Tested: 2026 Toyota C-HR Might Be Too Quick for Toyota's Liking

• The C-HR is one of a handful of new Toyota EVs and shares its platform and powertrain with the Subaru Uncharted.
• Producing 338 horsepower, it's quick enough that Toyota's safety systems are dialed up to 11. 
• Being able to see the gauge cluster would be nice, but the C-HR's round wheel doesn't think so.

It's the "slow" one

On our acceleration straight, it took 4.9 seconds to hit 60 mph and 13.3 seconds to complete the quarter mile at 103.6 mph. A visit to our Testing Team archives revealed that's about as quick as a Lexus RC F or a V8-powered BMW M3, an impressive feat especially when you consider that the Toyota weighs 4,565 pounds. 

Compared to the Uncharted, however, the C-HR is undoubtedly the "slow" one. To keep things fair, we tested the dual-motor version of the Subaru, which produces the same amount of power and torque. Both Japanese brands even cite identical 4.9-second 0-60 times, which the Toyota had no problem equaling. That said, the Uncharted went above and beyond, sprinting to 60 mph in a brisk 4.2 seconds and completing the quarter mile in 12.5 seconds at 109.6 mph. 

While the Subaru's lighter 4,451-pound weight explains some of this performance delta, a 114-pound difference, the numbers show that the Uncharted isn't just quicker off the line, it's still traveling considerably faster at the end of the quarter mile. They might be twins on paper, but it's not quite the case in practice. 

Is Toyota a little anxious? 

Having tested both crossovers, I can tell you that one of the main reasons the Subaru is so much quicker is its generally relaxed stability and traction control systems. With my foot to the floor, the Uncharted's front tires happily broke traction and performed a little burnout off the line. The C-HR was the exact opposite. With traction control on or off, the Toyota delivered the same results. Is Toyota a little anxious in a way Subaru isn't?

Its time on our 200-foot skidpad certainly points toward yes. While the C-HR's 0.82 g result is within spitting distance of the Uncharted's 0.84 g, it's significantly harder to get the best performance out of the Toyota due to its intrusive traction control system. As soon as its front tires approach their grip limits, the C-HR's systems pull power aggressively, unsettling its balance. In contrast, the Subaru is far more willing to let you explore its limits, leading to a far more confidence-inspiring experience. 

In an emergency scenario, this means the Uncharted will react more predictably, whereas the C-HR could intrude to the point of making a bad situation even worse. That said, both crossovers remained fairly stable both off the line and under heavy braking. It's a theme that continued on our handling course, where both exhibited far less body roll than expected.

It's not all losses for the Toyota, however, as it took just 122 feet to stop from 60 mph. That's quite a bit better than the Subaru's 127-foot result. That said, both crossovers rely on a brake-by-wire system, meaning the pedal isn't physically connected to the braking system. Unfortunately, you can feel it. As my foot slammed down in both cars, their antilock brakes pulsated loudly as they attempted to shed speed. Their results might be par for the course, but the brakes feel disconnected in a way that makes the whole experience somewhat unsettling. 

It would be nice to see

In the sound department, the Subaru takes the lead by registering 37.7 dB at "idle," a significant improvement over the Toyota's 42.1 dB result. Think of the Uncharted as falling closer to luxury SUV territory, whereas the C-HR scores more in line with the average car. That said, the Toyota proved to be the quieter of the pair at full throttle, registering 65.3 dB versus the Subaru at 68.2 dB. Once at 70 mph, the two registered almost identical sound levels with 66.2 dB for the C-HR and 66.5 dB for the Uncharted. 

Having tested both crossovers, I'd add the Subaru's squared-off steering wheel to my wishlist if the Toyota is the one I end up buying. See, given the C-HR's circular wheel, it blocks the digital gauge cluster almost completely. I was able to fix this issue by essentially putting the wheel on my lap, but I had to give up a comfortable driving position to do so. 

And while a compromised driving position is reason enough to pick the Subaru over the Toyota, for me, it would come down to the fact that the Uncharted is just as powerful but not afraid to let you experience its full performance. Perhaps the C-HR is just a little too quick for Toyota's liking.