Since its inception, Japanese automaker Toyota (TM) earned its chops by making some of the most ubiquitous and high-quality cars roaming American roads. However, one thing that the legendary brand lacks in its lineup of cars and SUVs is electric vehicles.
While its contemporaries like General Motors GM, Hyundai, and Kia offer EVs in different sizes and shapes to its customers in the United States, the Toyota brand offers just one electric vehicle in its lineup: the bZ4X crossover SUV.
Comments by its top-level executives and political activities in the United States may support its animosity toward EVs, but Toyota’s decision to offer gas and hybrid cars alongside EVs puts it in a secure and advantageous position compared to manufacturers solely selling EVs.
Toyota
Toyota goes in for a slice of Tesla’s pie
In a break from seeming tradition, Toyota unveiled a series of new EVs at a recent event in Brussels, including a refreshed version of the funky Lexus RZ and Toyota bZ4X, as well as the Urban Cruiser, a tiny crossover vehicle for the European market.
However, one vehicle that Toyota aims to be disruptive is the Toyota C-HR+, a sleek, compact crossover aimed at the same segment as Volkswagen’s ID.4 and Tesla’s Model Y.
Toyota’s newest EV borrows its name and much of its looks from the C-HR, a compact, coupe-styled crossover vehicle that was previously sold in the U.S. from the 2018–2022 model years. Since 2022, the second-generation C-HR has only been sold in Europe and Australia as a traditional hybrid or a plug-in hybrid.
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Style-wise, the C-HR+ borrows some styling cues from other Toyota models, including the Prius and Crown hybrids and the refreshed Camry sedan, including its aggressive nose and LED ‘eyes.’
While the C-HR+ has a similar footprint and front end to the bZ4X, the dead giveaway is its sloping roof, a sporty appearance that Toyota hopes will attract a different subset of buyers.
“The targeted customer is different. The C-HR+ is more for singles or couples or small families,” Toyota Chief Engineer Masaya Uchiyama told InsideEVs. “The bZ4X has more space, so I’d say it’s more of a family car. I hope people will start with the C-HR+ and then, if they have a family, please move to bZ4X.”
2025 Toyota C-HR+
Toyota
Though the Japanese automaker aims to start EV buyers young, it also aims to poach some buyers away from other EV brands by offering segment-defining range.
Underneath the C-HR+ are two different sizes of battery: a smaller 57.7 kWh configuration or a bigger 77 kWh configuration. In its highest-range version, Toyota says that its maximum driving range is 373 miles on Europe’s WLTP testing cycle, which is a compelling comparison versus Tesla’s Model Y.
Like its bigger brother, the bZ4X, it also comes in a single-motor, front-wheel drive version or in dual-motor, all-wheel drive. In its top-of-the-line configuration, the C-HR+ produces 343 horsepower and goes from 0-60 miles per hour in less than 5.2 seconds.
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Toyota’s European holiday
Toyota has not given much information regarding sales outside of Europe, however, it shows that the automaker is giving much consideration in a market where it is winning over Tesla.
The newest data shows that the Toyota City-based automaker is making a killing in Europe’s largest EV stronghold, Norway, compared to Tesla. According to the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council, year-over-year Toyota EV sales increased by 97.6% in January and February 2025: a period that saw year-over-year Tesla sales flounder by 44.4%.
The Toyota C-HR+ is due to go on sale in select European markets, including Great Britain, in late 2025 before launching throughout the region in 2026.
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