Toyota C-HR (2016-2023) review - Reliability and safety
Toyota has a strong reputation for building durable cars, while the brand’s Safety Sense kit adds extra peace of mind
The bold looking C-HR looks all new on the surface, but delve a little deeper and you’ll find a tried and tested structure and mechanicals. For instance, the C-HR is underpinned by the same platform as the fourth generation Prius. Light and strong, it not only helps sharpen the ride and handling, it provides a tough cage during a collision.
More importantly, the engines and gearboxes have all been lifted from other models in the Toyota line-up. The 1.8-litre petrol/electric hybrid unit is virtually identical to the set-up that debuted in the latest Prius, complete with its more efficient battery and clever combustion process that combines both Atkinson and Otto cycles. Despite the complexity of this set-up, it has proved to be extremely reliable.
In our 2023 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, despite being in its last year of production, the C-HR achieved an impressive 25th place, while Toyota itself finished 12th out of 29 brands in the best manufacturer poll.
The C-HR received a maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating in 2017, including an impressive 95 per cent for adult occupants. Other scores were consistently good, including: 77 per cent for child occupants, 76 per cent for pedestrian safety, and 78 per cent for safety assist technologies.
All versions of the C-HR benefit from Toyota’s Safety Sense set-up, which includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking and pedestrian detection as part of its hi-tech suite of features. The Excel and GR Sport models are also available with rear cross traffic alert and blind spot monitoring as standard.
Warranty
The previous five-year/100,000-mile manufacturer warranty has been replaced with the 'Toyota Relax' scheme, which combines standard three-year cover with the opportunity to extend the warranty up to ten years or 100,000 miles. Every time you have your vehicle serviced at a Toyota dealer, a further 12 months cover is added to the manufacturer warranty up to the stated limits.
Servicing
If you’re a high mileage driver, then the C-HR’s relatively short service intervals of 10,000 miles are likely to be a little frustrating – many rivals will go twice as far between check-ups. However, Toyota Service Plans are available for customers to help spread the cost of scheduled maintenance.
Every C-HR comes with a 15-year hybrid battery extended cover if you have a yearly Toyota Hybrid Electric Service.
