Toyota C-HR 2022 Review

The Toyota C-HR is a subcompact crossover, or extra-small SUV, designed to combine the driving experience of a sedan with the raised seating position of an SUV. It has a coupe-like sloping roofline to accentuate its eye-catching looks, and it's available in three trims: the LE, XLE and Limited. There are several vehicles in this style that do a good job of providing easy access with good fuel economy at an affordable price. Unfortunately, the C-HR is not one of our favorites.

Toyota first offered the C-HR in 2018. New styling and standard features were added for the 2020 model year. However, these revisions were not enough to elevate the C-HR into the upper echelon of our rankings of small SUVs you can buy. The C-HR is effectively hamstrung by its weak engine, noisy interior and lack of cargo capacity. It also does not offer all-wheel drive as an option.

We don't expect Toyota to dramatically change the 2022 C-HR. Check out our test team's Expert Rating to learn more about how the C-HR stacks up against other extra-small SUVs such as the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Hyundai Kona, Mazda CX-30 and Volkswagen Taos.

Which C-HR does MatoCar recommend?

Toyota hasn't released official information on the 2022 C-HR as of this writing. We'll update our recommendation if anything changes, but based on last year's C-HR, we suggest going with the midlevel XLE trim. Compared to the base LE trim, you get keyless entry, blind-spot monitoring and larger alloy wheels for not much more money.

[Editor's note: The following information is based on last year's Toyota C-HR. We expect the 2022 C-HR will have a similar trim level structure and we'll update this section once we have complete information.] The Toyota C-HR is available in four trim levels: LE, XLE, Nightshade and Limited. All C-HRs are powered by a four-cylinder engine that produces 144 horsepower. A continuously variable automatic transmission is standard, as is front-wheel drive. Unlike some other small crossover SUVs, all-wheel drive is unavailable on the C-HR.

LE Features on the base LE trim include:

• LED headlights
• 17-inch steel wheels
• Keyless entry
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa integration
• 8-inch touchscreen display

The C-HR also comes with a collection of advanced driver safety features (Toyota Safety Sense 2.5):

• Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
• Lane keeping assist (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane and makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane)
• Automatic high beams
• Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front)
• Road sign recognition

XLE The midlevel XLE trims includes all of the LE's features and adds:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Body-colored exterior mirrors, door handles and trim
• Keyless entry on all doors with push-button start
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing)

Nightshade Features on the Nightshade trim mirror those on the XLE. Consider this an appearance package. Changes include:

• Black 18-inch alloy wheels
• Black chin spoiler and badges
• Available two-tone paint with a black roof
• Black interior trim

Limited The top-tier Limited trim builds off the XLE with:

• Adaptive LED headlights (swivel as you turn the steering wheel for better illumination in curves)
• Unique 18-inch wheels
• Available two-tone paint
• Chrome and piano black exterior trim
• Leather upholstery
• Power-adjustable, heated front seats