Review
The arrival of the second generation Toyota C-HR in 2023 was clearly welcomed by the industry, as this compact crossover SUV scooped both the dealer-voted Hybrid Car of the Year trophy and the New Car of the Year trophy at the AM Awards in May this year.
Now AM will be spending a few months with one of the most popular and well-equipped versions of the C-HR, a plug-in hybrid in Excel trim.
Already known for its striking design and nimble city driving since the first car arrived in 2016, the Toyota C-HR is now even better and the expansion of the range to include the efficiency of a plug-in hybrid alongside the self-charging hybrid variants makes it even more appealing to urban drivers and eco-conscious consumers.
Toyota GB is determined to make it more attractive for customers to choose this car too - the current PCP offer for the PHEV combines a 1.9% APR and a £2,500 deposit contribution plus buyers get a Toyota Homecharge supplied and installed for free if they order by September 30.
In official WLTP tests the PHEV version is capable of covering almost 41 miles on a full electric charge, which is a great advantage for buyers who can do lots of zero emission local drives but still have the reassurance of a petrol tank for long-distance trips.
In my first few weeks with this car I've found that charging it just twice per week, using my Podpoint home charging point overnight, is sufficient for all the school runs plus a couple of 16-mile round trips to the office.
A £40ish fill of petrol lasts a surprising while even on long journeys when the trip computer typically shows 65-75mpg, helped by Toyota's fifth generation hybrid technology which ensures that when the battery charge is depleted the vehicle switches seamlessly to hybrid operation, rather than defaulting to the 2.0-litre petrol engine alone.
Another neat feature is that the C-HR always starts in EV mode. Plus, on a journey into an emissions-controlled area the car will default to running in EV mode if it has enough charge in its battery pack.
For comparison with other rivals, the official WLTP figures are 314mpg fuel economy and 19g/km CO2.
This car is also the most powerful of the C-HR range, with 223PS on tap. While the nature of the PHEV encourages a mindset towards efficiency, dealerships arranging prospective buyers a test drive should give them the chance to try out its different drive modes.
Switch it into 'sport' does demonstrate a new dimension. It's not exactly Supra-like acceleration but the extra responsiveness is welcome and a 0-62mph sprint of below eight seconds will appease any heavy-footed buyers.
In the coming weeks I'll enjoy putting plenty more miles on this sporty SUV
Toyota C-HR PHEV Excel Auto
- Price: £42,920
- Efficiency: 313.8mpg (WLTP), 19g/km CO2 emissions
- All electric range: 40.4 miles
- Top speed: 111mph
- 0-62mph: 7.2secs
An award-winning journalist and editor, with two decades of experience covering the motor retail industry, and accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) plus the National Council for the Training of Journalist (NCTJ)
As editor of AM since 2016, Tim is responsible for its media content, planning and production across AM's multiple channels, including the website, digital reports, webinars, social media and the editorial content of AM's events, Automotive Management Live and the AM Awards. His focus is on interviewing senior leaders of franchised dealer groups and motor manufacturer national sales companies to examine latest developments in UK motor retail.
