'Avant-garde physique': The new Toyota C-HR jostles its way into UAE’s compact SUV maelstrom

The new model from the Japanese manufacturer is entering a tough market

The C-HR is the only hybrid in its class. Courtesy Toyota

A peek inside the cabin.

The driver-side view.

The C-HR in burnt orange.

You'll feel all green when you drive it.

The C-HR's satnav.

On the move.

The rear-light design.

Toyota set out to design a car to turn your head.

The C-HR comes in 10 different colours, some of which are bright.

A new contender to the UAE’s already packed compact SUV market has just arrived in the shape of the 2020 Toyota C-HR.

This one is special, though, the manufacturer reckons. It says the C-HR is “tailored for the lifestyles of today’s trendy, sophisticated and demanding consumers”. If that is you, read on.

Toyota’s marketing team are touting the C-HR as “game for anything” and, if the sales bumf is anything to go by and the brand’s previous offerings a benchmark, it looks like it could make its presence felt among its peers. This 2020 version is a full upgrade on the launch model, which dates back to 2018.

The new compact, which is geared towards an audience that might feel a Land Cruiser is a little hefty for everyday use, pairs a coupe-like upper body with the feeling of an SUV, much like its larger counterpart: the Rav 4.

The C-HR has a 1.8-litre engine that produces 121 horsepower. It can run entirely on electrics, with zero-fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions, or through the combined power of its petrol ‎engine and two electric motors.

Its hybrid batteries are continuously charged by the ‎engine when decelerating and braking, meaning there is no need to plug in a power cord.

The control panel features a 4.2-inch colour display with an onboard multimedia system and full smartphone integration through both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You have Toyota’s usual driver aids as well, including stability control, tyre pressing warnings and hill-start assist.

The C-HR wowed onlookers with its avant-garde physique

The new C-HRs follow on from the 15 million electrified vehicles that Toyota has already produced.

Saud Abbasi, managing director at Al-Futtaim Toyota, is suitably positive about the new arrival.

“When it was first shown to the public as a concept car, the C-HR wowed onlookers with its avant-garde physique,” he said. “Toyota designers translated the concept’s form to a production-ready vehicle while maintaining all the glamour of the show car.”

The C-HR comes in 10 different colours, with two-tone stylings and black or brown interiors. Prices start at Dh86,900.