The Toyota C-HR is a subcompact crossover that reached U.S. showrooms for the 2018 model year. It was designed to stand out from boxier small SUVs with a heavily sculpted body, a sloping roofline and hidden rear door handles. For 2021 Toyota kept the same mechanical package that had defined the model while adding a new Nightshade Edition and making more advanced safety equipment standard. The C-HR was sold in North America through the 2022 model year, after which Toyota replaced it in its U.S. line-up with the larger Corolla Cross.
Origins and Design
The C-HR was originally developed for Toyota’s youth brand, Scion, but the Scion marque was discontinued in 2016 and the car launched under the Toyota badge instead. The production version was shown at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show and went on sale in Japan in December 2016, reaching the United States for 2018. The name can stand for Coupe High-Rider, Compact High Rider or Cross Hatch Runabout. U.S. cars were imported from Turkey and shared the TNGA GA-C platform with the E210 Corolla and the Lexus UX.
What Changed for 2021
The biggest news for 2021 was the new Nightshade Edition, a factory-blackout trim built off the XLE. It added black 18-inch alloy wheels, black lug nuts, black door handles, a black chin spoiler, black badges and a black fabric interior with gunmetal trim. Toyota also made Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 standard across all C-HR trims, upgrading the pre-collision system with daytime bicyclist detection, low-light pedestrian detection and intersection support, plus emergency steering assist. New colors included Oxide Bronze, and the palette dropped Knockout Silver Metallic and Hot Lava.
Exterior
The 2021 C-HR carried over the front fascia, headlamps, bumper, grille and spoiler that had been refreshed for 2020, so there was no further sheetmetal change for the new model year. The car rides on a 103.9-inch wheelbase and measures roughly 171.7 to 172.6 inches long, 70.7 inches wide and 61.6 inches tall. Rear-quarter canards, underbody covers and taillight fins form part of the aerodynamic package. The LE kept its standard LED headlamps and an optional 17-inch alloy wheel design, while the XLE and above used 18-inch alloys.
Interior
Inside, the C-HR offers five seats behind a driver-focused dash, with a standard 8-inch touchscreen that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Dual-zone automatic climate control, power features, a leather-wrapped shift knob and a rear backup camera are included. Because of the coupe-like roof, rear headroom and outward visibility are more limited than in taller crossovers. Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert and a Smart Key system with push-button start are standard on the XLE and Limited, but not on the base LE.
Engine and Fuel Economy
Every U.S. 2021 C-HR used a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder rated at 144 hp at 6,100 rpm and 139 lb-ft of torque at 3,900 rpm, driving the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission with a simulated-gear function that the EPA lists as a seven-speed automatic. All-wheel drive was not offered in the United States. The EPA rated the 2021 C-HR at 27 mpg city, 31 highway and 29 combined. It remained one of the few subcompact crossovers of its time without an all-wheel-drive option in North America.
Why There Was No U.S. Hybrid
Elsewhere in the world the C-HR was offered with a hybrid powertrain, but Toyota never sold a hybrid C-HR in the United States. American buyers got only the 2.0-liter gasoline engine. That decision reflected the U.S. market’s preference for the larger RAV4 Hybrid, which offered more space and all-wheel drive for a modest price premium. The C-HR stayed a gasoline-only, front-wheel-drive niche model in North America throughout its run.
Pricing in Context
The 2021 C-HR undercut the RAV4, which started several thousand dollars higher, and sat above the Corolla sedan. Its closest rivals were small crossovers such as the Honda HR-V, Nissan Kicks and Hyundai Venue. The C-HR’s distinctive styling was its main selling point, and the addition of the Nightshade Edition for 2021 leaned further into that positioning rather than pushing the model upmarket. Toyota also kept the trim structure simple, with four grades and few major option packages; the main choices were wheel size, the safety technology standard on the XLE and above, and the Nightshade’s blacked-out appearance package. The Limited sat at the top of the range with the full Safety Sense 2.5 suite, 18-inch alloy wheels and the most extensive list of comfort and convenience features.
Trims and Prices
Toyota sold the 2021 C-HR in four U.S. trims: LE, XLE, Nightshade Edition and Limited. Original manufacturer’s suggested retail prices ran from about $21,695 for the LE to $26,750 for the Limited, with the XLE around $23,730 and the Nightshade around $24,495. Standard on every trim was the Star Safety System, ten airbags, Hill-Start Assist and Toyota Safety Sense 2.5. For more on Toyota’s sedan line, see the 2021 Toyota Avalon Review, Interior and Release Date and the 2020 Toyota Avalon Rumors, Engine Specs and Review. More Toyota Review coverage is available on the site.
Market Position and Discontinuation
The C-HR sold strongly in its early years but lost ground as newer, roomier rivals arrived. Toyota introduced the Corolla Cross for 2022 as a more conventional small SUV, and the C-HR was discontinued in North America after the 2022 model year. A second-generation C-HR did arrive globally in 2023, but it was built in Turkey and sold in Europe and Australia only; the United States did not receive it.
