2025 Toyota C-HR Mini Review: Daring Design, Dazzling Cabin, Dreadful Price

Toyota’s new C-HR is a bit of a mystery — a quirky, sculptural oddball built on Toyota’s GA-C platform, shared with the Corolla Cross. You’d think that would make it cheaper. You’d be wrong. Somehow, the C-HR costs more than its bigger, more practical sibling.

With a price range from $49,891 to $62,635 drive-away, it floats awkwardly between Corolla Cross ($41,603–$55,915) and RAV4 ($46,766–$63,655). It’s a brave — or bonkers — move from Toyota, especially in a market where Chinese brands are undercutting everyone from Mazda to Mercedes. Some carmakers insist we avoid drive-away prices, but Toyota knows it’s a buyer’s market, so why not be upfront?

Honda tried to “go premium” and paid the price in customer walkouts. Toyota might want to watch that playbook closely.

The Market Mystery

At this price, the C-HR parks itself among some interesting company: the Kia EV3, Lexus UX (on the same platform), Audi Q1/Q2, and BMW X1/X2. The segment is crowded, competitive, and utterly unforgiving.

So far in 2025, VW’s T-Roc dominates with 4044 sales, followed by Audi Q3. Toyota’s C-HR? Just 2512 units to September — not disastrous, but not stellar either. For context, Genesis’s electric GV60 managed a tragic 14 sales, suggesting even premium badges can flop.

Still, the C-HR holds its own by daring to be different.

Design: A Study in Curves and Campery

Since launch, the C-HR’s styling has divided dinner parties and carparks alike. It’s either a rolling sculpture or a design school fever dream — there’s no middle ground.

This latest model keeps that vivacious, coupe-like silhouette, now sharpened with C-shaped headlights and flush pop-out door handles (very EV chic). The rear LEDs literally spell out “TOYOTA C-HR,” just in case you forget what you’re driving. It’s bold, a bit camp, and totally unapologetic — and we love it for that.

Viewed side-on, it’s all about style over substance. The rear window apertures are small enough to make passengers feel like they’re in a chic holding cell. But up front? Pure theatre.

Specifications Sheet:

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ABOVE: Toyota C-HR

Inside: Drama, Curves, and Common Sense

Our Koba test car sits mid-range and proves Toyota has finally learned that drivers like simplicity. The dual 12.3-inch displays for driver and infotainment are sharp and responsive. Climate controls are proper buttons — not buried in some touchscreen hell.

Materials are a treat. Premium suede and fabric seats feel special, and the sculpted dash flows like origami in motion. There’s a design rhythm here — your eyes follow curved panels and layered textures like a gallery tour.

The steering wheel layout is refreshingly sane, with audio, phone, and adaptive cruise neatly accessible. The wireless phone charger is slow (boo), but the Prius-style gear selector is a delight — a playful, flickable wrist movement that feels far classier than the Yaris’s plastic horror show.

It’s a beautifully made cabin. But then you look at the price again and think: “For sixty grand, shouldn’t it feel bigger?”

On the Go: Frisky, But Not Fierce

Under the swoopy skin are two hybrid options:

• 1.8L Hybrid FWD (103kW/142Nm) — for GXL and Koba
• 2.0L Hybrid AWD (146kW/188Nm) — for GR Sport

Our Koba gets the smaller motor, and while it’s zippy enough for city driving, the sporty styling promises more than it delivers. The new electronic CVT, though, is a revelation — gone is that elastic “rubber band” sensation of older Toyotas. Instead, you get smooth, consistent progress that feels almost normal.

Toyota’s steering has sharpened up, too. Combined with a MacPherson strut front and double-wishbone rear suspension, the C-HR handles corners with surprising poise. It’s not a hot hatch, but it’s more engaging than you’d expect from a small crossover.

The brakes are crisp, and the ride is firm yet forgiving — ideal for Sydney potholes or a quick dash to Woolies in Double Bay.

Real-world fuel use? 5.7L/100km, which is well above Toyota’s dreamy 3.8–4.2L/100km claim, but still reasonable for an urban hybrid.

The Value Equation

Here’s the rub: $57K drive-away for a Koba Hybrid is hard to justify when better buys sit both within and outside Toyota’s own stable. A Corolla Cross Hybrid offers more space and the same drivetrain for less.

And then there’s the elephant in the showroom — the Tesla Model Y RWD, at $58,900 plus on-roads. For the price of a top-spec C-HR, you could go full electric. It’s the same story with the BYD Atto 3, MG ZS EV, or even the Kia Niro EV.

It begs the question: is Toyota selling design or substance here? Because while the C-HR drives beautifully and looks fabulous, it’s walking a fine line between premium crossover and expensive hatchback.

Verdict

The 2025 Toyota C-HR is a bold, confident, and beautifully designed little SUV that still dares to be different in a world of beige boxes. It’s cute, composed, and clever, and the hybrid tech feels refined. The new CVT is a massive improvement, the cabin quality impresses, and the design is unapologetically flamboyant.

But — and it’s a big but — the pricing pushes it out of reach for many buyers. It’s hard to see how Toyota justifies this when you can buy larger, faster, or fully electric alternatives for the same money.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely — if you want style, craftsmanship, and a dash of theatre in your driveway. But if your calculator does the talking, your heart might say Model Y.

Specifications

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