The Toyota C-HR will be officially launched in
Thailand anytime now, after order books opened late last year. The funky
crossover is made at Toyota Motor Thailand’s Gateway plant in Chachoengsao,
which will export the C-HR to over 100 countries, including Malaysia.
Two engine options will be available there, a
naturally aspirated 1.8 litre and a hybrid 1.8 litre. The 1.8 Dual VVT-i motor
makes 140 PS and 175 Nm of torque, and is paired to a CVT automatic with seven
virtual ratios. As is the norm in Thailand, the engine is E85 compatible.
The hybrid model combines a 2ZR-FXE Atkinson-cycle
1.8 litre engine (98 PS/142 Nm) with an electric motor with 72 hp and 163 Nm.
Max combined output is 122 hp, but there’s plenty of torque from rest. The
battery that powers the motor is a nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) unit. Toyota
claims fuel economy of 24.4 km/l and CO2 emissions of 95 g/km. Toyota’s hybrid
system is well-proven, but there’s a five-year warranty for the system and
10-year warranty for the hybrid battery for peace of mind.
The 1.8L can be had in Entry and Mid trim levels,
while the Hybrid comes in Mid and Hi variants. The base 1.8 Entry (979,000
baht) comes with auto halogen projector headlamps, LED tail lamps,
17-inch alloys, black fabric seats, seven-inch touchscreen audio (USB, AUX,
Bluetooth) and seven airbags (front, side, curtain, driver’s knee). The top
non-hybrid C-HR, the 1.8 Mid (1.039 million baht), adds on fog
lamps, leather and keyless entry/push start.
The Hybrid Mid (1.069 million baht) will
net one all of the above plus full LED headlamps, full LED tail lamps and T-Connect
telematics. The top 1.8 Hybrid High (1.159 million baht) gets the
full works, further adding on navigation and the Toyota Safety Sense pack.
There’s no shortage of official accessories for the
C-HR, and Thai buyers can opt for a wide range of add-ons – from exterior
colour highlights to a tissue box cover with floral motif. Some are practical
and some are tacky, and there are many items that come in various designs to
suit different tastes.
