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The stylish SUV will leave the US after 2022, despite the hot next-gen model arriving overseas.
Earlier this week, Toyota unveiled the new C-HR Prologue concept, pictured below, which was confirmed to preview the next-generation C-HR. But not for here. Instead, it was only confirmed for the European market. Toyota has confirmed to MotorTrend that is true for Europe-adding that it won’t be for America. Instead, the current C-HR (pictured at top) will be phased out of the U.S. and Canadian markets following the 2022 model year in favor of the brand-new Toyota Corolla Cross and Toyota RAV4 SUVs. No replacement is due.
“Effective following the 2022 model year, Toyota will discontinue sales of the C-HR in the U.S. and Canada. We are constantly evaluating our product lineup and we remain committed to the compact SUV segment. With the recent introduction of the Corolla Cross and Corolla Cross Hybrid, two great products that offer a great combination of utility and efficiency, and the best-selling RAV4, we are providing multiple options for compact SUV buyers.”
The current C-HR is somewhat porky and saddled by a weak 2.0-liter four-cylinder good for just 144 horsepower, and it lacks any hybrid version like its siblings sold overseas. It was originally intended to go on sale under Toyota’s ill-fated Scion brand before being rebadged and marketed as a Toyota, so this is really the last echo of Scion finally being shed, as well.
The next-gen C-HR headed overseas promises a full hybrid or plug-in hybrid lineup, likely based on the current 1.8-liter hybrid C-HR sold in Europe, and the newly-introduced plug-in Prius Prime, which features a 2.0-liter. As Toyota points out, the new Corolla Cross offers a much more sober and recognizable-and likely more appealing-model with the brand-new Corolla Cross, which does feature a hybrid version.
Author: Justin Westbrook
Source: MotorTrend.com