While it’s hard to keep up with Kia’s relentless launch schedule (there appears to be a new, differently numbered EV every week), Toyota takes things more steadily.
Its approach has the slow but relentless momentum that comes with being the world’s largest car maker. And with momentum also comes inertia – and that complicates changes of direction, in particular the one needed to do electric cars well.
Toyota loves its hybrids but has been very slow to come up with the EVs that it does need in Europe. The new Toyota C-HR+ is only its second mainstream EV, after the bZ4X. There is also the Urban Cruiser, but that’s a Suzuki underneath.
Didn’t Toyota already have a C-HR? Well, yes: the regular C-HR is its Volkswagen T-Roc- and Nissan Qashqai-sized, sensible but supposedly stylish hybrid SUV. The ‘+’ in the new car's name indicates that it’s the completely unrelated electric equivalent of roughly the same size – obvs. At least with a new Kia, Hyundai or VW, the name gives you a good idea of what powers it and where it sits in the range…
