Used 2018 Toyota C-HR for Sale near San Jose, CA

A subcompact SUV should offer some utility, but the C-HR lacks a few key features. Can its driving dynamics make up for it?

Subcompact SUVs and crossovers represent one of the fastest growing corners of the auto market. They give buyers good fuel economy and an affordable price, but also the benefit of a tall ride height, added cargo space, and the option of all-wheel drive (AWD).

The 2018 Toyota C-HR competes with the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, and Chevy Trax, but it comes up short in offering some truly basic qualities of an attractive subcompact crossover. It's short on space, tall on price, and lacks even the option of AWD. Additionally, it lacks tech features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which are quickly becoming popular features for new cars. So what does the C-HR offer that rivals do not?

To fully understand the C-HR, you have to realize that it was originally a Scion. It debuted at the 2015 Paris Auto Show and was a neat idea: a high-riding sports coupe. It showed more promise than a tC replacement.

But then Toyota closed the doors at Scion, which left the company with a problem. It still had a relatively compelling portfolio of affordable products, and it finally brought the FR-S under the Toyota name and renamed it the “86,” the way it should have been all along. But what of the C-HR?

The C-HR was pretty on-message for Scion, but it doesn’t live up to Toyota’s ethos of practical, reliable cars. It is far from practical and looks like a Nissan Juke, which is really just a niche vehicle. Why would the world-conquering Toyota go for “niche” when all indications suggest this could eventually be a volume market? And what does that mean for you, the consumer?