BRUSSELS: Toyota today offered a glimpse into the interior of the all-new C-HR crossover.
Emotional appeal is a term used liberally by Toyota to describe the new cabin. It said the C-HR's interior design was based on a strong foundation designed with "Emotional Surfaces" and "Innovative Details". Apparently, this is a very important model for Toyota as it will signal how the interior of future Toyota cars will look like.
A new departure for Toyota, the interior styling represents a new "Sensual Tech" design concept combining high-tech functionality with a sensual and fashionable style. It embodies a driver-focused area within an airy, expansive cabin space.
The warm, welcoming ambience of an airy, expansive cabin space was created by the seamless layered architecture of the instrument panel that continues through to the door trim with a stylish ornamentation and a piano black panel. It offers a contrast between sensual surfacing and crisp lines to deliver a fresh, yet comfortable environment.
The driver oriented area incorporates innovative details and intuitive, approachable high technology. All operating switchgear, and an 8" display audio touch-screen featuring a redesigned and improved HMI (Human Machine Interface) with Toyota’s Multi-Media ’16 navigation platform and enhanced connected services are slightly oriented towards the driver.
In conjunction with the asymmetrical centre console design, this brings all controls within easy reach of the driver, whilst still allowing front passenger access to the relevant switchgear.
Because the touch-screen stands proud of the instrument panel rather than being enclosed by it, the upper dashboard is considerably lower in depth, further helping driver visibility.
A unique new two-tiered front seat design combines a slender, sporting upper section with a more strongly bolstered and supportive lower area, these differences emphasised through the use of differing tones, textures and patterns within the upholstery.
First unveiled as a concept car at the 2014 Paris Motor Show, the C-HR (Coupé High-Rider) has morphed into a production model that will be launched in Europe later this year. First deliveries to customers are expected before the end of the year. Positioned between the Auris TS and the RAV4, the C-HR targets upwards of 100,000 annual European sales.
"The European Sensory Quality (SQ) team has already worked on various facelifts of existing models, but this is the first time that we were tasked with an entirely new model, so a lot depends on the success of the C-HR. The designers at ED2 did such a good job, we had to ensure that their concept made it to production with the right finishing," said Toyota European SQ senior engineer Mehmet Fatih Kale.
"We worked on every visual detail and challenged standards to create seamless interior harmony. In the end, we believe this to be the best interior SQ yet seen in a Toyota."
The C-HR interior represents the earliest involvement yet of Toyota's European SQ team in the design process.
There are three main surface finishes – leather-like for all background surfaces, a smooth Nappa grain for all touching surfaces and technical grain for all functional elements such as switchgear.
Decorative elements are finished in high quality piano black and satin silver trim, and the clear blue instrument and switchgear illumination has been carefully fine-tuned to ensure consistency of hue, even on adjacent reflective surfaces of differing colours.
This outstanding new interior design will be available in a choice of three colour schemes: Dark Grey, Black/Blue and Black/Brown.
The C-HR may be equipped with a tailor-made JBL premium audio system comprising an 8-channel, 576 Watt stereo amplifier and 9-speakers, including two newly patented acoustic JBL wave guides, known as horn tweeters in a move to deliver crisp, clear sound.
Working closely with the headquarters design team to maintain the original interior styling concept, the SQ team have focused painstakingly on component quality, and the consistency of grain, texture, shape, colour and illumination in every element, even the stitch groove radii of the seats.
Reinforcing the link between interior and exterior design, many switches use a similar shape, reflecting the diamond motif of the exterior body shell. The same diamond theme is also visible in the door trim pattern, the headliner, the JBL speaker grilles and tweeter shape, and even the needles of the driver's analogue instrument dials.
Measuring 4360mm long, 1795mm wide, 1555mm high (Hybrid) and with a 2640mm wheelbase, the production vehicle is largely similar to the concept car’s exterior.
Featuring a diamond architectural theme with wheel arches projecting prominently at all four corners to emphasise the new crossover’s strength and rigidity, the C-HR modulated structure combines a powerful lower body and raised ground clearance with the slim and sleek cabin profile of a coupe.
Viewed from any angle, the C-HR's combination of facetted gemstone-like shapes with fluid surfaces and elegantly integrated detailing create a delicate balance of precision and sensuality.
The slender upper grille flows from the Toyota badge into the sleek, aggressive wing extremities of the headlamp clusters and wraps fully around the front corners of the vehicle.
The movement of the blacked out rocker panel towards the front and rear wheels, along with the shoulder axis that runs through to the front and rear, emphasise the fast-looking, 'lift-up' feel of the thin body.
The C-HR's coupe-like styling is further enhanced by disguised rear door handles integrated within the C pillar and, essential to the representation of speed within the design, the powerful projection of the sweeping roofline into a large, highly aerodynamic, skeletal frame rear spoiler.
To the rear, the strongly tapered cabin integrates a top-hinged tailgate giving access to the loadspace. This contrasts with the pronounced flaring of the wheel arches, which give the new crossover a wide and powerful stance.
Prominent rear light clusters may also be equipped with LED lamp technology to give the rear view of the C-HR an expressive visual signature.
The C-HR is based on the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) and offers a fresh take on the increasingly commoditised crossover segment.
"With the C-HR, we are trying to introduce a new value into the C crossover market, and that newness comes from SUV robustness and strength. But we're not trying to make an SUV that's dynamic, rather, a dynamic vehicle with SUV-like properties," said C-HR chief designer Kazuhiko Isawa.
The Toyota C-HR is equipped with an engine-range that is designed to deliver engaging driving behaviour.
Fitted with the latest-generation hybrid power plant, the C-HR generates CO2 emissions as low as 85 g/km – a figure unrivalled within its segment – and returns combined fuel consumption of only 3.7 l/100 km.
Delivering 90 kW/122 DIN hp, this new hybrid powertrain is more efficient, lighter than the previous system, but also offers sharper performance. Detailed design changes to the engine have resulted in a thermal efficiency of 40% – a world-beating performance for a petrol unit.
Other hybrid system components have been made lighter and smaller, and have been repositioned for optimum packaging, further contributing to the car’s low centre of gravity.
The C-HR is also available with a new 1.2 litre turbo engine, which debuted in the Auris. Delivering 85 kW/116 DIN hp and 185 Nm of torque, this unit generates CO2 emission from 128 g/km and returns combined fuel consumption of from 5.7 l/100 km. It may be mated to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a Continuously Variable Transmission. CVT equipped versions are available with either front- or all-wheel drive.
And for some markets (Ukraine and Caucasus), a 2-litre 150 DIN hp/110 kW, 193 Nm CVT-only model will be available.
