Toyota’s CH-R is a car of its time. With Australia’s roads dominated by SUVs and utes, car makers are rushing to cash in for the demand for ‘tough looking’ but easy-to-drive cars for … well … for those who don’t need a 4WD but love the look of them.
And that’s the CH-R in one sentence. There’s no need for a YouTube tutorial or even a cursory look in the glovebox manual before you are comfortably navigating the city streets.
It’s push the button, accelerate, and off you go. You don’t even have to take the handbrake off – that’s automatic – and the car feels secure and snug on the road and quickly has you feeling the same way within minutes.
For those uninitiated with the ‘compact SUV’, they are vehicles that don’t even pretend to have off-road capabilities, they are just on-trend with that fashionable faux-4WD look.
The two-wheel drive CH-R costs about $30,000. The all-wheel drive models are $40,000, but do you need one?
But beneath the looks, the CH-R looks far from the Landcruiser, or even the popular Rav4 for its essence.
Rather, the best description of Toyota’s entry into the segment would be a jacked up Corolla – with a bigger boot, sharper lines and a more powerful turbo-charged engine.
But at it’s heart it’s still a Toyota, you can tell that immediately, and fits comfortably within a brand that’s got to be close to the most revered on Australian roads.
And because it’s got that Toyota polish, it’s very hard to dislike this car, whatever your views are of this new segment.
What CH-R offers you on the road is a sense of holding your own on Aussie roads now jammed with over-sized utes, 4WDs, trucks and vans.
The turbo engine is surprisingly efficient and powerful. I covered 500km in this car in a mix of rush-hour Sydney and country highway driving – and only spent $44 on fuel.
The power from the engine makes you wonder why anyone needs anything bigger than a two litre engine these days. ‘Tailgating anxiety’ is real on Australian roads when you are in a small hatch. Every second turn on a busy city road seems to end with a vehicle twice the size of yours on your a**e.
But because of the CH-R’s raised stance, you just don’t feel that way. You can comfortably hold your own in peak hour or at 110km/h on the freeway, even in a car laden with camping gear and surfboards.
That’s not to say the CH-R is for everyone. Space is an issue should you do regular away trips which involve carting camping or sporting gear with multiple children. That said, the boot is substantially bigger than the standard hatch, and if it’s just a couple going away, you can certainly fit most of your gear in without interrupting the cabin’s comfort.
CH-R comes with the latest Apple and Android Car Play which makes road trips a breeze. The car also features a good reversing camera to make parking easy.
The car has a reasonable amount of space for a couple going away for the weekend (above, full of camping gear )
The interior of this car is surprisingly classy and functional. But that really shouldn’t surprise anyone.
Toyota’s may have a reputation as being ‘functional’ and even ‘boring’, but that’s just comments from rev-heads who love a bit of status with their ride.
Everyone else knows that when you buy a Toyota, you get reliability, re-sale value and generally headache free motoring.
However, there are downsides to this car. The styling is not for everyone – and a tough styling means you can barely see out of the rear windows.
The car comes with the latest tech, but only one USB charging point in the front – surely car makers should equip all cars with USBs in the back of the kids too.
However, all in all, the car is a good performer that’s likely to give you years of trouble-free motoring and a good re-sale price when you decide to move on.
All for a reasonable $30,915 + $500 for the premium paint.
The car (above) provides a more dominant stance on the road.
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