It was December 2022 when Toyota previewed the second-generation C-HR by releasing the Prologue concept and now it’s time to finally meet the subsequent production model. It adopts a substantially different design without losing the funkiness of its predecessor that has proven to be popular in the crowded small crossover segment. Its replacement has been developed and engineered in Europe where it’s also going to be manufactured.
We’re being told the 2024 C-HR has a “super coupe” profile and gets 20-inch wheels as well as a two-tone paint job. Toyota went the extra mile to reduce the shut lines and better integrate the cameras, sensors, and headlight washers to give the body a smoother look for a cleaner design with improved aero. In terms of dimensions, the new model is 4360 millimeters (171.6 inches) long, 1830 mm (72 in) wide, and either 1558 mm (61.3 in) or 1564 mm (61.5 in) tall depending on the version.
Step inside the cabin with its 2640 mm (104 in) wheelbase and you’ll notice a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster joined by a touchscreen of the same size. Fancier versions also get a head-up display, 64-color ambient lighting, a panoramic roof, and a JBL sound system. Unlike other brands, Toyota is not ready to give up on buttons for often-used functions, even though screens keep getting bigger with each generation of a new car. Red accents and a GR badge belong to a new GR Sport Premiere Edition with sporty touches inside and out.
As expected, the new C-HR will be available in Europe exclusively with hybrid power. The 1.8-liter unit and the 2.0-liter plug-in hybrid setup come only in front-wheel-drive guise while the 2.0-liter hybrid can be had with optional AWD. In terms of power, the base 1.8-liter unit delivers a combined output of 140 hp (103 kW), followed by the 2.0-liter setup with 198 hp (145 kW), and the PHEV with 223 hp (164 kW).
In terms of performance, the entry-level model with the 1.8-liter hybrid powertrain does 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 9.9 seconds and tops out at 106 mph (170 km/h). The FWD 2.0-liter model takes 8.1 seconds to complete the sprint, or 7.9 seconds if you step up to the AWD variant. Both these 2.0-liter hybrid models can do 112 mph (180 km/h). As for the PHEV, it completes the sprint in 7.4 seconds and can do 112 mph (180 km/h). With the battery charged, you’ll be able to cover 41 miles (66 kilometers) on electric power.
Toyota is already taking online reservations in Europe where the GR Sport Premiere Edition we mentioned earlier is joined by a High Premiere Edition with its own subset of features typically found on the high-end versions. While the first-generation model was sold in the United States, its successor won’t be offered there.
