Toyota’s C-HR nameplate first reached the U.S. market for the 2018 model year as a compact crossover with a strong emphasis on styling, city-friendly packaging, and a youthful, urban image. It stood apart from more conventional crossovers by leaning into a coupe-like profile and a design-led identity, helping Toyota address buyers who wanted something smaller and more expressive than the mainstream family SUV formula.
The original U.S. C-HR ran through the 2022 model year, after which the nameplate disappeared from Toyota’s lineup for a brief period. Toyota later revived the badge for a new battery-electric crossover, reintroducing it for the 2026 model year. That return marked a major shift in character: the newer C-HR moved from gasoline power to Toyota’s electrified future, while keeping the nameplate’s role as a compact, style-forward entry in the brand’s crossover family.
Because the nameplate has two separate production periods, the C-HR’s history should be understood as an initial run from 2018 to 2022, followed by a later revival beginning with the 2026 model year.