What's the news?
Toyota will seriously shake up the crossover and SUV market this November when it puts the long-awaited to C-HR on sale, and it will kick off its pricing at a very sharp €26,895 for a 1.2-litre turbo petrol in Luna specification. That means you'll be able to get a cutting edge engine for a similar price to what Hyundai charges for a Tuscon with an older-technology 1.6 petrol.
Significantly, there will be no diesel model for the C-HR, but there will be a hybrid, and its prices start at €29,350, again in Luna spec. In well-equipped Luna Sport trim, the Hybrid costs €31,950 which puts it up against mid-spec Qashqai and Tuscon diesel models.
The 122hp Hybrid C-HR boasts emissions of 88g/km and combined fuel economy of better than 75mpg, but will it be enough to convince buyers who've become used to their diesels over the past eight years? Toyota Ireland says that "there has been a recognisable shift in consumer interest towards choosing alternatives to diesel" but I guess we'll have to wait and see.
The 1.2 petrol turbo is an engine we've already sampled and been impressed by in the Auris hatchback (which donates much of its mechanical package to the C-HR) and here it comes in 116hp form with 139g/km of Co2.
Toyota Ireland says the C-HR is a lynchpin in its efforts to 'democratise safety' and so the crossover will come with the Toyota Safety Sense package as standard across the range, including Pre-Collision System (including Pedestrian Recognition), Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert with steering control, Automatic High Beam and Road Sign Assist. All models will get an eight-inch touchscreen as standard, but you'll have to upgrade to a range-topping €30,950 Sol model if you want heated seats, a smart entry system, privacy glass, bespoke upholstery including part-leather seats, adaptive cruise control, satellite navigation with connected services, Toyota's revolutionary S-IPA system (Simple Intelligent Park Assist), 18-inch alloy wheels and Bi-tone metallic paintwork.
On the practical front, although the C-HR is actually quite compact on the outside, Toyota claims that it has identical cabin space to the Nissan Qashqai.
By the way, C-HR isn't just a random jumble of letters, it's actually an acronym. It stands for Coupe - High Rider. No sniggering at the back, please...
Sales start in November and you can order a C-HR from your Toyota dealer now.