What's all this about?

In summary, a styling exercise by Toyota that hints at a potential future design direction for its performance hybrid vehicles.

Hang on, they gave us the Prius!

And very well it has done for Toyota, too, with over 11 million vehicles sold since its 1997 inception. Hybrids are big in general for Toyota, especially in Western Europe, with half of its current sales (including luxury arm Lexus) featuring hybrid powertrains. Lately though, the Japanese manufacturer has realised that building boring, dependable workhorses just won't cut it anymore, and the striking design of the C-HR crossover is proof of that.

So, a performance hybrid eh?

Sort of. Toyota hasn't given any actual powertrain details, so it's just a thought for now. What we see here is what its European design team (ED2) reckon a sporty hybrid C-HR of the future could look like. Chief designer Lance Scott outlines the team's approach: "What we wanted to do was almost to purify or concentrate the unique value of the Toyota C-HR and see how we could give it further emphasis by using a new and unique colour and interior trim execution. The challenge was not to stray away from the qualities that define the car, but to add to them in a fresh and original way."

What's with all the orange?

We know, we know, it's very intense. It's happened to the inside as well. The 'diamond' design theme of the C-HR is heavily built upon, with lots of dark, diamond-patterned detailing inside and out. Look beyond the garish details, and you'll see that the lines of the car haven't been overly cluttered with bolt-on modifications, save for a subtle front lip spoiler. This is a good thing, as the C-HR's basic design is very appealing as it is.

Maurice Malone - 12 Sep 2017