CHR disappointment

[SunnySky]

I owned a 2016 Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI Automatic DSG and was happy, gf really liked a "suv' type car and the looks of CHR so in the end we replaced the Golf with a 2018 CHR Automatic CVT 1.8.(instant regret from my side)

why is this car so slow? I never owned a CVT transmission but it's such an inferior system compared to VW's DSG,are all CVTs like this? can't be?

I really don't like the car performance overall, it feels heavy and is really slow.now I'm not expecting BMW performannce and I'm not comparing it to a Golf GTI but even compared to a 1.6 Automatic ordinary Golf it feels such a downgrade.also the interior feels very tight and claustrophobic.

the build quality and internal quality of the Golf was in the different league too.sadly it seems I'm stuck with this as gf likes the form factor,but I wonder what's other owners opinion about CHR compared to their previous cars?

 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Firstly the transmission is an e-CVT - different to a standard CVT.

Cannot see why you bought the car as you obviously don't like it - presumably it was a joint decision, so why not express your dissatisfaction before making your 'mistake'.

[yossarian247]

It's no hot hatch, but I don't personally find ours slow. It's very different to driving a turbo diesel but i really like it now that I've got used to it. A VW DSG box might seem superior, until it breaks expensively!

[Auris James]

Surely you both viewed the car and drove it, or was it an online purchase/delivery? Surely it felt underpowered and claustrophobic then if you test drove it? I have a 1.8 hybrid Auris TS and don't find the 1.8 slow. 

I looked at Skoda Octavia and discontinued as poor spec for my budget and Toyota Hybrid swung it for me. Plus DSG can fail badly.

James.👍

[Yugguy1970]

We looked at a CHR at the dealer and the back was a bit odd, massive area of plastic next to your head. 

The build quality though of the chr, corolla and rav 4 was all good. 

We are PCPing but that said even if I was going to lease I'd have still gone to the dealer to have a look at one.

 

[SunnySky]

1 hour ago, yossarian247 said:

It's no hot hatch, but I don't personally find ours slow. It's very different to driving a turbo diesel but i really like it now that I've got used to it. A VW DSG box might seem superior, until it breaks expensively!

you say until it breaks expensively as if it's always going to happen,which is not true at all.look how many DSGs are around from over a decade ago.I personally know many people with both older and newer DSG and all going strong.CVT feels awkward to drive in comparison I knew DSG was a better system than CVT but my problem is not only that,the CHR is too slow even compared to other same class crossover types like Qashqai for example..

you'd better performance from the edgy design but it's just like a Prius with much cheaper interior..

[SunnySky]

1 hour ago, Auris James said:

Surely you both viewed the car and drove it, or was it an online purchase/delivery? Surely it felt underpowered and claustrophobic then if you test drove it? I have a 1.8 hybrid Auris TS and don't find the 1.8 slow. 

I looked at Skoda Octavia and discontinued as poor spec for my budget and Toyota Hybrid swung it for me. Plus DSG can fail badly.

James.👍

no sadly I didn't test drive it..it was gfs choice and I just agreed,it was online purchase and delivery due to covid.

I'm not saying it's the end of the world,but definitely a disappointment and step down vs the Golf both performance and build quality wise.

I'm considering replacing it with a Tiguan..(which is not the same class car I know,it's in Rav 4 class)

 

[Yugguy1970]

Toyota is 3rd top out of 31 in the reliability survey, behind lexus and mitsubishi.

You can't compare a CVT with a normal auto, and you can't compare full hybrid to plain ICE.  They will drive very differentlt

DSG very much had its issues, especially early on.

You can now go to a dealer and test drive.  Have a look at a RAV4.

[yossarian247]

23 minutes ago, SunnySky said:

you say until it breaks expensively as if it's always going to happen,which is not true at all.look how many DSGs are around from over a decade ago.I personally know many people with both older and newer DSG and all going strong.CVT feels awkward to drive in comparison I knew DSG was a better system than CVT but my problem is not only that,the CHR is too slow even compared to other same class crossover types like Qashqai for example..

you'd better performance from the edgy design but it's just like a Prius with much cheaper interior..

A DSG gearbox isn't guaranteed to break, but enough of them do to convince me I wouldn't want to own one at old age and/or high mileage. I tend to buy cars when they are around 2-3 years old, and keep them until 10-12 years old so my priorities are perhaps very different from someone who changes their car every couple of years.

