REVIEW and BLOG 

always updated on what happens, from month to month, covering about 30,000 km/year.

A special car for its design and driving experience.

Driving a hybrid car is different than driving traditional cars, especially because the driver's attention, at least for the first few months, is glued to the consumption information.

The typical question of those who do not know this car is:

do you recharge with a wire?

No, only pure electric cars are recharged for several hours.

The hybrid C-HR recharges itself when you lift your foot from the accelerator, downhill and while moving. To charge faster, the Toyota has added a gear called B that is positioned immediately after the D gear. For those not familiar with automatic transmissions I will say that the gears, in an automatic car, are: P (parking) , D (normal operation), N (neutral) and R (reverse). Well, in the C-HR there is also the B that can be inserted to recharge the battery faster (in practice it is a sort of demultiplex). To be inserted mainly downhill or on straights when the machine is moving and the accelerator is not used.

Now your idea can be to insert the N (neutral) and save gas and money! Well, no. We tested it, and with the N gear you do not gain anything in terms of fuel consumption. The B is much better.

The advantage of the B gear concerns the consumption of the brakes and the braking time. Two examples:

By inserting the B, which is, in practice, a demultiplex, when braking is needed, brake consumption is reduced by at least 50% and braking is more effective.

By inserting the B when the car is launched and the braking is near, the speed is reduced.

But be careful, in accelerated or normal operation, the insertion of the B increases consumption, so be careful not to leave it inserted.

Now let's take a look at the many advantages and the few defect of this car.

Pros (many):

1 - The Silence

The first time you will use this car, on startup you will expect some engine noise, while the start is done fully in electric, so the car remains silent. It happened to me to try to press the Start button multiple times waiting for a noise and ask myself why it was not starting. The C-HR does not have the key to insert, but the START button, which is very handy, you can keep the key in your pocket. There will be no noise, you can just press the accelerator and the car advances using the battery! I was almost to the point of calling the tow truck, then I remembered I was in a hybrid car :)

The C-HR, if it has at least 3 green notches in the design of the battery, can travel in electric up to 50 kmh and, after some acceleration, even at 80/90 kmh.

Noise is heard when you accelerate for a long time or suddenly you press the accelerator all the way down, it is not acoustically very loud, but it is an annoying noise, croaking, but just remove your foot from the accelerator to stop it.

2 - The Consumption

In the city, with a normal driving style and without constantly checking the consumption on the display, it travels quietly 20 km for each liter of gasoline.

If there is spasmodic attention, often raising the pedal from the accelerator, arriving at the traffic lights slowing down from a distance, starting from stops or traffic lights very gradually with a light foot on the accelerator (but giving a little 'annoyance to those behind) , often using the B position of the gearbox in the conditions previously exposed, you can get to 21/22 km with a liter.

Warning: this is for about flat roads. If climbs are encountered, consumption increases.

On the highway at 130 Kmh, consumption is between 17.2 and 18.7 km with a liter.

Has to be taken into account that consumption changes between hot and cold seasons. Above all it increases while in urban traffic

so in spring and summer:

urban traffic: 21 km with a liter

highway: 18 and 18.3 km with a liter

in autumn and winter:

urban traffic: 16.9 km with a liter

highway: 16.2 and 17.7 km with a liter of 130 km / h

Warning: if you exceed 130 km / h, the consumption increases and a lot

2a - Consumption on the display

The big display helps a lot when it comes to reading data, graphics and images. Toyota has added many data.

The icon depicting a car, on the left at the bottom of the display, leads to three menus regarding consumption.

The first icon  (the checkered flag)

leads to the Trip Information screen and you can see the consumption, the average, the autonomy and the regenerated energy in the path up to 15 minutes before.

The second icon (a petrol pump)

leads to the Data screen. You can compare the consumption of previous and current trips.

The third icon ( a battery)

leads to the Energy Control screen, showing the battery as a rectangle with 8 green sections. Each section represents 20% charge.

The red stripes on the crankshaft indicate that the car is traveling on petrol. Yellow stripes indicate that the car is traveling on battery power.

 Then, with the gear wheels icon, there are these settings: General - Display - Audio - Connectivity - Map - Navigation - Traffic (Internet connection required) - Toyota online (Internet connection required)

3 - The Comfort

The driver's seat is electrically adjustable, but depends on the package of accessories you buy.

