LAC BEAUPORT, QUE. — Like rabbits in springtime, we now seem to be flush with "affordable" EVs near the $45,000 mark. The 2026 Toyota C-HR is the latest to join the party, and it may very well be the best of the bunch.
What's new for 2026?
Lately, Toyota has put in work to update and expand its EV lineup. The refreshed 2026 bZ is the basis for most of this work; it not only sees a thorough and comprehensive update of its own, it's also spawned a couple of variants aimed at different sets of buyers. We already told you about the outdoorsy bZ Woodland, and now, this C-HR brings forth swoopy styling and a familiar nameplate.
What's outside
So far, each bZ spin-off has looked and felt unique despite the shared underpinnings. The 2026 C-HR keeps that going with its own distinct sense of style compared to its siblings. The bZ is blocky, the Woodland is wagony, and this C-HR is swoopy. Like its predecessor, you think it's a two-door from afar, but door handles stylishly integrated into the top corner of the back doors reveal themselves the closer you get.
Up front, the C-HR is a dead-ringer for any Toyota, what with the "Hammerhead" light treatment and all that. The rear end is ... actually kind of well done. The swooping roofline finished off by a lip spoiler looks tidy, and the lightbar is well done. Yes, there's a Subaru version — that one's called the Uncharted, but we haven't driven it yet.
What's inside
The 2026 C-HR is most similar to the bZ inside. Its dash layout, steering wheel and other controls, and infotainment and instrument cluster displays are all identically laid out. But the C-HR seems to be trimmed to a slightly higher standard. This particular C-HR's synthetic suede and leatherette seats look and feel great, and the dual wireless charger centre console is as a practical touch as ever.
More importantly, despite the C-HR's sloping roofline, there's still plenty of headroom in the back row, and a comfortable amount of legroom — certainly tighter than the standard bZ, but it's easier to get comfortable back there than in, say, the Nissan Leaf.
What's Underneath
The 2026 C-HR is built on the same E-TNGA platform as the bZ and uses the same 77 kWh battery pack as upper-trim bZ models. You can opt for either a front-wheel-drive C-HR with 221 horsepower and just under 500 kilometres of range, or an AWD C-HR with 338 ponies and 452 km of range.
We sampled the latter. Toyota is keen to point out the AWD C-HR rockets from zero to 100 km/h in a smidge under five seconds. You could say that's an improvement over the 10-second run with the old one; it's definitely super punchy off the line, and the steering is responsive. Like the bZ Woodland, the smaller steering wheel tricks you into thinking the C-HR is smaller and more nimble than it is, but it helps that the steering itself is quick and responsive.
Range and charging
Toyota equips the 2026 C-HR with an NACS charge port that allows you access to Tesla's expansive and supposedly fast Supercharger network. Plug in and you're looking at a 10-to-80 per cent charge in about half an hour, provided you find a station that does up to 150 kW. On a more conventional Level 2 charger you'd use at home or at the office — and. using an optional adaptor — a full charge takes about seven hours. We'll have a better idea for real-world range and charging when we sample the 2026 C-HR later this summer closer to home.
Final thoughts
There's certainly a "took them long enough" element to Toyota's EV plans, but the 2026 Toyota C-HR stands out from the likes of the Bolt, EV5, and so forth by offering a little more style, range, and even performance for a bit more money, but still hitting in at under $45,000 once you factor in incentives. Only time will tell whether the reborn, all-electric C-HR will be a success this time around, but at least it now has the substance to back up the style.