The Toyota C-HR could fill the gap between the Urban Cruiser and Fortuner in the Japanese carmaker’s lineup in India
SUVs and crossovers are immensely popular in India, and carmakers are busy adding more of these to their lineups. Toyota Kirloskar is also following this trend, and has recently launched the Urban Cruiser (rebadged Maruti Brezza) in our market. Now, seems like Toyota will soon be adding another SUV to its range, to fill the huge gap between the Fortuner and the Urban Cruiser.
Toyota C-HR has been spied multiple times in India, and was previously expected to launch in our market during 2021. Of course, due to the market slowdown, these plans were reportedly put on hold. Now, new spy pictures have emerged online, which show that the testing for the C-HR has now resumed.
The test mule is seen wearing full-body camouflage in these pictures, but a few design elements can still be noticed. The headlamps look extremely sharp and sleek, as do the dual-tone alloy wheels. The vehicle has a coupe-like rear section, with a prominent roof-mounted spoiler. The taillights are extremely sharp as well, and resemble the one on the current-gen Honda Civic.
In terms of exterior styling, the C-HR is definitely a head-turner. As for its underpinnings, it is built on the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform. The international-spec model comes with a 2.0-litre, naturally aspirated, 4-cylinder petrol engine. This powerplant belts out 144 HP and 188 Nm of peak power and torque, respectively, and comes paired to an eCVT.
For the India-spec model, however, we expect Toyota to offer a smaller engine, perhaps with hybrid or plug-in hybrid tech as well. This will help ensure that the upcoming Toyota SUV offers brilliant fuel economy figures. Other than that, we expect plenty of premium features to be offered as well, like an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with multiple connectivity options.
Toyota might also offer Lane Departure Alert, Collision Avoidance System (with pedestrian warning and emergency braking), Road Sign Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, etc. We expect Toyota to bring in the C-HR as a CBU import, which will keep its costs high. The prices will probably hover around the Rs. 20-25 lakh mark to rival Compass, T-Roc and Karoq.