If you have been looking forward to Toyota’s upcoming cars in Australia, here is good news: Toyota has finally given us a peek into its performance-oriented sub-brand, the GR Sport in Australia. The Toyota C-HR GR Sport will be the first of the GR Sport models to walk Australian roads. The hybrid machine feels sporty, looks moderately bold, and should be good enough to attract Australian buyers' attention. To have an overview of what the vehicle is made of, keep reading.
What's New in the 2021 Toyota C-HR GR?
This hybrid SUV is an anomaly of a performance vehicle—sorry to break it to you like that. It is designed to offer high fuel economy at the expense of speed and handling. However, with an updated driver assistance suite, it scores massive points on its safety stats.
The presence of the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 active safety system is a big plus to the vehicle's safety features. This safety system has adaptive cruise control, traffic sign detector, lane-keeping assist with road border detection, and automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection.
Australian Pricing per Vehicle Range
- Toyota C-HR GR Sport LE - $30,470
- Toyota C-HR GR Sport XLE - $33,210
- Toyota C-HR GR Sport Limited - $37,380
Engine, Performance, and Transmission
The Toyota C-HR GR has a 1.8-litre naturally-aspirated engine with 72kW and 142Nm torque and an electric motor of 53kW and 163Nm. In total it has a combined power of 90kW. These specs are comparatively low for a performance vehicle of its kind.
For context, consider rival vehicles; Mitsubishi ASX, Kia Seltos, and Hyundai Kona. All three cars run on a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with a massive 110kW. And each of these rival vehicles has even more powerful variants as well.
On the plus side, the C-HR GR Sport still does well in traffic. It starts on electric power with enough torque to power it off the ground and petrol power if you want to start more aggressively. Also, the vehicle runs on an e-CVT automatic, leaving nothing but the pedal work and direction for the driver to do.
The C-HR’s platform is 15mm lower than its predecessors, with decent absorption for bumps, surface changes, and utility hole covers. You hardly feel that you went over something. Another miss is the low-speed brake performance, which makes the vehicle bumble before reaching a final stop.
Compared to other cars in its category, the Toyota C-HR is perfect for commuting; its handling is impressive, and body movement is nicely controlled. But it falls short of the expectations of drivers who may want to experience speed excitement behind the wheel.
Fuel Economy
At an estimated fuel consumption rate of 4.3L/100km, it does far better than its 2020 version. Caradvice reviews state that the tested rate after a couple of days of use increases to 4.7L/100km.
Interior, Infotainment, and Connectivity
Some of the tech used in the C-HR is unexpectedly old, relative to the car's exquisite exterior. For instance, a newer feel of the steering wheel like that of the RAV4 could have been a much better option compared with the old type used.
Toyota's choice of materials has always been a problem—they look cheap. Toyota tried to go out of their comfort zone this time with lovely interior lights, overhead switches, and diamond motif throughout the roof lining.
The infotainment system remains the same: 8.0-inch touchscreen system with digital radio, Apple Car Play, and Android Auto all-in—on a cool-looking dash with plenty of piano black plastics paint.
Will the 2021 Toyota C-HR Have AWD?
Offering the C-HR with an AWD would have been a great way to boost the SUV’s appeal. Yet, the 2021 C-HR will not be offered with AWD.
The C-HR GR Sport is the smallest SUV in the Toyota collection, and it's still in its first generation. We can sit tight and hope for the best. For now, this isn’t Toyota's best vehicle, performance-wise.
How Well Do Toyota C-HR Cars Hold Their Value?
Toyota products have a strong reputation for their reliability and durability, and for maintaining their value. That is the more reason why Toyota tops our list of brands that hold their value best. However, we predict that the 2021 C-HR will perform below the brand average in terms of its secondhand worth.
Due to the car's below-par performance and its high purchase price, the car will likely lose a significant portion of its worth after first use.
Warranty
Toyota offers a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty for private buyers, but a 160,000km limit for commercial users. Also, a two-year power-train warranty plus a five-year hybrid battery coverage with an annual battery health check.
Final Words
One of the first impressions the 2021 Toyota C-HR GR Sport gives is its unique, bold, and swooping looks. This vehicle is freaking bold. Is the 2021 C-HR a bad car? Certainly not. Does it live up to its current pricing and expectation? Ehm, not really. The pricing is a total disadvantage as you can get the Toyota C-HR Koba for the same price with better performance, the same fuel efficiency, and an AWD. I hope Toyota Australia does better on upcoming cars.
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By Damilare Olasinde