A Toyota spokesperson confirmed the small crossover’s demise as the automaker debuted the next-gen, European model.
According to a new Motor Trend report, the tiny and funky Toyota C-HR will indeed bow out following the 2022 model year. A spokesperson told the outlet it would not come to America, with the company opting instead to phase it out and leave the Corolla Cross as the entry-level option. At the moment, Toyota is not planning to bring a replacement to our shores.
“Effective following the 2022 model year, Toyota will discontinue sales of the CH-R in the U.S. and Canada,” the automaker revealed in a statement to Motor Trend. “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.”
That’s technically correct — and the current C-HR is no longer terribly competitive in the shifting small crossover market. Apart from the Toyota Corolla Cross, buyers can also choose the updated Honda HR-V, the Mazda CX-30, the refreshed Kia Seltos, the Hyundai Kona, and in time the Dodge Hornet and Chevy Trax (as well as the current Trailblazer).
Toyota’s front-wheel drive only CUV appealed by way of its funky styling and youthful image, but it packs a 2.0-liter engine with 144 horsepower on tap. It also lacks any all-wheel drive or hybrid variant, which puts it out of step with every other SUV in the brand’s lineup, from the Corolla Cross to the full-size Sequoia. Could Toyota bring the new C-HR here? Take a look at the “C-HR Prologue” concept below:
The next C-HR does promise a hybrid option, but then it will just occupy the same market space as the Corolla Cross. For the time being, Toyota’s move seems to be offering American customers a more straightforward, practical option with some name recognition.
Things could change — especially if folks clamor loudly enough for it, as they did with the GR Corolla — but only time will tell.
