2026 Toyota C-HR First Drive Review: Fun to Drive, Not to Live With

• Toyota revives the C-HR name, this time as a small electric SUV that costs $38,450.
• The C-HR has a fun, quirky design.
• However, that styling comes at the cost of passenger space and overall practicality.

The C-HR's range numbers are decent, too. The EPA estimates up to 287 miles of range if you stick with the standard 18-inch wheels, decreasing to 273 miles if you opt for the larger 20-inch wheels. Yes, most shoppers like to see a range number north of 300 miles these days — something that the Tesla Model Y achieves. That said, the C-HR does come with a Tesla-style NACS charging port, so you can plug in at a Supercharger without an adapter. We’ll put the C-HR through both the Edmunds EV Range Test and Edmunds EV Charging Test in the near future.

This little nugget drives much better than I anticipated. Along some truly spectacular mountain roads around Ojai, California, the C-HR feels spry and — dare I say — fun. It shares most of its chassis hardware with the bZ and bZ Woodland, but Toyota tuned the C-HR to be stiffer, giving it a sportier vibe. The C-HR has no problem carrying decent speed through winding corners, with ample power delivered smoothly. This crossover only has one driving mode, though — you'd figure there'd at least be a more lively sport setting on an EV geared toward engagement.

The best thing about the C-HR is its ride quality. Even with the larger 20-inch wheels, this EV feels great over bumps in the road. The C-HR will be very comfortable as a daily commuter — assuming you don't need to use the back seats.

Here's where the C-HR suffers

Let's talk about simply getting in and out of the C-HR. To access the back seats, you have to duck quite a bit — and at 5 feet, 8 inches, I'm not exactly tall. Once you're seated back there, the C-HR has an inch less headroom than the larger Toyota bZ Woodland. That's the price you pay for a sloping roofline.

The C-HR's cargo area is also small. A Tesla Model Y has about 5 more cubic feet of cargo room. Worse than the actual cargo measurement, however, is the fact that you can't fit tall items in the C-HR because of that roofline. It just isn't practical. Even the less expensive Toyota bZ (not the Woodland) is more functional.

When it comes to tech, the C-HR has an easy-to-use multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but features like native navigation are only free for an initial trial period and need to be subscribed to for long-term use. Also, for the life of me, I cannot figure out why Toyota places the gauge cluster so high on the dashboard — it means moving your seat to an awkward position so the screen doesn't get blocked by the steering wheel, which makes this car uncomfortable to drive.

There are better buys out there

The 2026 Toyota C-HR starts at $38,450 including $1,450 for destination, and nearly fully loaded with options you'll want, it comes to $43K. A similarly loaded Toyota bZ costs $47,300 — though you can get a cheaper version with less range — and the Tesla Model Y Premium (that's the one you actually want) costs about $49,000. Both of those rivals are genuinely worth the added cost; they're more usable and livable day to day. I'd rather spend a little extra money to get a more well-rounded product.

Toyota maintains that C-HR buyers will prioritize form over function. But comparing the C-HR to its rivals, even if it's a little bit cheaper, I just don't think the trade-offs are worth it.

Photos by Clint Simone