HYPER STYLED
Toyota’s bright C- HR is hard to ignore but the kids’ area is just hard going
There are nondescript cars that just seamlessly blend in with the traffic. Hard to distinguish from the next, they are vehicles that get you where you want to go without much razzamatazz. Then there’s the Toyota C- HR. It’s hard to look away from — the Kim Kardashian of vehicles — so brash and bright and look- at- me- ish that all you want to do is snap off a selfie and post it to Instagram with the hashtag #newwheels.
But can the millennium- mobile double as a family car? We put it to the test.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The C- HR has cartoon looks — the type that make those comic characters’ eyes pop out of their sockets.
Our test car was hard to miss in hornet yellow. Bold, bright and brilliant. Other look- at- me hues in the C- HR palette are called electric teal and tidal blue.
More conservative buyers can opt for regular bronze, black, white, platinum and a funny ruddy red called atomic rush.
The cartoon looks extend to the steeply sloping roofline, complex curves and creases.
LIKE A BABY SUV
In our all- wheel drive C- HR, the 1.2- litre turbo engine turned a continuously variable transmission with seven preset “ratios” mimicking the gears in a normal auto. It was fun to drive, just like a baby SUV, light and easy unlike some bigger cars.
It doesn’t pretend to be a sports car, instead delivering a safe, smooth, easy driving experience. The cabin was quiet, the car had enough power to get from A to B and there wasn’t much to complain about.
INSIDE THE DISCO BALL
The C- HR was comfortable in the front with lots of room and luxury fittings. The front seats are spacious but they aren’t powered and take a fair bit of jacking up to adjust.
The large touchscreen runs satnav and all the techy things you’d expect. There are even funky bubble- like patterns in the roof lining to catch your eye.
But it’s when you get to the rear seat that you question the functionality of this car for a family. Outside, the C- HR might be bright, bubble- like and hard to look away from — but the back seat is simply hard to look at, full stop. Why? Because it’s dark back there.
It’s spacious enough for two kids ( three might be a stretch) but it’s almost like a cave.
The biggest rear seat complaint my kids had was with the small windows and deep seats — they couldn’t see out.
NOT CHILD FRIENDLY
Like a fine dining restaurant, or the local pub after 8pm, the C- HR doesn’t seem to favour small children.
“Um, how do I get in?” was the phrase most commonly used by the various neighbourhood kids I ferried regularly.
The rear door handles are high, disguised and out of reach, meaning you annoyingly have to help even older kids find their way in.
WHO IS IT AIMED AT?
That’s the piece in this puzzle that confuses me. The C- HR doesn’t seem like a typical family car at all.
It could be a good fit for a young family with one child ( and a spare $ 32,000 to splash out on a new car) or perhaps it’s a good second car, a runabout for all those extra after- school activities and weekend sports drop- offs.
SAFE AS A BOOMER’S BANK ACCOUNT
One thing Toyota does well is safety. So while from the outside you might be all millennial flash and excitement, on the inside you are as solid and staid as a baby boomer.
The safety gear includes lane departure alert, auto high beam, active cruise control, auto braking with pedestrian detection and blind spot monitoring.
If all that fails, the bright exterior might just work like a hi- vis vest.
WHERE DO ALL THE BITS AND BOBS GO?
As with most parents, as I go about my day, I find myself acquiring a lot of stuff. From coffee cups to water bottles, to mouth guards and school bags to little Tupperware boxes of crackers. It fills my handbag and spills over into my car.
So what I need is a lot of places to put this stuff. Unfortunately this isn’t where the C- HR excels, given its small glovebox, limited cupholders and small but functional boot.