My Parents Bought a Toyota C-HR

The other day, I wrote an article about my parents considering a car replacement, and since then, they ended up purchasing a Toyota compact SUV, the C-HR. When I recently visited my parents’ house, I got to drive it a little on public roads, so I’d like to share some brief impressions.

The C-HR at my parents’ home is the model called the C-HR Hybrid 1.8 G LED Edition. The G grade is a higher trim level, featuring LED headlights, stylish wheel designs, and not only upgraded equipment but also enhanced exterior styling.

My father was looking for a car that was “a Toyota, hybrid (for fuel efficiency), with a decent engine size, and roughly the same size as the Prius they currently drive.” The C-HR came up as a candidate, and they found a good deal at a nearby used car dealer and purchased it.

The look is quite youthful and cool. Especially the wheel design is stylish and eye-catching.

The seats have quilting on the backrest, with a two-tone color scheme of black and Coris brown. Overall, they feel soft and plush with good thickness, giving a sense of luxury.

Test Driving the Toyota C-HR

The C-HR is easy to drive and well-equipped with safety features, making it a very reassuring car for my elderly parents. (They plan to surrender their licenses in a few years.)

All C-HR models come standard with Toyota’s preventive safety package, Toyota Safety Sense. This system uses two types of sensors to monitor the surroundings and supports safe driving by controlling the brakes and other functions as needed.

Features like automatic high beams and radar cruise control are included, which are useful not only in emergencies but also for everyday driving.

I honestly thought it’s a great car with good cost performance and practicality.

There was some traffic congestion during the drive, so I tried the radar cruise control. It was easy to operate, smoothly followed the car ahead, and felt smart. I thought, “This would definitely make highway traffic jams easier to handle.” However, since this is the first car my parents have had with cruise control, they don’t yet know how to operate the lever and have never used it (sweat).

I hope they practice and get comfortable using it soon.

Compared to the Prius my parents used to drive, the C-HR has a higher seating position and is easier to drive. Also, I once borrowed a Toyota Aqua as a loaner a long time ago, and I remember feeling a bit uneasy because the suspension was a bit flimsy.

In comparison, the C-HR’s suspension is solid and stable, so even at somewhat higher speeds, it didn’t feel scary at all.

It’s said to have a 1800cc engine, and acceleration on regular roads is more than sufficient. My parents said their previous Prius lacked torque and struggled on hills no matter how much they pressed the accelerator, so they really liked the C-HR’s acceleration.

They also like that the steering is light and easy to handle.

As for the rear seats, it felt a bit tighter than our Nissan Note e-POWER, but the seat comfort was good, and the kids happily said, “The back seats are so soft!”

Everyone Has Their Own Car Preferences

When my parents were considering a new car, I once suggested, “If you’re going to spend about the same amount, why not consider a Volkswagen Golf?”

I thought the Golf’s build quality, driving performance, and ride comfort would make it comfortable on any road.

But my parents replied,

“We’ve always driven Toyotas, so switching to a foreign car with the turn signals on the opposite side is scary. We want to stick with Toyota this time too.”

I said, “Come on, if this is the last car you’ll drive in your life, why not try something other than Toyota?” But after driving the C-HR, I realized that for elderly drivers, being familiar with the controls on a model they’re used to is a very important point.

Also, the sales representative who helped them was very kind, listened carefully to their needs, and explained everything from scratch, which was another important factor.

While I was driving and said, “This is great! Easy to drive and a really good car!” my mother happily responded,

You usually drive Porsches, so I thought you’d say this car is nothing special in comparison, but it really is a nice car. I quite like it.

(laughs)

This experience reminded me that when buying a car, it’s not just about the car’s performance or features, but also whether it meets the buyer’s important priorities, including surrounding factors.

My spouse and I tend to focus on “performance,” “ride comfort,” and “cost-effectiveness,” but my parents value “ease of driving,” “dealership support,” and “fuel economy.” With so many different preferences, it makes sense why there are so many cars available in the world.

Car selection really is a deep subject.

In any case, as a daughter, I’m relieved that my parents are driving a solid car, and I hope they enjoy it safely and happily.