Toyota unveiled its new small ute, the 2018 C-HR, at the L.A. Auto Show.
Even with the price of gasoline hovering a bit over $2 per gallon, small crossover vehicles are becoming increasingly popular with young buyers in big cities across the United States.
With sales of subcompact utility vehicles growing, Toyota used the Los Angeles Auto Show to introduce the 2018 Toyota C-HR – the initials stand for coupe high rider – which is scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. next spring.
The new C-HR sits on subcompact 103.5-inch wheelbase with a 70.7-inch track and is a little more than five feet tall. But it can carry five passengers, comes a flat lead floor and represents a major “volume opportunity” for the Japanese automaker, according to Toyota executives, who noted the all new crossover vehicle is expected to attract young “fashion-forward, trendsetting” owners.
The C-HR, which is powered by a 2.0-liter engine, was specifically designed to offer owners a blend of comfort, control, consistency and responsiveness honed on the famed Nürburgring in Germany.
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Designers translated the sporty into a form that they describe as “sexy, muscular, and edgy.”
The new C-HR was originally meant for Scion, and younger buyers, but has now been folded into Toyota's line-up.
The front of the C-HR features two slim projector-beam halogen headlights with LED daytime running lights wrapped deep into its toned shoulders – nearly all the way into the front quarter panels as designers worked at sculpting an urban-dwelling crossover that could navigate tight city streets and stand out, with an agile, dynamic expressiveness.
The C-HR will be available in two grades at launch, XLE and XLE Premium, each equipped with a long list of standard premium features that includes 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, supportive bucket seating, 7-inch audio display and Toyota’s Safety Sense system.
Standard features in the XLE include a premium leather steering wheel; power folding and heated mirrors; auto-dimming rearview mirror with backup camera; electric parking brake; and dual-zone climate control.
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The XLE Premium builds upon the XLE’s amenities and adds Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Traffic Alert; heated front seats; power lumbar driver’s seat; auto fold, heated side mirrors with puddle lamps that project “Toyota C-HR;” fog lamps; and Smart Key with Push Button Start.
Both grades are equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen display having AM/FM/HD Radio, Aha app, USB port and AUX jack, Bluetooth, and Voice Recognition with voice training.
Joe Phillippi of AutoTrends noted that Ford Motor Co. rolled the EcoSport for the LA show and while sales of subcompact passenger cars have stalled, manufacturers believe sales of small utility vehicles, such as the C-HR, are ready to boom during the next couple of years.
Consumers got their first glimpse the C-HR at the 2015 L.A. Auto Show when it was unveiled as a Scion concept vehicle. Toyota, however, pulled the plug on the Scion brand earlier this year and shifted the most popular models into the Toyota brand.
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The production version carries over almost all of the elements of the original design study except for the Scion badges. It also was introduced in Europe last March at the Geneva Auto Show.