The C-HR gets more grunt
Toyota has given the edgy C-HR a small dose of sportiness with the new GR Sport edition, writes Nile Bijoux.
Gazoo Racing is Toyota’s performance sub-brand, like AMG is for Mercedes-Benz or N is for Hyundai. It’s responsible for powerhouses such as the Supra and GR Yaris but, like those examples, it also offers various ‘‘performance packs’’ applied to more pedestrian cars. The first of these was the Daihatsu Copen GR Sport, but the first to land in New Zealand is this, the GR Sport-spec C-HR.
On the outside
The new body kit is where you’ll notice the GR Sport changes most, in particular the GR-spec front grille, which gives the crossover a big, grumpy mouth, along with a shadow-chrome insert. There are also new, vertical corner intakes, which incorporate a low-mounted foglight on each side.
GR side skirts, a rear diffuser, black lip spoiler, and black mirror caps add to the extra visual flair, while Toyota has also added 19-inch wheels to the package, along with a few GR badges. Not too many though, which is nice.
Being a GR Sport exclusive, the wheels look similar to what you’ll find on the GR Supra and GR Yaris. That is to say, really nice, and the extra inch of diameter fills out the C-HR’s arches nicely.
Elsewhere are LED headlights and daytime running lights, heated and folding mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry, and a reversing camera.
On the inside
There aren’t many changes on the inside of the GR Sport, save for a GR-branded start button, a set of sports pedals and leather-accented front seats, dual-zone climate control, an 8-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satnav, a six-speaker stereo, and a small 4.2-inch display between the analogue driver gauges.
The rest of the interior is standard C-HR. Taller folk might be able to do short stints in the rear seats, but there isn’t much leg or headroom and the tiny windows positioned quite far forward of the seat are annoying.
Under the bonnet
The same electrified 1.8-litre four-cylinder as the C-HR Hybrid is present and untouched, which is a bit of a shame. That’s not because it’s a bad powerplant but more because the GR Sport moniker suggests the vehicle packs more punch than a base C-HR.
It’s connected to a CVT transmission too, which pushes the car further away from the ‘‘Sport’’ part of the badge.
Thankfully, Toyota has at least spent some development tokens on the chassis. The suspension has been given a new tuning, aimed more for curvy open roads than absorbing bumps in the city. Specifically, there is a new centre floor brace, tweaked dampers, coil rates and stabiliser bars, and the steering has been adjusted.
Finally, the ride height has been lowered by 15mm.
On the road
Those changes are apparent on the road. While the normal C-HR isn’t exactly a poor performer out of the city, the GR Sport version is much happier roaming through back roads.
The new suspension tune keeps things more level than before, which translates to more confident driving and faster corner speeds, necessary when you’re only playing with 90kW of system power sent through an unstepped CVT. Cue droning when the pedal meets the metal.
Toyota’s work on the steering is also appreciated, offering more feedback to the driver without being overly weighted. That applies to urban driving too – the little crossover is still easy to navigate around mall car parks or small streets. It’s probably a bit too assisted but enthusiasts will either be content with the balance here or happier buying a Supra or GR Yaris.
Active safety stuff is included too, including active cruise control that works at all speeds, autonomous emergency braking and lane-keep assist, among other niceties.
The lane-departure warning system can be nervous, however, beeping if it loses lane markings or you move across the centre markings (for example, going around a parked car). It’s easy to switch off though, via the button on the steering wheel.
More confusing is the lack of systems like sonar parking sensors and accompanying automatic braking. This is a range-topping vehicle asking range-topping money, so it seems strange to omit parking sensors. Limited models also get illuminated starter buttons but the GR Sport doesn’t, another oddity considering Toyota went to the effort of giving it a special starter button in the first place.
The hybrid system is designed for economy over performance and will turn the engine off as much as possible to keep fuel consumption down.
While it’s difficult to fault when looking at it on its own, it isn’t the best system Toyota has at its disposal, considering the Yaris and Yaris Cross both use a newer system that offers performance while using less fuel.
It’s likely the new hybrid powertrain will be introduced on the next generation of C-HR, and it makes little sense for Toyota to shoehorn it into the current model, despite the GR Sport badging. It’s also possible that the Yaris’ system doesn’t make quite enough torque for C-HR duties, although that could be remedied with a larger electric motor.
Verdict
While the C-HR GR Sport isn’t a perfect package, it’s still a great drive and a good-looking crossover. It’s also almost competing against itself, considering most other SUVs of its ilk are combustion-only.
There’s the $39,990 Kia Niro Hybrid EX, which has more power, more torque and lower claimed emissions but doesn’t quite look as good nor handles as well.
Really, the stiffest competition comes from Toyota’s own stables, in the form of the Yaris Cross Hybrid ($39,490).
Going beyond hybrids, consider the Mazda CX-30 ($41,490 for the FWD GSX), the Ford Puma ST-Line ($37,990) or the Skoda Kamiq Monte Carlo ($43,990).