Road Test: The New Toyota C-HR Featuring JBL Audio System

When I think of Toyota the main cars I think of are the Prius, Yaris and Corolla which have been mainstays of their line-up. What these cars bring to the party is a driving experience that gets you from A to B but often doesn’t have the stylish interior or exterior or exciting ride that the car lovers of today crave. Step up the Brand-New Toyota C-HR (Coupe High Ride) which features a Premium JBL Audio System and is the brands first venture into the ever-increasing crossover market.

I was lucky enough to be given the chance to head to Madrid to check the C-HR out, but my main focus was on the JBL Audio System. On arrival at the wonderful Palacio Del Negralejo and getting a glimpse of the C-HR my first impression was that it was very sleek, trendy and futuristic looking both inside and out.

For my drive, I got my hands on the Dynamic model which featured a 1.8 Petrol Hybrid engine which had a torque considering it is a hybrid and has automatic transmission. The car itself as you would expect from a hybrid is almost silent when city driving but when I got out on the open roads on the outskirts of Madrid I could immediately hear the petrol engine kicking in. The car handled extremely well throughout and is very responsive to driver input and overall was an exciting and fun car to drive. I could easily see the C-HR being driven by both trendy city living single guys and girls as well as suburban living families.

It comes equipped with numerous gadgets and gizmos to get your geek on with, but for me the outstanding system within the car was the clean, crisp and concert like sound from the JBL Premium Audio System which is available in combination with the navigation system within in the car. The touchscreen navigation system is easy to use and comes complete with built-in DAB Radio as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB connectivity so all you need to do is connect your phone, turn the speakers up and enjoy your journey.

Toyota and JBL have been partners since 1996 and have been working on the audio system in the C-HR for around 4 years and you can tell that no stone has been left unturned. The system consists of 9 speakers and features tweeters, subwoofers and an amplifier which produces a very impressive 576w. JBL have produced an Audio System that caters to the Bass Junkie, Classical Connoisseur and every musical genre in-between with the sound remaining dynamic throughout the experience. This is definitely one of the best in-car audio systems I have come across and compliments the stylish car brilliantly with its exceptional performance.

The C-HR is a brilliant entry both in looks and driving terms into the crossover market and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it being very successful and challenging the Nissan Qashqai for primacy in the market.

The Toyota C-HR is available to pre-order now and prices start at £20,995.