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We Took the 2018 Toyota C-HR on a Test Drive at the Dayton Auto Show

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TNW Rebecca and WhitneyThis weekend, February 22nd -25th, the Dayton Auto Show takes over the local convention center to give the Miami Valley a good look at all the best vehicles on sale today without the pressure of a dealership visit. Editor Whitney Burch and I attended the show on Thursday, and after examining the vehicles we write about every day we made time to get behind the wheel for a test drive. We could choose between models in the CDJR and Toyota lineup, but once we saw the bold styling of the 2018 C-HR parked in the Toyota booth the choice was simple.


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The CH-R first rolled onto the American scene in early 2017 after making its public debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. As you might be able to tell from its dramatic sculpting that is a little out of the ordinary for a Toyota vehicle, the CH-R was originally meant for the Scion brand before it sadly met its end. Scion’s loss is Toyota’s gain, as the vehicle offers something a big edgier in the automaker’s more traditional and safe lineup.

For our test drive in Dayton, I was behind the steering wheel while Whitney was in the back seat since the Toyota product specialist was sitting next to me. I usually drive a Ford Focus, and as we pulled away from the curb I felt that the C-HR and its CVT transmission had a more steady acceleration than my current ride. I appreciated how the crossover body sat me up above the road, but I still felt connected to it and in total control. Whitney reported that the ride in the back seat was really smooth and comfortable, and she had enough leg room (which is usually sacrificed in smaller crossovers).

The drive was pretty short and was only on city streets, but it has definitely made me a fan of the C-HR. We didn’t get to test all the features, but the fact that the brand’s advanced Toyota Safety Sense P is standard on both trims of the vehicle is pretty impressive. The infotainment system was built with younger drivers in mind, focusing less on features like subscription radio and more on ways to connect to a smartphone.


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If you want to test drive this Toyota crossover for yourself, head to a Toyota dealership or an auto show near you. I would need to take a longer test drive with some highway time to be sure, but the C-HR has definitely made my list of vehicles I would consider adding to my fleet.