By Philip Ruth–
If this were the disco 70s, you’d probably seek out a coupe if you wanted to make an automotive statement. Think Chevrolet Monte Carlo or Mercury Cougar XR-7, and your mind fills with neon-lit city nights and Farrah Fawcett draped on the hood. The cheaper Malibus and Montegos don’t evoke those images.
SUVs have overtaken coupes as status symbols, and now, with the 2018 Toyota C-HR (Coupe High-Rider), we’re seeing a melding of the two styles. Acura’s attempt at a rakish crossover, the dramatic ZDX, fell flat. But Toyota thinks the C-HR’s design has the formula to succeed.
And what a design it is. The good news is that all the C-HR’s various swoops and bulges live in relative harmony with one another, and they make a strong visual impact, judging from the many looks and comments this C-HR got. Additionally, my tester’s “Radiant Green Mica” finish had an emerald-like sparkle in the sun, and it shifted to blue when the fog rolled in.
The C-HR’s bulky contours compromise rear visibility, though. Neither crossovers nor coupes are known for their clear view over the shoulder, and the C-HR presents an extreme example, with upswept hind quarters and a slit-like rear window. Behind you, the interior is a black plastic cavern that has little relation to the outside world.
The backup camera tries to help, with its seemingly over-sharpened image in the rear-view mirror, but without a dip-down passenger mirror, it’s a guessing game to parallel park the C-HR without curb-gashing the “vortex-styled” 18-inch wheels. I typically landed a mile away from the curb on the first attempt, and then cautiously nudged the C-HR closer.
Of course, one has to accept compromises to be chic, but the C-HR indicates just how cumbersome a vehicle with a compact, 171.2-inch overall length can be. The outgoing Hyundai Veloster—time’s up for this model after its extended 2017 model year—is very easy to place, like a sporty coupe should be.
The Veloster has its own distinctive lines and curves, and they’re familiar enough to seem dated. But its package is more space-efficient than the C-HR’s. The Veloster is about five inches shorter, but has more passenger room, and it nearly matches the C-HR’s cargo capacity, even without its competitor’s crossover pretentions. This indicates the extra bodywork the C-HR has versus the usable space within.
The Veloster is the clear winner over the road. The C-HR feels stable and comfortable, but its four-cylinder is shrill, and the CVT automatic transmission over-revs the engine on San Francisco’s hills, such that you instinctively back off the throttle to stop the noise. By contrast, the Veloster, either in standard or Turbo form, encourages you to probe the car’s limits, and you feel more involved.
It’s probably a sign of the times that the Veloster exits the market as the C-HR enters, as driving fun becomes secondary to isolation, down to the C-HR’s “MeZONE” driver’s area. At least buyers have a clear choice, for now.
Philip Ruth is a Castro-based automotive photojournalist and consultant (www.gaycarguy.com). Check out his automotive staging service at www.carstaging.com
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