I'm not convinced on the build quality either. VW build cars that feel solid, but that doesn't actually seem to translate to engineering quality or reliability nowadays. A decade or so ago I was probably the biggest VW-group fanboy around, but after having numerous issues with them, and knowing plenty of other people who did, I wouldn't personally buy one now.

In terms of performance, a C-HR 1.8 hybrid has a very slightly slower 0-60 time than Golf 1.6TDi DSG, but it is slight, 10.6 secs versus 10.2 for the Golf. The C-HR is actually quicker than many versions of the Qashqai...

But, I'm probably never going to convince you to like the C-HR any more than you'll ever convince me to buy a VW ever again so we'd perhaps better leave it there 🙂

 

[Catlover]

Unless something wrong with your CHR i cannot understand why you say its slow. What probably makes it SEEM slow is the e-CVT gearbox being so smooth. You just put your foot down and it accelerates smoothly and seemlessly. A manual gearbox remands driver input in changing gear, and changing gear is time. When the clutch is depressed power to the drive wheels ceases, you are losing time. A "normal" auto gearbox has always been regarding as slower then manual chage so no need to go there.

[SunnySky]

6 hours ago, Yugguy1970 said:

Toyota is 3rd top out of 31 in the reliability survey, behind lexus and mitsubishi.

You can't compare a CVT with a normal auto, and you can't compare full hybrid to plain ICE.  They will drive very differentlt

DSG very much had its issues, especially early on.

You can now go to a dealer and test drive.  Have a look at a RAV4.

I am aware of Toyota's reputation for reliability ,but reliability is not everything.

what about driving performance and driving experience?

what about features and build quality?

yes Toyota is going to be reliable (lthough many of their models specially RAV4 are prone to corrosion and rust just like Mazda in this country) but compared to VW it definitely lacks refinement and build quality.I'm not talking about engine quality,I'm talking about interior quality,and the way car "feels" also I trust in build quality of Volkswagen 100%,know many owners and I had the Golf for 4 years with zero issues.

[TonyHSD]

Couldn’t agree more with all forum members, I think you got it all wrong from the beginning with perhaps very different expectations.
Toyota e-CVT hybrid drivetrain is the best and most reliable transmission ever created by all manufacturers, it is the closest think to full electric cars by performance, efficiency and reliability, where the infamous DSG is the worst one together with some cvts from other manufacturers. The vw build quality and engineering is not ahead of Toyota, even its behind, especially under the bonnet. I am not a fanboy at all, and I used to like vw cars and still have some in the family, but these were different times. Since 2005 vag has lost it, not even 1 good engine or transmission. Now back to Toyota., The chr it’s not my favourite model either for two reasons: 1- bad design especially rear doors and windows, too cramped inside with dark roof lining makes it unpractical and claustrophobic indeed and this is what I agree  with your statements, 2- just don’t like that type of cars in general. , rather have a Corolla or RAV4, no offence to any Chr owner, we are all different and we like different things and here is the key to your disappointment., Toyota hybrids drives very different from any other cars with ice (internal combustion engines) and some people dislike that smooth continues acceleration, they prefer old school gears, revs, shift shocks , noises etc. My advice is to watch some videos how the hybrid system works, how it’s built, how performs and how to get the most out of it , been efficient or fast , there are tricks for both  and once you learn how to use it the way it’s designed you may start to like it at least a bit just to drive until the time for replacement is coming, and if you still don’t like it just buy vw dsg and enjoy your driving. I used to love vw and still like a lot of their models and would pick some over Toyota cars but the hybrid drivetrain is a magic and delivers the best , and simply will stick with Toyota just because of that reason. You car is definitely not slower than others in the same category, it’s just smoother and more relaxed to drive. 👍

[SunnySky]

6 hours ago, yossarian247 said:

A DSG gearbox isn't guaranteed to break, but enough of them do to convince me I wouldn't want to own one at old age and/or high mileage. I tend to buy cars when they are around 2-3 years old, and keep them until 10-12 years old so my priorities are perhaps very different from someone who changes their car every couple of years.

I'm not convinced on the build quality either. VW build cars that feel solid, but that doesn't actually seem to translate to engineering quality or reliability nowadays. A decade or so ago I was probably the biggest VW-group fanboy around, but after having numerous issues with them, and knowing plenty of other people who did, I wouldn't personally buy one now.

