MOTORING NEWS - Many who follow car design specifically were taken aback by the Toyota CH-R's edgy styling, in contrast to the relatively conservative design approach in the company until recently, with the sporty 86 sports car and the FJ as the notable exceptions in the last few years.
For 2018, an all-new range-topping model of the revolutionary CH-R is available in a Luxury derivative. The Luxury is distinguished from the Standard and Plus versions by its bi-tone design.
It has a black roof, roof-pillars and side-mirrors to create a striking two-tone effect. The black upper section can be combined with four exterior colours, the options being white pearl, cinnabar red metallic, lunar metallic (a smoky silver) or Caribbean blue.
Customers can also opt for a black exterior combined with a white roof, creating a total of five different colour options.
Smoked rear tail lamps and full-LED head and fog lamps are fitted. Daytime running lights (DRL) with a contour-hugging light guide complete the exterior package with stylish
18" alloy wheels that are fitted to Plus and Luxury models.
CONVENIENCE
Convenience features for the driver are provided in electrically adjustable lumbar support, a keyless-entry system with push-button start linked to auto-folding side mirrors, park distance control (PDC) and the high-tech intelligent parking assist (IPA).
The IPA system uses the PDC sensors to check for and measure a potential parking space. It then resumes control of the electric power steering (EPS) and precisely manoeuvres the vehicle into the parking space.
No more stressful parking predicaments - at least once one has learnt to trust it. The system provides step-by-step instructions and distance indications via the colour multi-information display.
A reverse camera is provided across the entire range.
Seating in the Luxury grade model is provided with textured leather seats, which include seat heaters for driver and passenger and the aforementioned adjustable driver lumbar support.
JUMP IN LUXURY
The upper dashboard also incorporates soft-touch leather trim with contrast stitching. The interior of the C-HR was attractive before, but the jump in luxury is substantial.
The infotainment system is rich in features, with a touchscreen interface and bright legible graphics. Millennials are catered for with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Plus Show connectivity, USB interface and Bluetooth streaming and telephony.
Occupants can also choose to mirror cellphone apps, providing access to a vast array of music and navigation options such as Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze, Spotify, Apple Music and Soundcloud - depending on the device.
Satellite navigation embedded into the system is standard across the range, allowing users to navigate without the need for a cellphone connection.
The C-HR retains its 1,2-litre turbo-charged engine, featuring a host of efficiency-boosting technologies such as VVTi-W (variable valve timing - intelligent wide), direct injection, flexible engine cycle switching, 10:1 compression ratio and smart heat management.
The engine delivers 85kW and a constant torque curve of 185Nm between 1 500 and 4 000rpm.
The Luxury model uses a CVT (continuous variable transmission) with programmed steps, which simulate conventional gear ratios.
In addition, the driver can access seven pre-defined gear ratios when moving the brushed aluminium shift-lever from D (Drive) to M (Manual) mode, affording a greater degree of control.
Standard and Plus derivatives are also available with a six-speed manual transmission with Toyota's iMT (intelligent manual transmission) system.
NEW GLOBAL ARCHITECTURE
Underpinning the C-HR is a variant of the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform first introduced on the Prius. A fundamental characteristic of TNGA is the excellent balance of refinement, ride quality and dynamically rewarding handling.
A McPherson front suspension layout is adopted, while the rear utilises a double wishbone design.
All C-HR variants have a complete array of active safety features, including vehicle stability control, hill assist control, ABS, electronic brake force distribution and brake assist. The Luxury model has more airbags - nine, with the addition of driver knee, curtain and side airbags.
DETAILS
The recommended retail prices are: C-HR 1,2T - R336 000; C-HR 1,2T Plus - R365 500; C-HR 1,2T Plus CVT - R377 000 and C-HR 1,2T Luxury CVT - R422 100. All C-HR models come with an expanded six service or 90 000km service plan and three year or 100 000km warranty. Service intervals are at every 15 000km.
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