There was no 2019 Toyota C-HR Hybrid for sale in the United States. The C-HR arrived in US showrooms for the 2018 model year with a single gasoline powertrain and front-wheel drive, and Toyota did not offer a hybrid version of the nameplate in America until the next-generation model. A C-HR Hybrid did exist, however, in Europe and other markets, where it was sold from the model’s 2016 launch with a 1.8-liter hybrid system. This article separates the two and explains what each version actually offered.
Was There a 2019 C-HR Hybrid in the US?
No. The US-market C-HR was introduced for the 2018 model year with one engine: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder driving the front wheels through a continuously variable automatic transmission. There was no all-wheel-drive option and no hybrid. Toyota sold the C-HR in the US through the 2022 model year; the second-generation C-HR that followed in 2023 was offered in Europe and Australia but not North America, where the Corolla Cross took over its role in the range.
The C-HR was Toyota’s entry in the fast-growing subcompact crossover segment, competing against vehicles such as the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3 and Nissan Kicks. In the US it was positioned below the RAV4, and its lack of all-wheel drive and hybrid options limited its appeal in colder states.
The 2019 US C-HR Powertrain
Every 2019 US C-HR used the same 2.0-liter dual-overhead-cam four-cylinder, rated at 144 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 139 lb-ft of torque at 3,900 rpm, according to Toyota. Power went only to the front wheels through a CVT. The EPA rated the 2019 C-HR at 27 mpg city, 31 mpg highway and 29 mpg combined. For 2019, Toyota also gave the C-HR technology and styling updates and revised its grade structure, but the mechanical package was unchanged.
The 2.0-liter engine used Toyota’s Valvematic variable valve-lift system and was paired exclusively with a CVT; there was no manual or automatic alternative in the US range.
The C-HR Hybrid That Did Exist
In Europe, Japan, Australia and parts of Asia, Toyota sold the C-HR Hybrid from the model’s launch in late 2016. It paired a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine (the same 2ZR-FXE family used in the Prius) with an electric motor for a combined system output of 122 horsepower (90 kW). Drive went to the front wheels through an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. A more powerful 2.0-liter hybrid producing 184 horsepower was added to the European range for 2020, giving customers a choice of two hybrid systems.
The hybrid system worked like other Toyota power-split hybrids, allowing the car to run on electric power alone at low speeds, on the engine alone, or on both together, and capturing energy through regenerative braking. It was the first hybrid in its class when the C-HR launched, which Toyota positioned as a key selling point in Europe, where the hybrid accounted for a large share of C-HR sales.
Design and Dimensions
The first-generation C-HR was a subcompact crossover with coupe-like styling, built on Toyota’s TNGA GA-C platform. It measured about 172 inches long, 70.7 inches wide and 61.6 inches tall on a 103.9-inch wheelbase, and it carried five passengers. Production began in November 2016, the car launched in Japan in December 2016 and went on sale in Europe and North America in early 2017. In China it was also sold as the Toyota IZOA, and a battery-electric C-HR EV followed in that market. Its distinctive shape, hidden rear door handles and high-mounted taillights were central to its identity in every market.
The C-HR’s styling was deliberately polarizing, with a sloping roofline that reduced rear headroom in exchange for a coupe-like profile and a rear door handle hidden in the C-pillar. It was one of several models built on Toyota’s TNGA architecture, sharing its GA-C underpinnings with the Corolla and the Lexus UX.
The C-HR name has been said to stand for Compact High Rider, Cross Hatch Runabout or Coupe High Rider.
Safety and Equipment
The US C-HR was equipped with Toyota Safety Sense-P as standard, bundling a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, dynamic radar cruise control and automatic high beams, along with a rearview camera and Toyota’s Star Safety System. The interior seated five and used a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment display on earlier US models; the 2019 updates added technology and styling refinements and a revised grade strategy. In Europe, where the hybrid was offered, equipment levels varied by market.
A battery-electric version, the C-HR EV, was later sold in China, and a C-HR+ electric crossover was announced for Europe in 2025.
Pricing and Availability
In the US, 2019 C-HR pricing started at $21,145 for the LE trim, according to Cars.com, rising to about $27,320 for the top trim per Car and Driver. Hybrid models in Europe were priced in each market’s local currency and were not part of the US lineup. C-HR sales in 2019 totaled 48,930 units in the United States and 119,786 in Europe.
Because the hybrid was not offered in the US, American buyers who wanted a Toyota hybrid crossover during this period had to look to the RAV4 Hybrid instead, which combined a larger 2.5-liter engine with electric motors and standard all-wheel drive.
Related Toyota Models
Related reading on this site includes the 2019 Toyota RAV4 Release Date, Redesign and Price and the 2019 Toyota Sequoia redesign and Price, or browse the Toyota Review archive.
