Who wants to sell a lot of cars, shouldn't try to stand out with their design. That seems logical and is proven by a certain German manufacturer.
And yet, there are exceptions. Take the weird Nissan Juke or the Toyota C-HR, the car that was supposed to take away Toyota's...
dusty image in 2016. And it didn't only do that with its remarkable looks, but with its TNGA-platform, on which practically every Toyota is built...
on nowadays. And if you've got such a successful car in your range, why would you change it?
That's why the biggest news is underneath the bonnet, but I'll get to that later. The looks have changed slightly.
The headlights haven't just been rearranged, but they have a different shape as well. That's because there's a new front bumper.
That means that this vent optically has been merged with the big vent over here.
The headlights now come with LED-lights as standard, although this has the more expensive version.
Simpler C-HR's have LED-mirror lights, like you find in the Corolla. At the back, LED-lights are standard as well.
Previously, that was exclusive to C-HR's with LED-headlights. Now, you're able to choose between two variants.
This is the more expensive one, which looks a little like a C-shape, but simpler C-HR's get a simpler LED-light.
This black spoiler, which connects the rear lights, is new as well.
On the inside, the new infotainment system is the biggest news. Of course, it's the system found in the Corolla and RAV4, because...
they're newer cars. It doesn't only mean there's new software, but new hardware as well. So no touchscreen-buttons anymore,
you can now control physical buttons including a turning knob for the volume.
I think that's a big improvement, because the slider it had previously wasn't very good to be honest.
The system itself as I said, is found in the Corolla as well. It's not the best system available, but it does work better than before.
It's just good. Also, the fact it supports AndroidAuto and Apple CarPlay means that you don't even have to use the system,
because you can listen to music and use the satnav through your phone. That works very well too.
In other interior news: there almost isn't any. Only a few new colors and materials and an electrically adjustable passenger seat in expensive...
versions, which wasn't available previously. Other than that, the C-HR has kept its weird interior.
Including the funky details like the shapes in the ceiling, the funny structure on the door panel and all kinds of other things...
which make the C-HR such a funky car. Also, it's very dark in here. A black ceiling, small windows, huge C-pillars...
In the back, you do feel a little locked in. Not good for claustrophobic people. Also, there's no clear roof option available unfortunately.
When it comes to exterior, the C-HR is a matter of taste. Luckily, that's not the case when it comes to the drive.
People who like a bit of extra power are also able to choose this car, because it's available as a high power hybrid. Just like the Corolla.
There's a regular 1.8-litre hybrid, and next to it is the 2.0-litre hybrid. The 2.0-litre in the C-HR produces 184 horsepower, whilst the Corolla...
only produces 180. I've asked Toyota about that, and the difference is because of the way of measuring. The Corolla was measured in Japan on Japanese fuel...
whilst the C-HR was measured on European fuel. They're the same drivetrains.
With that, the C-HR does 0-100 km/h in 8,2 seconds, which means it's a seriously quick car. Especially in this segment.
And it fits the C-HR. It's nice and quick, but you do notice it's a hybrid because it holds a high RPM when you're accelerating.
We know that by now, so it might not feel like you have 184 horsepower, but you do go quite a bit faster.
Again, it fits the car, because this car has a very good chassis. In corners, it remains nice and level. The communication is good as well,
so you're involved in the drive. Also, and this is the party piece, it's very comfortable, so it serves a big public.
It was very successful and it still is. According to Toyota, they've improved it even more compared to its predecessor.
I haven't driven the first-gen today, but I do believe them. It's still very good. The same goes for what they call Noise Vibration...
and Harshness, because when we were driving this to the hotel yesterday, it stood out to me it's very quiet aboard.
Toyota says it's new and I believe them, it's just very good.
If you want a 2.0-litre hybrid, you should be quick. Toyota has a opening special which means you only have to pay €950 extra for the 2.0-litre...
relative to the 1.8. After March 2020, the additional price will go up significantly. Also, Toyota has a Launch Edition available, which always...
comes in thie happy orange. One of the new colors of the C-HR. And it offers even more kit.
The versions that already were available will remain available, so you can also get a 1.2-litre turbo, with a manual gearbox.
Prices barely differ from before.