Following their first-drive road tests of the second-generation Toyota C-HR hybrid, selected members of the national motoring press were invited to test-drive the model’s flagship plug-in hybrid model and experience its extended EV range. What did the professional road testers think of the ‘dual DNA’ version that looks set to become a company car favourite? What were their 2024 Toyota C-HR Plug-in reviews?
2024 Toyota C-HR Plug-in reviews:
“The [Plug-in drivetrain] is well-tuned, with a smooth transition between electric and combustion power sources. It offers instant zip in EV mode, while the engine has good initial throttle response too, with nice pick-up and acceleration on part throttle. You can… use a hybrid option that will mete out the power and, in sync with the sat-nav, employ geofencing to use electric power in clean-air zones; or even charge the battery back up, from the combustion engine and regenerative braking, in order to redeploy that energy in zero-emissions running later in your journey.”
“It makes lots of sense as a company car choice… assuming you’re not ready to go pure electric. Having the fifth-generation hybrid system at the heart of the vehicle makes the [C-HR Plug-in] a better real-world bet than many of its rivals, because when it’s not running on pure electric power, it’s still a pretty frugal set-up. Toyota claims you can travel up to 41 miles on electric power alone, slotting the C-HR Plug-in neatly into the eight percent band for company car tax.”
“It always starts in EV mode, and its electric range should be enough for the average UK commuter to get to and from work without burning a drop of petrol. Plus, the C-HR knows when it’s in an emissions-controlled area and will default to running in EV mode if it has enough charge in its battery pack. We spent an afternoon tooling around… and barely heard a peep from the petrol engine. That bodes well. If you want something that’s comfortable to sit in, interesting to look at and cheap to fuel, the Toyota C-HR Plug-in could be ideal for you.”
2024 Toyota C-HR Plug-in reviews:
“The C-HR Plug-in is well-mannered on the road and looks cool next to many more mundane alternatives. The warranty, reliability and efficiency also make it a great prospect if you simply want a car that’s easy to live with, safe, cheap to run and will just keep going – let’s face it, that’s what most of us want. There’s no denying that some others are cheaper and have plusher-feeling interiors. If you’re not too fussed about that, then the C-HR is a very decent plug-in hybrid car.”
“It’s the best of the model bunch, especially if you tend to do lots of shorter runs. If you’ve got access to a home charger it makes even more sense, just as long as you’re disciplined enough to plug it in. There’s a decent amount of power from the 2.0-litre petrol engine, so the [Plug-in] does work for longer runs, but it thrives best when you’re in the urban environment and can tap into the respectable electric range.”
“The [Toyota C-HR Plug-in] is an interesting proposition, offering some of the perceived benefits of the C-segment SUV like raised ride height, comfort and visibility, yet prioritising cutting-edge style, aerodynamics and great driving experience. The 2024 model… [is] right out in front again as a choice for the style conscious buyer not ready to give up driving thrills in favour of extra headroom.”
2024 Toyota C-HR Plug-in video reviews:
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