In terms of performance, a C-HR 1.8 hybrid has a very slightly slower 0-60 time than Golf 1.6TDi DSG, but it is slight, 10.6 secs versus 10.2 for the Golf. The C-HR is actually quicker than many versions of the Qashqai...

But, I'm probably never going to convince you to like the C-HR any more than you'll ever convince me to buy a VW ever again so we'd perhaps better leave it there 🙂

 

a lot of negativity about VW in this country is FAKE and fuelled by the famous diesel scandal..VW are 1st / 2nd biggest car manufacturer in the world.just look how many of them are around next time you went for a drive.they are famous for being well made,good quality well engineered mid range cars.(just like Toyota or Honda) same company is making Audi (the same way Toyota makes Lexus) ,my point being they simply cannot be underestimated.funny thing is VW Golf been car of the year in Japan.

it's not Dacia or Fiat we're talking about.imo their reliability is similar to (good) Japanese makes but they are more refined technically and often have better performing cars vs competition for similar price or a little extra.there are thousands of 10+ year DSG VW on used market,if what you people think was even remotely true, people wouldn't be buying them.in fact their used ones are extremely on demand.

I liked the looks of CHR (exterior) ,but I didn't know after owning the Golf (which imo are comparable to CHR price wise with CHR being even more expensive overall) the driving experience will feel so inferior.

didn't really start this thread to make it a war between Toyota and VW fans (this is Toyota owners club after all and I'm an owner although an unhappy one)

so yes better leave it.

[Yugguy1970]

Aye.  I test drove the 2.0 Corolla and the 2.5 RAV4 and they were both smooth and as fast as I wanted them to be. I loved the way that at 60mph cruising the engine was either off or just idling.

It's the first CVT hybrid I have driven since a Prius 15 years ago, and you do have to get used to the way that what the engine is doing doesn't correspond to the speed you are going.  Basically ignore the engine and just drive the car  

As to features, even the base spec RAV4 has more than I need or want.  All the active safety stuff comes as standard.  I wanted dual climate, parking sensors and rear camera.  I don't need or want the thing to park itself.  I have that on my current car, never used it.   The next spec up from base, Design, had all I wanted.  And a power rear door which I know will make me giggle every time I use it.

Build quality on both cars was sound, I was test driving used 2019/2020 cars from the forecourt.

 

[AndyRC]

I’ve owned several VAG cars all with DSG from Early Passat to 7.5 Golf R , the DSG is as good as it gets for an auto and I’ve never had a problem with any. We are collecting a 2021 2.0 C-HR on Monday which will be the wife’s car for business use. Before signing on the dotted line I test drove 2 cars , both 2.0 to make sure they were ok, before having the wife do a test drive as well , she loved it. The ECVT is not a DSG but in 2.0 guise for relaxed driving and good MPG looks perfect for what we need. I’d never buy a car without test driving at least once , preferably twice and not 5 miles around the block. The last test I did was nearly 60 miles , TBH I would have driven it all day. Sorry you’re not happy but I feel if you had gone 2.0 you may have been happier. 
 

I also did a test drive in a VW iD4 as part of the new car search and have to say the interior was  the most uninspiring thing I’ve sat in since my MK1 Vauxhall Viva back in 1975 , truly dreadful, the ride was no better either, sadly I can’t see me buying another VW product the way the brand is heading. 
 

 

[SunnySky]

5 hours ago, Catlover said:

Unless something wrong with your CHR i cannot understand why you say its slow. What probably makes it SEEM slow is the e-CVT gearbox being so smooth. You just put your foot down and it accelerates smoothly and seemlessly. A manual gearbox remands driver input in changing gear, and changing gear is time. When the clutch is depressed power to the drive wheels ceases, you are losing time. A "normal" auto gearbox has always been regarding as slower then manual chage so no need to go there.

again,I'm not comparing it to manual cars or a fast BMW,I'm just comparing it to a VW Golf automatic 1.6 (so smaller engine than 1.8 of this CHR) ,I'm not complaining about "smoothness" of the gearbox,I'm complaining about it's performance.the car is definitely slow, have to push the pedal full to gain some speed.I compared it with a Nissan Qashqai and it's much slower than that too.

that I what car are you comparing it to?

