With the 2021 model year of the C-HR, Toyota has offered 3 trims namely, LE, XLE, and Limited starting from $21,595 with an added edition of Nightshade which has black-accent all around from top to bottom. The LE has been given high value in terms of comfort and ambiance temperature as it gets Dual-zone front climate control and high-cushioning seats. Moreover, the 8.0-inch touchscreen display and 6-speaker audio system have also been embedded inside the cabin as normal. The XLE furthermore seems to add touches like the leatherette on the steering and shifter.

The highly packed Limited trim is even more impressive as it tends to get power-adjustable seats with a heating function in the enclosure. Not just that, the safety features like Blindspot monitoring and Adaptive cruise control come inherent in it. The ultimate wheel setup of 7" x 18" Sport Alloy wheels holds the Limited which can further be blacked-out to be strikingly dark for the Nightshade Edition whereas the LE has a smaller version of 17-inch steel wheels attached to the axles. Thus, it is easily one of the most featured SUVs in the market.

Which Trim should you buy?

Considering all aspects at once, the 2021 Toyota C-HR Limited appears to be the logical one among the siblings. It has all the basic comfort with power assistance and heating along with bigger wheels for a more muscular road appearance. All these with just an increment of $5,000 is worth giving attention to. Moreover, the leather upholstery reaches another level in this trim as compared to the other two which lack it more than expected. Hence, without a doubt go for the Limited. 

Under the hood of the 2021 Toyota C-HR lies a 2.0-liter inline-4 engine which churns out a modest 144 hp and 139 lb-ft of maximum torque. There are no powertrain options provided by Toyota. The engine is mated to a CVT gearbox and comes with a front-wheel-drive as standard which also can’t be upgraded to either AWD or 4WD.

Talking about accelerations, the C-HR does the sprint from 0-60 mph in 11.0 seconds which is pretty slow considering the segment. It even has slower quarter-mile timings with 18.4 seconds. All in all, its CVT may allow gliding past in the city with easy gear shifting but is evidently sluggish for its acceleration.

Hyundai Kona has slightly more power than what the competition has on offer, with Honda and Toyota being very similar in terms of engine specs, the fortune places the Chevy at the last. But the real-world performance is quite different. It is surprising to see the Hyundai Kona and Chevy Trax perform similarly to each other in 0-60 mph runs yet lag behind the obvious Honda HR-V that is the quickest, taking 8.6 seconds. On top of that, the Trax is capable of outclassing all except the Honda with its top speed of 116 mph as well. 

How well does the 2021 Toyota C-HR handle?

The Toyota C-HR is quite a heavy machinery except that it achieves reasonable steering response and feedback along with undulation dampening by the combination of front strut and rear multi-link suspension. The Electric Power-Assist Speed-Sensing Steering keeps the driver’s effort at the lowest for easy maneuvering but because of its sheer weight, the front diving while hard braking becomes obvious and inevitable.

The sensor-packed frame allows one to have a grasp on the surroundings with the Blind-Spot Monitor and other collision mitigation features. Moreover, the driving experience is also a plus point in its narration as the panel and cabin both negate the vibration. However, it is important to note that the weight with such Bodystyle increases the risk of body roll. Fortunately, that has been taken into consideration by Toyota.

Braking Performance

Toyota has developed an adequate braking system for the C-HR. With 11.8-inch front discs and 11.1-inch rear discs, it takes 133 feet to stop from 60 mph which is decent but not the best. Moreover, disc ventilation has also been incorporated into the design which can keep continuous hard braking a viable possibility. Additionally, the 4-wheel ABS, Brake Assist, and Electric Parking Brake are also there for extra inches of assurance. 

As per data, Honda HR-V steals the show with an impeccable braking performance in comparison to others in the segment coming to a halt in 114ft while the Chevy Trax comes in a close second taking 121ft. Even though the Hyundai Kona is the lightest it still gets outmatched by the heavier rivals, probably because of its undermarked weight distribution throughout the platform, meanwhile, the Toyota C-HR seems to be the least whelming for what it offers.

The EPA has been very kind to the 2021 Toyota C-HR and has rated the same with 27 MPG for the city, 31 MPG on the highways, and a combined rating of 29 MPG. The underpowered engine with the CVT system and the front-wheel drivetrain has made it possible for the C-HR to achieve such exceptional figures. Coupled with a relatively smaller fuel tank of 13.2 gallons, the combined range stands at 382.8 miles which is quite manageable but confines its practicality and worthiness with respect to others. 

Both Honda and Hyundai do a good job in the competition in delivering a higher fuel economy than their Toyota and Chevy counterparts, especially in the highway mileage averaging 33 and 34 MPG, respectively. The Chevy Trax might be on the lower side when it comes to efficiency but has a slightly larger fuel tank that can hold 14-gallons of fuel to compensate for the lost MPGs as it gives some extra 10 miles on a daily basis and ranges close to the segment leaders.

The Toyota C-HR interior is in the middle of extremities with a decent list of features for comfort and convenience. The seats are nicely cushioned with high-bolstering. The feel might not be impressive with cloth-trim and plastic panels inside it for lower-tier but that changes to sport-leather finish in the highest trim with power-flexing.

