2021 Toyota C-Hr Safety Report

The 2021 Toyota C-HR presents a mixed safety picture, with strong crash test performance but notable concerns regarding its powertrain and certain safety systems. NHTSA awarded the vehicle an impressive 4-star overall safety rating, including 5 stars for side impact and 4 stars for frontal and rollover tests, indicating good occupant protection in various collision scenarios. However, the vehicle has accumulated 26 total complaints, with 3 crashes and 3 injuries reported, suggesting some real-world safety incidents. A significant pattern in these complaints points to issues with the CVT transmission, with multiple owners reporting failures at relatively low mileages (e.g., 40,000-60,000 miles), often requiring costly replacements. This is a critical concern given the transmission's role in vehicle propulsion and control. Furthermore, the vehicle has one recall related to the 'FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: SENSING SYSTEM: RADAR'. This recall addresses a critical defect where the pre-collision system (PCS) may not have been activated during production, increasing the risk of a crash due to the absence of expected braking assist or malfunction indicators. Several complaints also mention issues with the forward collision avoidance system, including false warnings and failures to activate, which aligns with the recall's premise. Other reported issues include electrical system malfunctions, seat belt problems (e.g., locking up), and even instances of the vehicle calling 911 autonomously or sudden unintended acceleration. While the C-HR performs well in controlled crash tests, the recurring transmission failures and the recall concerning a fundamental safety system like the pre-collision assist highlight areas of concern. The 8 complaints related to 'POWER TRAIN' and specific mentions of CVT failure in sample complaints underscore a potential systemic issue. The 3 reported crashes and 3 injuries, while not extremely high for a vehicle, are directly linked to some of these functional failures, such as brake failure or pre-collision system malfunction. Prospective buyers should be aware of these documented issues despite the favorable crash test ratings.

Our recommendation: While the 2021 Toyota C-HR offers good crash protection, be highly cautious of potential CVT transmission failures and ensure all recall work, especially for the pre-collision system, has been completed before purchase.