The front visibility is excellent, but since the front hood is inclined with an aerodynamic line, you need to have some practice to spot the front obstacles. Obstacles are notified acoustically and visually on the display, depending on the package of accessories you buy. The sensors, however, have a bit of delay, so it can happen that they sound not exactly when expected. Here we are speaking of fractions of a second, so security is assured.

The rear visibility is fairly good, but it is like the one of a coupe, therefore limited.

In reverse gear, the camera has a very clear image and colored signals help a lot in maneuvers.

4 - The Navigator

Pros

The display is large, bright and easily readable screen. The dsiplay is intuitive, and has the ability to reduce and enlarge the map as much as you want, it is fast, provided that the 3D is disabled and below I explain why.

Cons

This car was born in Japan, the homeland (together with the US of course) of electronics and electronic design, so you would expect something special ... well I have to say that the graphics are pretty poor. If you enable 3D for buildings and monuments, it is even worse, the drawings are very simple and the navigator becomes slower. I have disabled the 3D and I'm fine with the 2D. However, overall I want to say the navigator is excellent.

5 - The Camera

Thanks to the big display and to the quality of the camera sensor, the vision of what you see behind the car is perfectly clear, bright and safe. The red stripes indicate the proximity of objects, very handy. A low volume acoustic signal warns about the distance between the car and the objects.

Remember to clean the camera from time to time with a wet rag and then with dry rag.

6 - The display

Large, 8 " (10.5cm x 17.5cm )

The display also serves as a monitor for reverse gear.

The 4 icons on the left (top to bottom) lead to:

Display On - Off or Radio Audio On - Off

Radio volume (this is not the volume of the navigator and this is uneasy)

Settings: General (including the volume settings of the navigator) - Display - Audio - Connectivity - Map - Navigation - Traffic - Toyota online

The 4 icons on the right (top to bottom) lead to:

Radio

Scrolling

Map Navigator

Phone

7 - The headlights

Simply exceptional. Very powerful dazzling headlights and powerful low beam headlights. The only drawback of the low beam is that they often activate even in areas of light shade or in cloudy weather.

8 - The look

An unusual design, which is more reminiscent of a sports car. In my opinion Toyota wanted to suggest: a young and modern look that moves away from the concept of slow cars and aimed at a mature audience, the hybrid car seen as technological innovation inside and outside, inviting for everyone.

9 - The brakes

Safe, progressive braking. If you want to increase the braking effect, if necessary, or in emergency situations, engage the gear B.

10 - Driving styles

As with most recent cars, different driving styles are available. The C-HR has a button that selects:

ECO: maximum savings. Remember, however, that in acceleration and overtaking this can be penalizing.

NORMAL: consumption always reduced, but accelerations significantly faster than the ECO choice. It is the right style for all conditions.

SPORT: consumption definitely increases over 2,000 rpm, but do not expect performance from Formula 1. The acceleration happens nearly immediately and the car feels a little more powerful than the choice NORMAL, but nothing exceptional.

Cons (few):

1 - The rear hood is really heavy to lift, especially with just one hand and if you have the shopping bag in the other.

2 - In pouring rain conditions, by raising the rear hood, several drops slip into the trunk.

3 - Rear seat passengers have a limited view from the side windows, similarly to a coupe.

4 - Price. The car is advertised at € 23,500, but to add some accessories, it is close to € 30,000.

5 - Tank of 43 liters has autonomy on long motorway routes of about 500 km (to maintain at least 5/6 liters of reserve).

6 - The low beam headlights often turn on even in cloudy conditions, so, traveling in the city, I prefer to insert the position lights, so, if I get out of the car, an acoustic warning reminds me of it.

7 - Does not have an RPM gauge.

8 - Slow heating. With an external temperature of 4 °, the air takes 4 minutes to warm up and another 4 minutes to reach 20 ° in the car.

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Other considerations

Winter warnings

The car has many sensors, which get clogged easily if it snows, so many signal lights on the dashboard will light up.

I suggest to clean the sensor / camera on the windscreen. The windshield wiper sometimes does not manage to clean it well.

Clean the Toyota brand on the front just below the hood: there is a sensor behind it.

