Toyota C-HR Prologue officially debuts – previews next generation of compact crossover; hybrid, PHEV power

The Toyota C-HR was proof that the Japanese carmaker wasn’t afraid to stand out with a daring design when it made its debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. It has been several years since the C-HR burst onto the scene, and the company has now announced that a successor is on the way, previewed by this, the C-HR Prologue.

Like the original, the concept you see here is styled to be bold, with clear inspiration taken from recent models like the Crown, Prius and Aygo X. The most obvious is the hammerhead face that is achieved with interlocking shapes and lighting signature, the latter featuring near-C-shaped daytime running lights that blend into the main headlamps.

Further down, the large maw in the lower apron houses a relatively small grille that is flanked by what appears to be air curtains. When viewed from specific angles, the piercing front end looks even more pronounced.

Down the sides, prominent creases originating from the front wheel arches meet at a point in the middle of the front doors, which then extends towards the rear of the vehicle. There’s more for the eyeballs to see too, including door handles that appear to be tucked at the corner of the taillights rather than being up high on the C-pillars, as they were on the original C-HR. As for the front door handles, they are kept flush with the car’s body and extend out when needed.

There are also the usual concept things like oversized wheels and side cameras in place of mirrors, which are likely to be made more conventional in production guise. You’ll also notice the tri-tone paint scheme to emphasises certain elements like the rearmost pillars, with a “sulphur” hue serving to contrast the “metal silver” and “recycled carbon.” Toyota says it designed the Prologue to have a tri-colour option to make it stand out from the usual bi-tone approach.

The dramatic styling continues in the rear, with a distinctive rear wing trailing from two “bubbles” on the roof, full-width taillights, a sculpted tailgate and a massive rear diffuser element. Toyota isn’t ready to show us the interior just yet, but it says that the overhangs are now shorter, which likely means better interior space thanks to an improved wheelbase. We’ll see for ourselves when the carmaker is ready to reveal more.

As for powertrains, the next C-HR will be offered with the brand’s self-charging hybrid powertrain as well as a plug-in hybrid that uses batteries assembled in Europe. Although not mentioned in the release, the crossover could also get an all-electric powertrain, as previewed by the Small SU EV during a media briefing last December.

The Small SU EV, which many believed to be a new bZ EV or an even earlier look at the next C-HR, looks suspiciously similar to the Prologue and recent patents that surfaced online show a model that looks more production-ready, and again, rather familiar.

GALLERY: Toyota Small SU EV patent images

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Learn more: Toyota C-HR 2023