CAR magazine gets behind the wheel of the new Toyota C-HR PHEV. But is it good enough to topple the Kia Niro? Click here to learn more.
. And why wouldn’t it? The RAV4 proved the brand is good at building PHEVs – and it makes sense to offer the tech in an SUV that’ll probably spend most of its life pottering around town., which has long been a thorn in the C-HR’s side, has been available with both a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid powertrain since it hit UK showrooms.
This extra grunt has had a significant impact on the way the C-HR accelerates. The PHEV can scream from 0–62mph in a blistering 7.4 seconds , compared to 8.1 seconds for the 2.0-litre hybrid model and 10.2 seconds for the 1.8-litre hybrid model. Crucially, it’s a good two seconds quicker over the sprint than the Niro.
Part of the reason our why opinion of the C-HR’s driving experience leans more towards ‘accomplished’ rather than ‘entertaining’ is its steering system. It has a little too much assistance and it’s incredibly numb. It’s very direct, in fairness, but it completely isolates you from the road which means you never have the confidence to push the limits of the chassis.
And because you can’t have the PHEV in Toyota’s most basic Icon specification, it’s only available with the firm’s larger 12.3-inch infotainment system. This is a good thing, because the larger screen makes it easier to hit the icons and read navigation instructions. As an added benefit, it looks swish and gives you tangible justification for the PHEV’s steeper base price.
At least Toyota has packaged the cabin intelligently. The PHEV has the same amount of passenger space as the standard car because the battery pack and chargers are mounted under the floor of the cabin, about where they’d be on an EV. That means headroom and legroom are unchanged. That’s good if you want the extra tech from the Design trim, but bad if you’re looking to save a few quid. Prices for the PHEV start from almost £40,000, which is a big jump over the £31,000 you’ll pay for the most basic self-charging C-HR. It’s also around £4,000 more than you’ll pay for the cheapest Kia Niro PHEV.
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