Toyota C-HR+ review

The performance is good but predictable, so let's instead begin with the suspension and steering.

Which are pretty satisfactory for the driver. It's a tautly sprung car, quickish and consistent in its steering response, thanks to progressive and well-constrained cornering roll. The body motions are neatly clenched by well calibrated dampers.

So you can thread it down a twisty road without inconsistency or edginess. The traction is secure and evenly parcelled out, so it disguises its two tonnes well. It's pretty enjoyable but there's not the tactile engagement that'll have you playing around the edges.

That all translates into a fairly lively ride, especially at town speed, but it's not uncomfortable or uncontrolled. Acoustically it's civilised. You're not bothered by any downstairs percussion section.

The front-drive versions make 0-62mph in a claimed 8.4 (small battery) and 7.3 seconds (big battery). That's quick enough for most purposes. The twin-motor one we've tested does the same sprint in 5.3 seconds, and doesn't hit the limiter until 113mph, which is higher than most family EVs. If a bit academic because it'll smash a sledgehammer into your range.

Brake pedal feel is progressive enough. Like the steering it's pretty light. Paddle-selected regeneration is part of the spec, but its effect is meek.

Toyota's driver support suite is pretty comprehensive and generally works well. It's hugely configurable and the most important bits get their own steering-wheel buttons – lane departure warning and steering interference, and the forward alert and active cruise. The rest of the options come via a menu in the instrument cluster, a thicket of incomprehensible abbreviations.