If you see a PCS alarm with a yellow triangle, do not be concerned at all: it is necessary to clean the sensor.

Warranty

The house offers a guarantee of 3 years or 100,000 km with a 5-year extension 100,000 km for the free hybrid components.

Service or maintenance program

When to do the service.

1 year or 15,000 km approximately 75 €

2 ° year or 30.000 km approximately 270 €

3 ° year or 45.000 km approximately 210 €

4 ° year or 60.000 km approximately 270 €

Accessories

Which to buy?

The car is sold with several options
The navigator is highly recommended and I have already written above the appearance is not great, but its functionality is excellent.

Automatic parking is very convenient. Press a button and set the direction indicator to the side where you want to park. With the button you can choose parallel parking, oblique, right or left. An acoustic and visual signal warns you that parking is found. You no longer need to touch the steering wheel, but accelerate or engage reverse gear when the instructions appear on the display.

Radar (optional) is very relaxing while driving on the highway. Choose a car in front of you and tag along automatically. The radar follows the car ahead at a safe distance, accelerates when the front car accelerates, brakes when the front car brakes. If you get distracted and the car in front brakes, the radar will brake for you.

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More about Toyota C-HR

Rearview Mirror

Wide visibility and easy to move. It has an anti-glare device, which can be activated or deactivated by a button on the mirror.

Spare wheel

There is not. In its place you can find the classic kit to inflate the wheel.

Sliding glasses.

The rear glasses are sliding in absolute silence.

Little noise in the front ones.

Am I satisfied?

Overall I'm satisfied, but I consider it more a city car than a car for long distances.

However, it has a new look, catchy, which deviates a lot from the usual mid-range cars.

If you have any questions, post them below in the comments or write me here on Tiiips. I reply to everyone. Tiiips is made for user interaction.

This review is constantly updated.

BLOG

15.8.2018 29,300 Km

So far no problem. I approach the date of the first service. I often use the air conditioner, and while in the other cars when I turned it off, there was an unpleasant smell for a few hours, in this car I can’t sense any smell.

Warning: the car is so quiet from the outside that pedestrians can not hear it. It happened to me the other week.

20.8.2018 29,800 Km

First problem with the body of the car, caused by my distraction. I turned too tight and I swiped the the spar under the right door. Great noise of cranking metal! I thought I had destroyed the door. Instead, thanks to the plastic supports fixed to the bottom, the result was very slight damage. These supports are long as the doors and bear considerable bumps. They deform with the impact, but return in shape immediately afterwards. Another point in favor of C-HR.

11.10.2018 31,000 Km

Aquaplaning. I do not recommend using the radar when it rains. However, if activated when it is raining heavily and you encounter a pool of deep water, the ABS deactivates the radar. I find that the radar works very well in queues in the city and on the highway. If you get distracted and the car in front brakes suddenly, the radar brakes for us.

12.10.2018 31,200 Km

Broken windshield! During the rain a stone jumps up, unfortunately. Very likely from a car and not a truck, a stone hit the windshield and a crack was immediately spread to half the windshield.

I have a very high exemption on glasses, so I have to pay the damage.

Quotation of Myglass 473 € + VAT = 577 €

In the week I will hear a car shop and see if I can get a lower price.

10.10.2018 31,300 Km

Quote of windshield from a car shop 773.40 € with VAT. The windshield costs € 420.01 and the glue kit € 37.62 net of VAT, the rest is labor and VAT.

But how does Myglass get such a low price? Glass not original? I have to visit them and ask them.

Searches for a better price continue.

17.10.2018 31,300 Km

Morning. Price including VAT from CARGLASS 884.59 € !!! I say it's expensive and I have to think about it.

Afternoon. I receive a phone call from CARGLASS Milan informing me of the possibility of having the windscreen replaced at a lower price by Doctor GLASS. Ok.

18.10.2018 31,350 Km

I get a call from the Windshield House. Price € 490! Possible? The same organization that competes alone? What do I do ?

€ 773.40, € 577 or € 490?

The low price tempts me, but I dont want to have problems later. I have to think about it before deciding.

31.10.2018 32,000 Km

Problem with the windshield wipers. The rubber has dried and make noise. How it is possible only a year after purchase? Yes. I go to Toyota warehouse and I ask for the spare parts: 2 pieces, right and left wiper, which are different from each other.

