Toyota thought they had something going with the 2018 C-HR. It looked promising in the beginning, and many people rushed out to buy it. But some ultimately regretted that decision. 

The Toyota C-HR crossover SUV turned out to be a magnet for problems, as newly introduced vehicles tend to be. It had some impressive features, but drivers focused more on what went wrong. Consumer Reports show the issues that it had and what owners thought of their purchase. 

What went wrong with the 2018 Toyota C-HR?

The 2018 Toyota C-HR received the lowest rating of one out of five for predicted reliability from Consumer Reports. It had some problems with the in-car electronics, as well as the climate, fuel, and drive systems. Plus, some people complained of a few minor engine issues as well.

The major problem plaguing the C-HR was some of the power equipment in the vehicle. Owners filed complaints on CarComplaints.com stating their vehicle’s electrical system caused all kinds of issues. 

Some had the car shut off for no reason while driving down the road, and others experienced random warning lights for no apparent explanation. There were even a few complaining that the car wouldn’t start and the warning they got was for a brake override malfunction. 

There was even a safety recall issued on it. The recall was for a parking brake problem where it could, potentially, not engage and the car would roll down a hill, causing a possible crash. 

What did owners think of the 2019 C-HR?

When owners responded to Consumer Report’s survey, some interesting information came about. Overall, the owner’s satisfaction of the crossover SUV rating scored a one out of five points. 

The owners favored driving experience and vehicle styling fairly well, while value fell to mid-range. But comfort level plummeted to a low rating of 22 out of 100 points. This meant that they didn’t feel the seats, climate control, noise and ride measured up to their standards. 

The last area these drivers were asked to review was their opinion on whether or not they would purchase the C-HR again. According to the data, Consumer Reports received, only 39% said they go for it again down the road. 

Did Toyota improve on the 2018 model?

Looking at the data for the 2019 model year, most of the trouble spots had gotten better. They were still, however, plagued with some power equipment issues, but not nearly as bad as the previous year. 

When it comes to dependability, the Toyota C-HR ended up with three safety recalls issued on it. One was for a seat belt issue, another for a possible hard-to-read label, and the last one was for the bolts on the rear axle hub bearing. 

Owners of this crossover SUV saw a significant improvement, though, especially with comfort levels. They scored it 76 out of 100 and 59% said they buy it again when given the chance. 

The 2020 model, however, didn’t fare as well. Comfort level dropped to 49 out of 100, and driving experience, as well as styling,also fell in scores. When asked if they would buy it again, only 49%, this time, said they would purchase another one in the future.

As with many automakers, Toyota had a bad year with the C-HR in its 2018 model. Over the next couple of years, they tried to improve it and succeeded in 2019 only to hit head-first into more problems in 2020. Overall, the C-HR is a decent vehicle, but you might want to consider turning away from the 2018 model.