Toyota have strode into the limelight with casual abandon, and a brash confidence previewing what many are describing as the greatest rival to the 2011 Car of the Year, the Nissan Qashqai. This all-new 'beast' - and that's putting it lightly - will attempt to upstage the Qashqai on the SUV stage, and ruffle a few feathers in the market. Toyota also used the reveal as an opportunity to introduce their new diamond-style design language, which is expected to become a staple in Toyota models over the next few years. The all-new crossover will also benefit from hybrid powertrain technology, an exclusive to Toyota which could really give the vehicle the edge over it's more decorated rivals. The car is expecting to slot in cosily beneath the RAV-4 and is set to join the popular Auris range.
The design is unlike anything Toyota have ever released, and not dissimilar to a hot-wheels car or a scalextric toy. That's not to put the car down, sometimes a change is needed and this is quite significantly different to anything produced by any other manufacturer, and that's got to be a good thing. Furthermore, we should bear in mind that what we see today will undoubtedly be very different to the vehicle that arrives in the next three years. A fairly wide, yet striking front end showcases narrow LED headlights and a ferocious grille only serves to emphasise the elevation of the vehicle.
The all-new hybrid system is likely to offer the same presets as the setup employed for the next generation Toyota Prius, which if rumours are to be believed will arrive in 2015. In comparison, the CH-R is expected to land another two years after that, demonstrating that the vehicle is likely to be a fairly different beast to the one we've seen so far. Further details, are unexpectedly hard to come by although that should change after the Paris Motor Show where the CH-R will officially debut.
It's a massive step in the right direction for Toyota, and one that we hope signals the manufacturers intent over the coming years with perhaps their boldest release yet.
