbo engine and Jalopnik agrees with me. The C-HR is maybe the coolest looking crossover in its class and I really want it to gain more hp in the future.

 

[danperalta]

I like the safety and handling. Not complaining with the power it gets me from point A to B.

 

[DrZeus]

I like the safety and handling. Not complaining with the power it gets me from point A to B.

Agreed! I do wish it had a little more initial power (once its in 2nd...I'm tickled). Does anyone know if this is a computerized "governor" that is software related? Maybe a software tweak might be available sometime down the road?

 

[sho23]

I'm not taking the Chr offroading or racing, it's a good balance between size, gas mileage and comfort.

 

[jadehawk]

I agree on Comfort, I traded my 2013 Hyundai Veloster to get the C-HR. I do miss the extra power from my Veloster, but all is forgotten as soon as I start my daily drive, all the bumps and train tracks that I hated to cross on my Veloster are not even noticeable on the C-HR. is miles quieter on the inside and super smooth ride. Love it..

 

[Cubanitoal100]

I love my C-HR, i trade my 2015 Corolla and the change is awesome. i feel in the air when im driving... lol.

 

[Billw]

The drivetrain is plenty peppy as it goes from a growl starting out into a purr at cruising speed.

 

[thedigdug]

All wheel drive would be awesome.

 

[Shorty]

In my opinion the power offering is fine, but a solid manual transmission option would give it a much more sporty feel.

 

[VanQver]

Seem's we owners are much in agreement on the review. A poor review in my opinion, you test drive a vehicle and decide if the power is sufficient for your use. Fuel economy being balanced with performance I think it's just fine. I agree, sport mode makes a big difference and should be able be selected as default.

 

[jadehawk]

Seem's we owners are much in agreement on the review. A poor review in my opinion, you test drive a vehicle and decide if the power is sufficient for your use. Fuel economy being balanced with performance I think it's just fine. I agree, sport mode makes a big difference and should be able be selected as default.

Agree switching to sports mode change the car feel completely. much more peppy out the gate.

However I did switch back to ECO after the 2nd day and haven't used sports mode since. ECO is just so much smoother and it does have enough power for my needs as well

 

[utahfred66]

My CH-R is powerful enough for me. I love it.