Let’s be frank about something. In this day and age, you won’t find too many people flocking to Toyota dealerships – parallel importers included – to part with precious ringgit for a sportscar like the GT86. Instead, you’ll often see more opting to drive away with one of the marque’s many crossover models.

The appeal of Toyota crossovers, regardless of size and price, is simple: they’re large and practical enough for family chores, easy and economical enough for daily driving, not to mention their renowned hassle-free maintenance. It’s a no-brainer choice to many.

With the arrival of the C-HR, however, you can now have all that and the one thing missing in its stablemates, that being style.

One glance is enough to confirm it. The combination of its steeply swooped roofline, our tester’s attractive blue contrasting with its black roof and body panel colour scheme, snazzy 17-inch alloy wheels, and sharp head and tail lights design, the former sporting distinct LED DRLs too, makes this crossover a head turner wherever it goes.

The inside feels as good. The Malaysian model UMW Toyota officially imports gets plush black leather seat covers paired with soft-touch plastic and high-end fabric in all the right places. Couple that with the snazzy design motif and the contrasting yet subtle brown leather trim and door cards, and it’s easy to see this crossover is in sync with current times.

Simply explained, the Toyota C-HR makes many of its rivals look rather bland. Of course, looks aren’t everything. Certainly, what came after the awe caused by its looks was the curiosity about its practicality and performance. Well, it does stand up to the test, albeit with a few quirks.

Starting with the most obvious, you can’t ignore the rather small rear doors and windows, and the thick C-pillar. Taller folks will find it a tad difficult to climb in and out there, while, inside, it’s rather cramped. Perhaps that’s the price one needs to pay for the pretty styling.

If you can live with those quirks, the C-HR packs enough creature comforts and features to make any commute, long or short, less mundane. Things like keyless entry and ignition, automatic climate control, neat infotainment with USB and Bluetooth connectivity, and reverse camera function support this car’s credentials as an easy daily ride.

As expected of any Toyota crossover, the C-HR delivers a smooth, easy drive. There’s plenty of go from the 1.8-litre twin-cam four-banger mounted up front. Primed with dual VVT-i variable valve timing, it sends 138bhp and 171Nm to the front wheels through a CVT automatic box.

Equally decent are its safety features: VSC (Vehicle Stability Control), seven airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchors, ABS, and RCTA (Rear Cross-Traffic Alert) that supplements the reverse camera.

Perhaps, to most, meeting this fully imported compact crossover’s premium price tag of RM150,000 might be the biggest stretch. It can’t be denied the C-HR is pricey for its size, but if you’re one who seeks something truly stylish with decent substance to match, the C-HR is second to none. Suddenly, school runs with the kids don’t look so bad after all…

SPECS