North America is unlikely to receive this new version of the sub-compact SUV.
The C-HR will be a competitor to the Nissan Juke, which also continues to exist in Europe.
The new C-HR will be based on the Prius, which means it will be either a hybrid or a PHEV.
Toyota’s funky C-HR subcompact crossover will return in a completely new generation, but likely not in North America.
The automaker will officially unveil this new version of the C-HR on June 26, which is why it has begun to release teaser images.
From these images and a series of spy shots, we can see that this upcoming model will adopt the now-familiar new face of Toyota which has already been seen on the bZ4X, the Crown, and the new Prius.
Resemblance to the latter is not a surprise since the new C-HR will be based on the Prius, which means that its only powertrain options will be either a hybrid or plug-in hybrid system.
Toyota hasn’t said if it plans to add a fully electric version of this model in the future, but this should be easy to do since the TNGA platform on which it will be built is very similar to the E-TNGA version used by the bZ4X.
In addition, one of the concepts for the company’s future EVs appears very similar to what we expect the new C-HR to look like.
Toyota bZ Compact SUV Concept | Photo: Toyota
Speaking of looks, the front end of the C-HR will feature the same “Hammerhead” design as the new Prius, complete with “C-shaped” headlamps while the rear-end will be graced by a full-width light bar that was demonstrated in the official teaser.
Using mechanical elements taken from the Prius could mean a substantial increase in power and efficiency over the previous generation of the small crossover, with an electric range of around 80 kilometres being a possibility in the PHEV variant.
In addition, the dimensions of the new model might grow sufficiently for it to be considered a rival to the Kia Niro, especially if an electric version joins the hybrid and PHEV models.
However, the main rival for the C-HR remains the equally funky Nissan Juke, which has also abandoned the North American market after its first generation was discontinued.
More complete details about the new Toyota C-HR will be available in two weeks, after the launch.
Source: Autocar
