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At last, Toyota is broadening its EV range downwards. Here's what looks likely to be the brand's strongest selling electric vehicle over the next few years, the C-HR+. It's actually a stand-alone model and will be a core contender for the company in the electric compact crossover segment.
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Background
The bZ4X might have been Toyota's first self-developed EV, but this smaller C-HR+ model is considerably more significant. It's based on the brand's bZ Compact SUV Concept car of 2022 and was originally supposed to be called the 'bZ3X' until the company changed its EV naming convention. The C-HR+ slots into the Japanese maker's line-up just below the bZ4X just above the Urban Cruiser EV Toyota has co-developed with Suzuki.
The C-HR+ name suggests a C-HR with an EV powertrain, but actually this EV is a completely stand-alone model - and a slightly bigger car than its Hybrid showroom stablemate. Toyota insists though that the two C-HR models share 'the same DNA' and says that the '+' suffix designates 'added versatility and practicality' as well as the EV drivetrain. Let's take a closer look.
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Range data
| Min | Max |
| Price | 34495 | 40995 |
| Max Speed (mph) | 87 | 99 |
| 0-62 mph (s) | 8.4 | 7.3 |
| Electric WLTP-Rated Driving Range (miles) | 284 | 284 |
| Length (mm) | 4520 | 4520 |
| Min | Max |
| Width (mm) | 1870 | 1870 |
| Height (mm) | 1595 | 1595 |
| Boot Capacity (l) | 416 | 416 |
| Power (ps) | 165 | 221 |
| Torque (lb ft) | 268 | 268 |
Driving experience
Things kick off in the C-HR+ range with an entry-level model featuring front wheel drive and a 165bhp motor energised by a 57.7kWh battery pack which gives you 284 miles of range. Next up is a front driven model with a 224bhp motor paired to a 77kWh battery which makes 62mph in 8.6s en route to the 100mph maximum all C-HR+ models share. It's the bigger-battery front driven version you'll obviously need for the best EV range figure - 376 miles. That bigger battery is also used by the top twin motor AWD version, which puts out a prodigious 343bhp and makes 62mph in just 5.2s.
We didn't find the bZ4X model this car is based upon particularly fun to drive, but Toyota claims the C-HR+ is better, thanks to greater platform rigidity, bespoke-tuned suspension, stiffer anti-roll bars and more responsive steering. Don't expect it to handle in quite as agile a fashion as the C-HR Hybrid (there's too much extra kerb weight for that), but this EV's low centre of gravity helps with fast cornering. As does what Toyota calls 'a reduced moment of inertia'.
Toyota claims that the electric power steering has been mapped for responsiveness, light at lower speeds and more directly-responsive at higher ones. The C-HR+ gets the latest lightweight Toyota eAxle - consisting of inverter, motor and transaxle - with silicon-carbide (SiC) semiconductors for efficiency and high-power output. The unit's design, incorporating cooling and lubrication systems, is supposed to minimise energy losses and deliver better power, stability and quieter performance. Refinement's been a priority too. Copious amounts of noise insulation and absorbing materials and silencers have been strategically installed to create a peaceful cabin environment.
There are four levels of regenerative braking, selected using paddle shifts behind the steering wheel. The electric motor allows coasting deceleration of up to 0.15g when the driver releases the accelerator pedal, compensating for around 80 per cent of deceleration when driving. Only the 77kWh version can tow - but not much; up to 750kg. As usual with the brand, there's a wide range of standard Toyota Safety Sense features, including automatic activation when needed of braking, steering and power control. Plus a Parking Support Brake system to prevent car park prangs.
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Design and build
Despite the shared name, design links between the C-HR+ and the Hybrid C-HR are rather tenuous. The brand talks about 'some shared DNA' in the C-pillar, but that's about it. It's much more accurate to think of this compact EV as a bZ4X coupe - a slightly smaller, supposedly sportier version of Toyota's next electric model up. It rides on the same E-TNGA platform as a bZ4X and is 4,520mm long (168mm longer than a C-HR Hybrid). There's quite a sleek coupe crossover silhouette, sharply defined character lines, a wide stance and a full-width rear light bar with LED combination tail lamps. The front-end is true to Toyota's current 'Hammerhead' style of design. Wheel sizes are up to 20-inches.