In addition to that, the Dual Zone Front Automatic Air Conditioning maintains the temperature threshold, and heat recirculation in the seats assists for the same but in the reverse temperature meter. The egress and ingress are not at all a matter of contention irrespective of row seating.

Apart from the Toyota C-HR, the other three SUVs offer a practical cabin with plenty of space for all the possible 5 passengers. The front row is very much commendable for the spaciousness with the C-HR but it is the second row where the differences come into light with exceptionally cramped legroom. On the other hand, the Honda HR-V has the most balanced cabin with ample rear room and is followed by the Hyundai and Chevy counterparts. For cargo capacity as well, Honda leads the path but this time Toyota is not that far behind from the sight with its 19.1 cubic feet of volume. 

A few of the standout features of the interior are:

• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Cruise control
• Leather seats
• Leather steering wheel
• Heated front seats
• Driver seat power lumbar support
• Keyless ignition

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The infotainment system on offer in the C-HR is very intuitive which encloses an 8.0-inch touchscreen that is pretty sensitive and easy to operate with no glaring at all. The listening rhythm is taken care of by the 6-speaker audio unit and Bluetooth Connectivity.

One has those advanced voice recognition and hands-free phone capability along with Amazon Alexa compatibility for abuse. Moreover, as standard, the infotainment comes equipped with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, SiriusXM, dual USB ports, and a lot more. On the whole, one should be content with what is being offered at such a price tag. 

A few of the important infotainment features are:

• 8.0-inch touchscreen display
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• SiriusXM
• 6-speaker audio system
• USB and Bluetooth connectivity

The 2021 Toyota C-HR is simply mouthwatering in its appeal. The sleekness in those large LEDs along with the black-accented grille on the front fascia gives that breezing appearance. The fender takes a hemispherical bulge over the 7" x 18" Sport Alloy wheels which is apt as per its side view.

The body lines right from the front to rear flowing over the door panels look continuous with no abruption at all. The lip spoiler in the rear is married to the curviness on the power liftgate and the couple is no less than an eternity. Not just for look basis, but the spoiler is equally capable of generating enough downforce which is kind of a must for such silhouette dynamics.

Toyota offers a heavier and lengthier SUV and that too with lower ground clearance, all of which only direct us towards its compromised stability around the corner. It is no debate that it will be leaning heavily when taking a steep turn followed by hard braking. The others are fairly better as far as weight transfer and distribution is concerned. The Hyundai Kona is reasonably compact among them and shares a podium with the HR-V but the latter becomes more practical without any compromise inside the cabin’s spaciousness despite that compactness.

A few of the key exterior features are:

• Striking color options
• Sharp LED headlights, DRLs, and taillights
• 18-inch optional wheels
• Sunroof (Optional)
• Heated mirrors
• Keyless entry

If you are someone who prioritizes safety, then the 2021 Toyota C-HR will impress you. Toyota has updated the safety features with the Safety Sense 2.0 which adds a lot of additional safety features like lane-departure warning and pedestrian detection. The list goes on to include other advanced readiness and alertness as well with the Pre-collision safety system, Post-collision safety system, and Adaptive Cruise Control for maintaining safe distance gaping. Apart from these, the C-HR has reference structural resilience as it was rated 5-stars by the NHTSA which is laudable. But it doesn't end there as the IIHS also rated it with a “Good” marking in every major category along with the “Top Safety Pick” title.

A few of the important safety features are:

• Adaptive headlights
• 4-wheel ABS with traction control
• Tire pressure monitoring
• Emergency braking assist
• Pre-collision safety system
• Post-collision safety system
• Self-leveling headlights
• Lane-departure warning
• Pedestrian detection

2021 Toyota C-HR vs 2021 Chevrolet Trax

The Trax is a better value for money with better real-world performance, better EPA ratings, better braking performance, and a slightly spacious rear row.

However, it has dull exterior looks when compared to the Toyota and does not pack a lot of features as the latter, and by that, it means the updated driver assistance features. Overall, the C-HR gives far better insurance of safer hauling while the Trax is cost-effective for daily purpose needs.

2021 Toyota C-HR vs 2021 Hyundai Kona

The Hyundai Kona is better in almost all categories than the C-HR and does pack some very interesting features along with a more spacious cabin.

Except for safety and top speed parameters, the C-HR will prove to be a blow to your pocket. Be it economy, performance, range, or seating comfort, the Kona squeezes C-HR and swiftly passes it. Thus the lever would prefer to sway towards the Hyundai corner.

2021 Toyota C-HR vs 2021 Honda HR-V

The Honda HR-V is the most popular in its segment and offers more of everything that consumers want. The HR-V has been on the market for a longer time than the C-HR and has a lot of advantages over the C-HR like a more comfortable cabin, best mileage in the segment, and has a higher cargo capacity.

The C-HR may take a lead when it is about road presence and safety but then it comes down to you at the end whether it is looks or practicality that matters. As far as our end is concerned, it is certainly HR-V.

If you crave sharp design language, a host of safety features, tough build quality, a well-designed cabin with a lot of features, and a decent fuel economy then the 2021 Toyota C-HR is something you should consider. However, one should not be too negligent with all this chaos that he/she completely ignores the practicality which can be better found in the HR-V and Kona. Thus, it should not be your very first preference.