2017 Toyota C-HR – Open For Bookings In Japan

Toyota announced today the specifications for the Japanese-market Toyota C-HR, and that it will be accepting bookings for its crossover model in early November.

Aimed at Honda’s dominating HR-V, which is also known as the Vezel in Japan, the Japanese market Toyota C-HR will be offered with two engine options – a 1.8-litre petrol-electric hybrid that’s shared with the Prius, and a 1.2-litre turbo petrol that already powers the Japanese/European market Auris.

In total, there will be four variants – standard S and S-T grades, and premium G and G-T grades. Variants the ‘T’ monicker denotes a turbocharged engine.

All models will come with Toyota Safety Sense P – the company’s suite of active safety features that includes Pre-collision System with a pedestrian detection function, radar cruise control, Lane Departure Alert (with steering control), Automatic High Beam (AHB), Blind Spot Monitor, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert system.

Built on Toyota’s latest TNGA architecture, the C-HR promises greater driver engagement than other similar offering by Toyota in the past. The C-HR rides on newly developed Macpherson struts suspension in front and double-wishbones in the rear. Toyota adds that large-diameter stabilizers and SACHS shock absorbers with optimized damping characteristics provides superior steering stability and a comfortable ride.

Rather than relying on just traditional welding methods, advanced adhesives were used in body joints to improve body rigidity, and thus improving steering stability and comfortable ride.

For optimal fuel efficiency, the hybrid variant rides lower, measuring 1,550 mm tall, versus 1,565 mm for the turbocharged model.

The LED headlamps also feature LED turn signals that light up sequentially, giving it an animated pattern, a first for a Toyota model.

Another party trick is its puddle light (located under the wing mirror) that projects an image of the C-HR logo to the ground.

Prices in Japan will be announced later in November.

The Toyota C-HR is a global model and thus is very likely to make its way into this region. Realistically however, introduction of global Toyota models in the ASEAN region typically takes place one year after their global debut. This is to allow sufficient time to setup a viable local assembly operations for the model. Considering that our region’s automotive policy favours local/regionally-assembled vehicles, the C-HR can only be expected to be introduced in Malaysia in 2018, most probably imported from either Thailand or Indonesia.