Inside, you quickly forget the C-HR comparisons because the cabin borrows heavily from the bZ4X and is open and airy, rather than cosseting and cosy like in the smaller Hybrid. The focal point - inevitably - is the centre screen, this one 14-inches in size. More unusual is the small 7-inch combimeter instrument screen, positioned so much in your eye line close to the windshield that there is no need for a head-up display. Build quality and the plush materials set a new standard for a small Toyota and are way better than those of a C-HR Hybrid or an Urban Cruiser. Ambient lighting offers a choice of 64 different colours.
The advantage of using a platform from the next class up should lie in better rear seat and boot space and sure enough, the generous 2,750mm wheelbase length (110mm longer than an ordinary C-HR) means rear cabin space better than most rivals. There's a 900mm front-rear couple distance. Nor does the swept-back roof line diminish head space too much, even with the optional panoramic roof fitted. Rear-seat occupants have access to air conditioning controls and two USB-C ports with a combined 60W of power.
Out back, there's a 416-litre boot (around 40-litres bigger than a Hybrid C-HR). That's achieved thanks to a rear overhang 50mm longer than the ordinary C-HR.
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Market and model
Prices start at around £34,500 for the base 'Icon' version, rising to around £37,000 for mid-level 'Design' and around £41,000 for top 'Excel'. We don't yet have full details about UK pricing and specs, but this car is likely to be priced from around £42,000. That positions the C-HR+ in the very heart of the lower mid-sized part of the EV crossover segment.
You can at least expect plenty of standard kit. The 'Icon' model is equipped as standard with 18-inch black metallic alloy wheels, an 11kW onboard charger, a seven-inch digital combimeter, a 14-inch multimedia touchscreen, combination fabric and synthetic leather upholstery and a heated steering wheel. The comprehensive Toyota Safety Sense and driver assistance systems include a Blind Spot Monitor with Safe Exit Assist, which warns if a door is being opened into the path of traffic approaching from behind. Recognising the importance of keeping connected while on the move, two wireless device chargers are provided, together with wireless smartphone integration using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
'Design' grade introduces the higher capacity 77kWh battery, together with a power-operated tailgate and rear privacy glass. At the top of the range, the 'Excel' model comes equipped with a 22kW onboard charger, power driver's seat adjustment, synthetic suede and leather upholstery, headlight cleaners and a Panoramic View Monitor to help precise manoeuvring in tight spaces. An enhanced safety and assistance package includes Front Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Change Assist and touch-sensor controls for the Lane Trace Assist system.
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Cost of ownership
Toyota claims that the C-HR+ can charge at up to 150kW (the same as the Urban Cruiser), which is reasonably class-competitive, but the 30 minute 10-80% DC charging time figure isn't particularly noteworthy. At least a heat pump is standard, to maximise range in colder months - which isn't the case on many cars in this segment. The 57.7kWh and 77kWh batteries offer pre-conditioning for faster charging and are of the lithium-ion phosphate kind - which is the type of tech used for more affordable, shorter-range electric cars. At home, you will be able to AC charge at up to 11kW (if you have a three-phase supply) and if that's the case, then you'll need around five hours for a full charge. Higher grade models use a faster 22kW unit, which effectively halves the recharge time.
As with all Toyotas, this one is covered by a warranty that can last for up to ten years, provided you get the car regularly serviced at a franchised Toyota dealer. There's also a 12 year perforation warranty. And the battery gets a separate 8 years of warranty cover. Toyota's dealer network usually comes out strong in customer satisfaction surveys. As with all EVs, you'll be paying low Benefit-in-Kind tax rates - 3% for 2025, 4% for 2026 and 5% for 2027.
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Summary
Toyota says that with this car, it wanted to bring 'all the passion, emotion and success of the C-HR to the BEV segment'. What it's actually trying to do is create a product that owners of the C-HR Hybrid will naturally gravitate to.
And they might. The drive range and charging figures here look competitive. And there's a fun feel to the looks and projected drive dynamics that a lot of competitors lack. But this is an over-crowded segment in which Toyota already has two entrants (the Urban Cruiser and the Proace City EV). Is there also room for the C-HR+? Well it's this model that of the three will certainly get the bulk of the brand's marketing spend. And of the three, it's probably the one you'd ideally want. Whether that makes it a class leader is quite another question.
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