Toyota C-HR: A crossover worth your time

A few months ago, I wrote my first automobile review: Explore the World with Renault Captur. After that, I went off on a week’s trip to Germany where I got the chance to rent and drive the Toyota C-HR, a new hybrid crossover.

So, I wanted to share with you guys the pros and cons of this car. Is it really all that it’s hyped out to be?

I rented the car from Europcar in Nuremberg, Germany on September 19, 2017, and returned it in Memmingen, Germany on September 23. I drove the car for a total of five days. In those five days, I passed over 1,000 kilometers and multiple German cities in the Bavarian state.

Specifications of the Toyota C-HR

Overview of the Toyota C-HR

Since it was a rental, I’m not sure what specific package the car was equipped with. It was not the basic package that most rental cars come with – at least in the USA they do – since it had navigation in it.

The Toyota C-HR had leather seats, which were heated as well. The seats were very comfortable! I drove for hours, and barely had any issues sitting in them for the longs drives. I have back problems, and being able to sit for several hours in a car can be a problem for me. With the Toyota C-HR, it was not an issue at all.

The car is spacious and has a lot of room for luggage. With all the backpacks and suitcases we had, the car was quickly full, but still left plenty of room for a relaxed ride for the passengers in the back.

The thing that got me the most interested and intrigued me was the quietness of the engine. Few times, I tricked myself thinking that I didn’t turn on the car. The engine is so quiet, you won’t hear it at all.

Of course, it has a Stop and Go technology to save on gas and reduce CO2 omission.

Overall, there was not a large learning curve with the car. It is all automatic from the petrol to hybrid driving. It is just like driving any other modern car.

Renault Captur Vs. Toyota C-HR

First, I was a bit disappointed with the Toyota C-HR versus the Renault Captur. For those that haven’t read my auto review of the Renault Captur, you can find it here.

I know you can’t really compare a diesel and a hybrid, but I did expect the gas mileage to be better or at least equal to the Captur. I believe the Captur gives better mileage compared to the C-HR. I can’t give concrete numbers since I wasn’t testing it, but from personal experience, I felt I had to refuel it quicker for the distance I passed compared to the Captur (I’m neither a fast driver nor did I change or adjust my driving style).

Second, the C-HR is a wider and longer automobile – in dimensions compared to the Captur. They are both considered a crossover, but honestly, I feel like the C-HR is leaning more toward the SUV side, rather than the crossover.

I prefer the smaller, compact size of the Captur.

Third, the leg room in the C-HR is the same as the Captur, which is a disappointment since it’s a bit bigger than the Captur. Toyota should have offered a bit more space in the back for the above average height passengers.

Lastly, the Toyota C-HR did have a better armrest and middle console than the Captur. I really like that natural look and feel in a car, unlike the Captur that you must pay to add the middle armrest as an accessory.

See the official site of Toyota for more details regarding the C-HR Hybrid.

Before You Hit the Road

Regardless if you are with a rental car or your own or a van, there are certain precautions you have to take to make sure you have a smoother road trip. Getting a rental car makes it easier, since the rental company is supposed to check each and every car for performance and safety before handing it out to customers.

For those with their own vehicles remembering to check the air pressure in tires, the motor oil level, spare tire (if applicable to the vehicle), proper documentation (passports, driver licenses, international driving permits), etc. can be a real hassle. Luckily, Auto Accessories Garage has created an online Road Trip Checklist that can help you to ensure you have a fun and safe road trip. The best part, they have a PDF version of it for those that love checking off boxes.

Concluding Thoughts

For the five days, I had the C-HR, I enjoyed driving it. The car rides were smooth and very comfortable. Even though it had some negatives, overall, it’s a great car and I wouldn’t mind owning one if Toyota were to give me one for free.

Wishful thinking, right?