Quirky however quotidian, Toyota’s C-HR has courageous seems however is a risk-free proposition

Toyota payments its C-HR as a ‘idea automobile for the street’, and it’s true that this high-riding two-tone confection does have greater than a whiff of futuristic whimsy about it. As a plug-in hybrid, this mid-sized, mid-range machine rides the modern wave of affection for PHEV know-how, providing practicality, effectivity and reliability.

Toyota is oft-criticised for its tardiness in getting round to partaking with all-things pure electrical. The corporate’s success and experience within the realm of hybrids is common cited as the rationale for this heel-dragging (the pioneering Prius vary has bought over six million examples), as is its dogged pursuit of a hydrogen-powered future (witness the Mirai, virtually the one hydrogen-powered automobile in the marketplace).

Possibly the corporate has a degree. All issues hybrid are scorching proper now, as legislators dilly-dally round questions of tariffs and grants, infuriating these producers who made early commitments to electrification, and totally complicated the market. Even so, Toyota has nonetheless hedged its bets with the C-HR, providing in each a gentle hybrid 1.8-litre model and a plug-in hybrid 2.0-litre. There are a variety of various trim ranges, all the best way as much as the flagship GR Sport mannequin, which will get a JBL sound system and different advantages in and out.

This can be a very Europe-centric automobile, sized in a modest manner that doesn’t really feel overbearing while nonetheless providing a raised-up driving place that appears to instil confidence within the city and suburban driver. Whereas the unique C-HR supplied an extremely darkish and confined expertise for rear passengers, the brand new mannequin feels lighter, helped out by the elective panoramic roof.

Behind the wheel, the C-HR is a straightforward, unthreatening drive. It’s not particularly sprung, neither is it taut and responsive, however boosty acceleration (62mph comes up in a useful 7.4 seconds) and regenerative braking make it simple to reside with. There’s 41 miles of pure EV vary for the plug-in mannequin, and Toyota have launched ‘Predictive Environment friendly Drive’, which makes use of geo-fencing to modify to EV mode in flagged congestion zones, in addition to utilizing any pre-programmed journey knowledge to stability the battery use to make sure there’s sufficient spare for zero emission driving in the direction of the top of a route. It additionally has a operated by hand ‘charging’ mode, to maintain the battery topped up.

No matter you consider Toyota’s total aesthetic, the element design is prime notch, from the flush door handles to the two-tone rear haunches. The hatchback physique gives lots of inner house with the seats down and there’s a helpful scattering of cost factors and inner storage across the cabin. There’s extra recycled plastic used than ever earlier than, in addition to artificial leather-based and a extra energy-efficient portray course of. While you make as many vehicles as Toyota, such improvements actually add up – the earlier era C-HR bought round 840,000 items in Europe.

That cabin will get enhancements like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, ambient LED lighting that adjustments in tone all through the day, and a big 12.3-inch display screen with loads of customisation choices. The lighting system even faucets into the automobile’s ‘Secure Exist Help’, glowing crimson in the event you attempt to open a door into the trail of a bike owner or oncoming visitors. Toyota has additionally gone down the route of offering bodily buttons for heating and cooling.

The C-HR continues Toyota’s quiet quest to rework the automobile into an equipment like some other, doling out simply the correct quantity of amenity, character and high quality to rework this intelligent automobile from a purely rational alternative into one thing approaching an emotive one. In case you’re blind to the intricacies of automotive model hierarchies and histories and simply desire a simple machine that’ll ship you from A to B with out fuss or complexity for many years, then the C-HR is fairly peerless.

Toyota C-HR, from £31,300, Toyota.co.uk