Introduction

The 2021 Toyota C-HR is a front-wheel-drive hatchback with racy looks and a small footprint. It may look like a future SUV to some, but it's a stylish economy car at its roots. 

For 2021 there's a new Nightshade edition, and the standard safety equipment adds road-sign recognition and pedestrian detection. 

The C-HR uses a 144-horsepower 2.0-liter inline-4, mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The performance is relaxed, with a polished ride, weighty steering, and moderate acceleration. The EPA rates it at 27 mpg city, 31 highway, 29 combined. 

It's snappy to look at but the C-HR's hatchback roofline cuts down on rear-seat head room, as well as rearward vision. Leg room in the back seat is also on the sparse side. 

The NHTSA gives it five stars in safety. Every C-HR gets automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam headlights, active lane control, and adaptive cruise control as standard. Blind-spot monitors come on the XLE and Limited editions, which are needed because the C-HR has thick roof pillars that limit its rearward view. 

The IIHS rates the standard LED headlights 'Poor,'? while the Limited model gets 'Good'? units. 

Lineup

The C-HR is sold in LE, XLE, and Limited trims. 

The $22,565 C-HR LE has Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, an 8.0-inch touchscreen, power features, automatic dual-zone climate control, and active safety tech. 

The $24,600 XLE adds blind-spot monitors and keyless start. 

The Limited costs $27,620 and adds heated front seats, a power driver seat, and leather upholstery. 

The warranty is 3 years or 36,000 miles, with 2 years of maintenance. 

Walkaround

The offbeat styling has its charm. The C-HR is actually cleaner than when it was introduced in 2018, but still has every styling cue in Toyota's book thrown at it. It's distinctive and we like it, although it's also overboard. It has a short wheelbase of 104 inches and a high roof. Its stubby shape undulates, waves, curves, and crests like a mountain road.
Riding on 17- or 18-inch wheels, the C-HR can be finished with a silver or a black roof, adding to the visual jumble. 

Interior

The styling of the cabin is more conventional; Toyota trims the interior with a restrained hand. The standard cloth upholstery has a nice feel. There is a big 8.0-inch touchscreen jutting out of a low dash, and the controls sit high, not buried in the console as they are on some rivals. It's more luxurious than it lets on from the outside, especially the Limited with its leather upholstery.
The front seats sit low but have a good range of adjustment, but it's only power on the Limited, whose leather seats are also heated. 

The C-HR has just 32 inches of leg room in the rear, while the awkwardly shaped rear doors make entry and exit difficult. Head room is slim, too. 

There's 19 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, which expands to 36.4 cubic feet when they're folded. Those are modest numbers for a tall hatchback. 

The Limited's infotainment system is okay, but we use our smartphone. 

Driving Impression

The C-HR's 2.0-liter inline-4 has only 144 hp and the car weighs about 3,300 pounds, so it's hardly thrilling. The CVT takes its time to adjust its ratios, making the C-HR slower to respond. The CVT has a 'Sport'? mode with simulated gears, but that doesn't seem to change its demeanor much. 

The ride is very well controlled, using front struts and a multi-link independent rear suspension. The steering is taut but the handling is still more predictable than excitable. Still, the C-HR feels engaged on the road, and carries itself well through corners. 

Summary

The 2021 Toyota C-HR is an eyeful-an exciting one, we think. Its economy-car roots show through when it's on the road, and back-seat passengers will want for head room. But it's strong on value and on infotainment, long a Toyota weakness. 

-by Sam Moses with driving impressions by The Car Connection.