Listen carefully: € 81 in price! However..

I go to a car accessories shop: Price 70 €. Also this one not satisfactory.

I give a phone call to my coachbuilder. He says he will call back, but it seems he will make me a good price.

2.11.2018 32,100 Km

I picked up the Toyota C-HR from the coachbuilder (yes, I decided for the highest price). Problem: the rain sensor is not working.

I return to the coachbuilder. After several unsuccessful attempts to clean the sensor and insert the sensor closer to the glass, the coachbuilder thinks that the glass (new and original Toshiba) is faulty. We will see Monday.

Tip: if you happen to replace the windscreen, check immediately if the rain sensor works.

I went back to the coachbuilder as he told me he forgot to apply a specific gel on the sensor.

23.11.2018 32,400 km

It is time to do the 30,000 km service.

I requested the estimates and here is the result:

Official Toyota € 271

Certified independent mechanical workshop € 149

What would you do?

This morning I did it by Certified independent mechanical workshop !

16.2.2019 33,900 km

RECALL : I received a

RECALL letter from Toyota.

This is electrical wiring that could cause a short circuit, and

...stay tuned...

6.12.2019 45,000 km

 Black screen on the display. It disappeared when I engaged reverse gear.

18.2.2020 48,200 km

Well, it's been a year without problems... and here's one!

 I had an EPB and BSM error: the car was blocked. Find the solution here: "Toyota C-HR, EPB or BSM error."

20.8.2020  51.000 km

Probably due to a bump, the plastic cap of the rear bumper towbar has disappeared. Lost. Spare part cost: 12€

29.11.2020 51.800 km

I have been driving very little lately because of COVID and I left the C-HR stationary for 10 days. Yesterday I started the engine, reversed and drove just 100 meters when I heard a repetitive noise in the back. Knock, knock, knock, knock that increased with increasing speed.

Rust had accumulated on the brake discs. The noise passed after a day's driving and after at least 30 km of driving.

28.12.2020 53.000 km

Low key battery. Replaced. Here's how to do it, click on the image:

4.2.2021  54.000 km

I was unable to open the trunk today. The electronic key works, the doors unlock, the mirrors open, but when I press the lever under the tailgate I hear one click and the tailgate won't open. I struggled for a few hours to figure out what had happened, but the solution was simple: a few days earlier I had activated the central locking on all the doors. I unlocked the central locking system and was able to open the tailgate. It could happen that the C-HR ECU takes up to 24 hours to recognize the change.

 13.7.2021 56.000 km

The car is fine, no problems, unfortunately a very strong hailstorm broke the windshield and caused many bubbles, boils everywhere....

8.11.2021  65.000 km

Display issue. When I started the car, the display, in the middle part, remained dark. Scary moments: The display is very expensive. I tried pressing the left and right buttons. Nothing. 

I turned the car off and on again and the display started working normally again. What a relief!!!

2.2.2022  67.000 km

Ooops! The car runs great, but I forgot to do the 50,000 km service! I had written it in the Agenda, but I didn't see it. I'm going to the dealer next week and we'll see how much it will cost. I'm much closer to the 70,000km service. We'll see.

10.2.2022 67.500 km

Toyota service. Price of work to be done at 70,000 km 250 €.

20.2.2022 67.250 km

Total cost of the two coupons: €361.19 directly from the Toyota dealership.

8.4.2022 68.100 km

Front tyres are almost at maximum wear. In 5,000 km I have to change them.

25.9.2022 70.200 km

A few days ago the Warning light appeared

The manual says:

I had already made an appointment with the service centre to have the fault checked, but the light went out after a couple of days.

2.1.2023 78.000 km

Happy New Year! All OK, no other problems.

26.6.2023 78.600 km

Always everything OK, but I did periodic maintenance and replaced the front brakes.

Total €350

10.1.2024 86,000 km

The two sets of tires (summer and winter) are worn out. I bought the "four seasons".   € 750

30.7./2024 90,000 km

With these kilometers, the 90,000 km coupon was needed. Unfortunately, it is quite expensive: € 592. Only the 4 spark plugs (FC16HR-CY9) cost € 176!

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If, after all this data, you want to relax, here is the right video: