If you were hoping that a refresh bestowed upon Toyota’s funky subcompact crossover would yield the extra oomph and all-wheel drive desired by many since the model’s debut, well, re-read that headline.
For 2020, C-HR buyers will continue to get by with front-drive and a 144-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder; they’ll just gain some appearance and content changes. Truth be told, FWD and a tepid four is probably fine for the majority of subcompact crossover buyers. However, take a trip overseas and you’ll find there’s suddenly extra power on offer.
In Europe, and coming soon to Australia, C-HR shoppers will have access to a 181 hp hybrid variant appearing for the 2020 model year. But that’s over there, and you’re stuck over here.
The lack of North American powertrain enhancements for the model’s refresh is surely a decision in which dollars and cents played a big role. Overseas, depending on market, the C-HR is offered as a hybrid, an electric vehicle (China, starting next year), and an all-wheel drive product. Introduced for 2018, the C-HR turned heads with its avant-garde styling and gave Toyota an answer to Honda’s HR-V, Mazda’s CX-3, and General Motors’ Trax/Encore twins.
Toyota’s recent admission to Car and Driver that a joint Alabama assembly plant shared with Mazda will breed a new crossover has only added fuel to the rumor fire. Will the C-HR bow out of the American market in favor of a tailor-made crossover solution, or will it soldier on while a newer and larger lineup addition soaks up the spotlight? The latter scenario makes more sense.
But back to the 2020 C-HR. For the coming model year, the model gains a reworked fascia that gives the impression of a larger mouth, plus LED headlamps — even on the lower-rung LE model. A new spoiler appears out back. To tempt the younger crowd, Android Auto comes aboard as the (glaring) missing piece of the vehicle’s connectivity suite.
Elsewhere, the changes are minor and trim-specific. Limited models gain a new eight-way power driver’s seat and adaptive headlights that swivel into turns. There’s seatback pockets and sun visor extensions to be found on the XLE. Buyers of the LE can expect a new headliner. All trims gain new wheel designs. While two new colors join the C-HR’s palette, you’ll no longer be able to order a white roof. Silver replaces white for 2020, you see.
Small things, to be sure, but despite the status quo powertrain and running gear, Toyota isn’t content to keep things exactly the same. Thus far, the C-HR’s sales performance hasn’t suffered from a lack of updates, though its popularity seems limited by the lack of all-wheel grip. U.S. volume through September is basically flat, down 0.4 percent from the same period a year earlier.
It’s worth noting that Honda’s HR-V reached the C-HR’s current sales tally before the end of May.
[Images: Toyota]
Still hideous.
Toyota is such a small player in this segment with the Nissan Kicks easily outselling the CH-R and Toyota no where near the their benchmark of 100,000 sales annually.
I don’t see too many of these on the road (or EcoSports, for that matter). I see lots of Traxes, some HR-Vs, and the occasional Kicks.
They’re not common in my area, and they do sell fewer of these than the models you mentioned, but not by many. The Kona is probably the most popular in my area of the midwest.
You’d think there would be some synergy gains in using the 170hp 2.0L from the Corolla in the CHR. Fuel economy would probably go up too.
It looks…slightly *less* frog-like, now.
I still hate this thing. And I have no ill will toward Toyota, unlike half of the commenters here, but this is one of the few vehicles that legitimately makes me angry. The packaging is useless and it’s as slow as an Encore. Blech.
I haven’t looked at the actual sales numbers-but the Kona seems to be really popular these days.
There’s one of these in my area and it, uhhh, stands out being some version of light blue with a white roof.
Like a Smurf.
This thing has the absolute worst rear corner visibility of any vehicle I’ve ever sampled.