SHINE ON.
The design theme for the C-HR is "Distinctive Diamond."
Arguably, this is not so much about the gemstone as an
expensive object as it is about the geometry of the shape, not
only the four-sided diamond, but the facets that are character-
istic of the finished rock. There are a series of sharp character
lines and shapes that start with the narrow headlamps and
transition all the way out to the functional cantilevered wing
on the rear hatch. The exterior styling for the vehicle was done
at Calty in Newport Beach.
On the inside of the car—which was designed at the Toyota
studio in Nice, France (the production design was completed
in Japan)—there is a certain simplicity. The instrument cluster
is curved so that it addresses the driver; the center stack,
including a 7-inch screen, is angled toward the driver, as well.
NO NAVI. BUT SAFETY.
One interesting aspect of the C-HR is that because it had orig-
inally been a Scion (at least for the U.S. market—remember,
Scion didn't exist elsewhere, so in other markets it would
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COVER STORY
To achieve more coupe-like styling, the rear door handles
are disguised, located high on the C-pillar. According to
Koba, engineering the handles was a non-trivial task.