2026 Toyota C-HR review: The unexpected comeback

Mitchell Weitzman

21 hours ago

6 min read

Sharing nothing with the previous C-HR is all for the better

new 2026 Toyota C-HR XSE review exterior front three quarter in wooded area

2026 Toyota C-HR review by The Road Beat

When big carmakers take wild, off-the-cuff swings, automotive enthusiasts should celebrate. Rarely in the 2010s did the corporate safe zone that is Toyota produce something remotely interesting. But out of left field came the funky little C-HR micro-crossover. Whether it actually looked any good is up to others, but it at least showed some freedom of design that Toyota hadn't demonstrated since the FJ Cruiser, itself a retro homage and technically an unoriginal take.

The problem was that the C-HR wasn't very good, and it sold in depressingly low numbers for Toyota, prompting the company to can it after just a few years. I can't actually remember the last time I saw one of those early specimens inhabiting my local lanes let alone the Trader Joe's parking lot. Yet again, Toyota has made another move that blindsided me: a revival of the C-HR. Usually, when automakers revive something, it's because it was popular and missed. Like different fun Coke flavors. But I can't imagine the C-HR having been missed at all. In fact, I don't think most people remembered it, especially since its main rival, the Honda HR-V, completely trounced it in sales.

2026 Toyota C-HR XSE AWD interior review

Luckily, this new C-HR shares absolutely nothing with its predecessor except its size positioning in the Toyota lineup. This definitely isn't a car for everyone, but the C-HR is a fundamentally impressive and even traditionally attractive machine. Did I mention it's also all-electric?

Picks

Yes, and that was meant only semi-rhetorically. If you've made it this far into a new C-HR review, you've undoubtedly already discovered that it is, in fact, all-electric. Some will see that as a fault and a reason to automatically discard the C-HR. Which is fine if it doesn't fit your lifestyle. However, I see this as an easy plus for a compact crossover like the C-HR. Gone is the nastiness of a weak and coarse four-cylinder that groans its way to 60 mph in eight or more seconds, replaced with instant thrust and unparalleled levels of silky smoothness. Horsepower has more than doubled from the previous C-HR, and with 338 total system horsepower in this AWD version, the C-HR freaking hauls the mail now.

Efficiency in Toyota EVs has improved considerably over the past couple of years, and the C-HR averaged a respectable 3.3 miles per kilowatt-hour. With its 74.7-kWh battery pack, that suggests roughly 250 miles of theoretical range before accounting for the usable battery capacity. My observed range estimates hovered around 260 miles, which seemed easily achievable according to the onboard computers. That's also with mostly hilly highway driving above 70 mph, so you may fare better in different environments. The 250 mile club may not seem that impressive, but it's largely down to the smallish battery pack (which means it can charge quicker).

2026 Toyota C-HR XSE AWD Exterior rear three quarter tandoori

Toyota also uses Tesla's NACS port for replenishing now, so you can drive right up to a compatible Tesla Supercharger station, easily the most reliable network of chargers, and plug in without any kind of adapter. I'd recommend looking into Tesla's $12.99 Supercharging membership for reduced charging rates, depending on how frequently you use the network. You can also use the included adapters to charge at other DC fast-charging or Level 2 stations, but the convenience of native Tesla compatibility is a great addition.

I think the C-HR actually looks great, too. It's crisp and lean; some may even consider it sporty with its taut stance, almost like a cat ready to pounce, and silent as one, too. In a good color like the one seen here, it's just a handsome little crossover that looks so far removed from other Toyotas that people likely won't realize it's a Toyota at all.

And it even drives pretty well, with assured steering and respectable responses. The outright grip available isn't quite up to the task of properly handling the 300-plus horsepower mid-corner, but it manages pretty well nonetheless, with a neutral balance when driven just a tick beyond normal speeds. Compared to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 I had just tested, I'd even go so far as to say the C-HR's handling balance holds up better, with a more resilient front end when driving down a good curvy road at five or six tenths.

Pricing even seems right, with a highly optioned model like XSE AWD offering all that power for around $40K. With EV incentives that may be available in some states, that can make for an attractive lease payment while also offering a nice compromise of build quality, equipment, and size for the money. No other gas-powered car at this price has this much power, and in terms of refinement and the actual feel of the interior, it's a notable step ahead of the dour Corolla Cross.

Toyota's central nervous system - the display screen - remains among the easiest to use from any brand when it comes to entertainment and basic functionality even if its less flashy. Plus, there are even separate and always-on controls for HVAC temperature.

Nicks

There are two glaring faults with the C-HR that may or may not affect you personally, and the first may keep you from buying one altogether; It would keep me from giving it any consideration.

This fatal (personal) flaw is the gauge cluster, and that's because I couldn't see it. With the steering wheel and seat adjusted to my liking, literally half of your vital instruments and information are completely obscured by the top of the steering wheel. This is surely a result of the cluster being positioned so far away and high on the dash, but it's a totally unacceptable oversight. I actually couldn't see my speed most of the time, which is a rather critical safety component when driving.

2026 Toyota C-HR XSE Tandoori with midnight black two-tone

You can lower the steering wheel into your lap, but that's not a proper or safe driving position due to the lack of available control over the wheel. Some may not mind having to drive in such a way, but it doesn't work for me. This isn't unique to this Toyota, either, as the new Prius and bZ also share this fundamental head-scratcher.

For what it's worth, I'm 5'11" according to my dating profile, and maybe being on either side of that would help others.

Another issue is that the C-HR is basically more or less identical to the Subaru Uncharted. Like the Subaru Solterra and Toyota bZ relationship, this is another result of a joint partnership with the unofficial vehicle brand of the REI co-op. Why is this a negative? Because some might prefer to have a Subaru badge on their car instead of a Toyota one. For what it's worth, the Subaru Uncharted has a squared-off steering wheel that means you can actually see its instruments. That alone seals the deal on choosing the Subaru in this round.

There's also Toyota's bZ, which starts at a similar price but offers increased interior space.

A unexpectedly good everyday EV

Electric cars used to be inherently more expensive than their gasoline equivalents and heavily dependent on government rebates to make financial sense. But with the pricing of the new C-HR, it represents a genuinely viable alternative to Toyota's latest RAV4. Granted, the RAV4 is a larger car, but it also can carry a real price premium and doesn't yet offer a fully electric version. In my local market, the C-HR is also much easier to haggle over with dealers, let alone actually obtain.

If electricity makes sense for you, it's also a much better car to step up to than the dreary Corolla Cross. With usable range and shocking amounts of power on tap, the C-HR is an affordable electric car that's well-made, decent to drive, and, overall, makes EV ownership make sense for a wider variety of drivers.

2026 Toyota C-HR XSE AWD specifications

Price