2017 Toyota C-HR

Toyota C-HR

Toyota’s C-HR occupies a strange patch of tarmac in the local compact crossover scene: it’s too sharp-edged and flashy for school run duty, but too much of a car to tussle with proper SUVs. On paper at least, it’s gunning for Sandton’s style-conscious crowd, the ones who don’t want to lose their car in a sea of bland. Park it next to a Mazda CX-3, Hyundai Kona, or Ford EcoSport and it’s the C-HR that’ll draw the curious glances. Power is a single-minded affair—just a 1.2-litre turbo petrol, no hybrid, no diesel, and your choice of manual, auto, or CVT. Toyota’s stopped bringing them in new, so if you want one, you’re hunting the used listings: eleven examples between R239,900 and R339,900, all with that unmistakable silhouette. Most of the stock is the 1.2T Plus CVT, which tells you what South Africans actually bought—probably for the badge and the peace of mind, not the pulse rate. Prices range from R269,000 up to R329,950, with average mileage hovering around 89,000 km—so you’re not looking at anything thrashed, just lived-in. The C-HR sells on looks and Toyota’s reputation for reliability, and that matters if you’re weighing it against the Kona or CX-3, especially since the 1.2 turbo with a CVT isn’t going to set your hair on fire through Gillooly’s. The Luxury CVT at R339,900 feels optimistic for a car that’s off the new-car menu, but limited supply props up the numbers. No new ones, so you’re buying what’s already out there—simple as that.