2026 Toyota C-HR+: New electric SUV wears a familiar name

Toyota’s upcoming compact electric SUV might utilize the company’s e-TNGA EV platform, yet it bears the same name as an established gasoline-driven model line.

The Toyota C-HR+ Is the manufacturing version of the bZ Compact SUV The concept unveiled in November 2022 is somewhat bigger than its similarly titled counterpart. C-HR .

Although it will be available for purchase in "certain European markets" towards the end of 2025, it will be positioned above the newly launched model. Urban Cruiser , Toyota has not yet announced the release date for Australia.

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Toyota Australia is dedicated to our multifaceted strategy towards reducing carbon emissions, and we continuously seek opportunities to broaden our range of electric vehicles," stated a representative from the company. "That being said, we do not have any new announcements at this time.

CarExpert appreciates that the C-HR+ will ultimately make its way here as well.

Toyota Australia had previously announced in 2023 their intention to Three electric vehicles will be available here by 2026. , including the bZ4X It's already being sold, but so far, it hasn't offered any details about what these extra models will be or precisely when they'll launch.

The C-HR+ will come with either front- or all-wheel drive along with two distinct battery options. Please keep in mind that the range estimates are provisional.

Toyota notes that outside its GR performance car range, the C-HR+ – in dual-motor all-wheel drive guise – will be its most powerful model in Europe.

The company hasn’t specified the battery chemistry, but says the C-HR+ will support DC charging at up to 150kW.

An 11kW onboard charger is standard if you’re topping up the car with AC power, with a 22kW unit available.

The C-HR+ also features battery pre-conditioning, which can be operated manually or automatically, and an energy-saving heat pump for the air-conditioning and heated seats, steering wheel and windscreen.

Toyota has emphasised the C-HR+ will have “rewarding dynamic performance and a fun-to-drive character”, and says the use of an EV platform means it has greater body rigidity and a lower centre of gravity than the regular C-HR.

With its rakish roofline, creased sides and slim, C-shaped headlights – which include adaptive high-beam – the C-HR+ looks similar albeit far from identical to the smaller C-HR.

Here’s how the C-HR+ compares with the hybrid C-HR in terms of dimensions:

The interior looks vastly different from the hybrid C-HR, with a free-standing digital instrument cluster and a more squared-off dashboard design.

There’s a standard 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system, up from 12.3 inches in the hybrid model.

Toyota also says there’s a suite of active safety and driver assistance features. While it hasn’t published a full list, it says all C-HR+s will come with blind-spot monitoring and Toyota’s Parking Support Brake.

The satellite navigation system can calculate routes with convenient charging station options based on the state of charge and remaining range.

A surround-view camera is available in high-spec models, while all models have MyToyota app connectivity allowing you to remotely monitor aspects such as the charging status and remaining range.

While the use of the C-HR nameplate may seem confusing, it’s actually part of an effort to reduce customer confusion.

Globally, the brand has been buzzing off the confusing bZ names, as it instead moves to more familiar badges for its EVs except in China.

“We have a number of models. If you start multiplying by technology, by segment, the nameplates tend to proliferate too much. We wanted to rationalise this,” Toyota Europe marketing and product development director Andrea Carlucci told Autocar earlier this year.

[Toyota aims to] steer clear of an excess of model names to keep things simple for the customer.

MORE: Everything Toyota C-HR

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