Toyota revives the C-HR with class-leading numbers
In 2022, Toyota closed the book on the C-HR, a gas-powered case study in the unremarkable. Now, however, the Japanese automaker is bringing the C-HR back from the dead after four years with an all-electric platform. And if the numbers ring true, the 2026 Toyota C-HR will have segment-topping figures on its side.
Just after unveiling the all-new RAV4 and refreshing the bZ, Toyota is bringing back the C-HR with a new EV lease on life
Toyota is making some changes. Chalk it up to a mid-decade crisis or the brand’s renewed emphasis on non-ICE vehicles like hybrids and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). As part of the brand’s latest efforts, Toyota refreshed the bZ4X and chopped off half the clunky moniker, leaving a simplified “bZ” in its place. To make use of a popular TV infomercial series: but wait, there’s more! Toyota is also reviving the C-HR after discontinuing it four years ago.
No more anemic 144-horsepower, naturally aspirated inline four-cylinder like the discontinued model. Instead, the new Toyota C-HR shares a platform with the bZ, namely a 74.7 kWh battery pack with two electric motors.
Combined output totals 338 horsepower, an improvement of 194 ponies. Fortunately, all that power translates to a much quicker ride. Toyota says the new C-HR will hit 60 mph in around five seconds, twice as swiftly as the discontinued model.
Toyota says the all-wheel drive EV will manage around 290 miles on a single charge. And when drivers exhaust that range, the C-HR will reportedly recharge from 10% to 80% in 30 minutes with a Level 3 DC fast-charger, on par with the new bZ.
Replenishing the 74.7 kWh battery pack is done through a North American Charging System (NACS) port, another feature the C-HR shares with the bZ. As a result, you’ll find the new EV parked at Tesla Superchargers alongside other NACS-equipped vehicles.
However, the all-electric C-HR isn’t likely to be as budget-friendly as the discontinued 2022 model. The base SE will likely start at around $35,000, while the higher-trim XSE will bring the starting price closer to $38,000. That’s right around $10,000 more than the discontinued model demanded four years ago.
