Toyota goes on a styling binge with its baby SUV
USUALLY known for being a bastion of styling conservatism, Toyota has come out swinging from the chandeliers with its radically-styled concept for a small SUV.
Unveiled at this week’s Frankfurt motor show, the C-HR is a concept for a stylish newcomer that would slot below the popular Rav4 in the burgeoning small-SUV segment. Toyota says the show car builds on the first C-HR Concept that was enthusiastically received when it debuted at the Paris motor show a year ago, and is more representative of the production version to be revealed at the Geneva motor show early next year.
With styling that’s been sculpted to represent the faceted surfaces of a precision-cut gemstone, the C-HR is the next rendition of the promise by Toyota’s global president Akio Toyoda to build always better cars that bring the fun back to driving, says a Toyota spokesman.
An exceptionally sleek cabin contrasts with aggressively angular rear shoulders and muscular wheel arches that feature unique 21-inch wheels with “diamond-cut” machined-surface spokes.
Beneath that space-age body is a highly rigid vehicle with a low centre of gravity that minimises body roll during cornering, allowing for suspension settings that deliver great ride comfort without compromising on driving dynamics.
The C-HR is strongly being considered for South African introduction, says Toyota.