in fact I just did some research (which I admit I should have done prior to buying it) and "being slow" and "CVT" "tight space at rear" is a common negative in reviews.so I'm not alone, but it seems I chose the wrong forum to express my dissatisfaction as you people are clearly biased! so I may leave with at this point.

this for example :

https://www.motorbiscuit.com/is-the-2020-toyota-c-hr-as-bad-as-everyone-says-it-is/

or 

https://www.carwow.co.uk/toyota/c-hr#gref

 

[AndyRC]

On a separate note who has actually had a VAG DSG fail on them? I’ve run eight different VAG cars with DSG , some early ones going over 100,000 miles and never had an issue

 

[AndyRC]

1 minute ago, SunnySky said:

again,I'm not comparing it to manual cars or a fast BMW,I'm just comparing it to a VW Golf automatic 1.6 (so smaller engine than 1.8 of this CHR) ,I'm not complaining about "smoothness" of the gearbox,I'm complaining about it's performance.the car is definitely slow, have to push the pedal full to gain some speed.I compared it with a Nissan Qashqai and it's much slower than that too.

that I what car are you comparing it to?

in fact I just did some research (which I admit I should have done prior to buying it) and "being slow" and "CVT" "tight space at rear" is a common negative in reviews.so I'm not alone, but it seems I chose the wrong forum to express my dissatisfaction as you people are clearly biased! so I may leave with at this point.

this for example :

https://www.motorbiscuit.com/is-the-2020-toyota-c-hr-as-bad-as-everyone-says-it-is/

or 

https://www.carwow.co.uk/toyota/c-hr#gref

 

Try a 2.0 and I think you will find it’s more than adequate for an everyday car , there is nearly 60 bhp difference which is significant, I didn’t even try the 1.8 as I was more than happy with the 2.0  

 

[SunnySky]

9 minutes ago, AndyRC said:

I’ve owned several VAG cars all with DSG from Early Passat to 7.5 Golf R , the DSG is as good as it gets for an auto and I’ve never had a problem with any. We are collecting a 2021 2.0 C-HR on Monday which will be the wife’s car for business use. Before signing on the dotted line I test drove 2 cars , both 2.0 to make sure they were ok, before having the wife do a test drive as well , she loved it. The ECVT is not a DSG but in 2.0 guise for relaxed driving and good MPG looks perfect for what we need. I’d never buy a car without test driving at least once , preferably twice and not 5 miles around the block. The last test I did was nearly 60 miles , TBH I would have driven it all day. Sorry you’re not happy but I feel if you had gone 2.0 you may have been happier. 
 

I also did a test drive in a VW iD4 as part of the new car search and have to say the interior was  the most uninspiring thing I’ve sat in since my MK1 Vauxhall Viva back in 1975 , truly dreadful, the ride was no better either, sadly I can’t see me buying another VW product the way the brand is heading. 
 

 

Yes ID4 is budget..same as Up or Lupto,Fox etc it's a sad but it's the new business model of most manuacturers : budget range mini SUV crossovers but Golf,Tiguan are still very well made,Tiguan specially feels and looks nicer and more refined than competing RAV 4.(unfortunately more expensive than our budget at the time but I'm thinking about it after this disappointment and GF insisting on a SUV style car.

my GF is also happy with CHR .she don't really care about it being slow and inferior inside quality and feel vs the Golf etc but I just can't cope with it.

maybe if I had an inferior car before it I'd be happy with it but the driving experience vs Golf is definitely a downgrade..

 

[SunnySky]

10 minutes ago, AndyRC said:

On a separate note who has actually had a VAG DSG fail on them? I’ve run eight different VAG cars with DSG , some early ones going over 100,000 miles and never had an issue

 

That's what I want to know too!

I know at least 4 people with DSG Volswagens,some of them are 15 years old and no issue whatsoever.

like I said,after the VW diesel drama,many of people in this country think negatively about VW without even experiencing one and will try to "invent" flaws etc

just like Toyota VW cars are well made and reliable cars.it's the refinement,interior build quality and performance that they are usually ahead (at least in case of Golf and Tiguan).

[AndyRC]

1 minute ago, SunnySky said:

That's what I want to know too!

I know at least 4 people with DSG Volswagens,some of them are 15 years old and no issue whatsoever.

like I said,after the VW diesel drama,many of people in this country think negatively about VW without even experiencing one and will try to "invent" flaws etc

just like Toyota VW cars are well made and reliable cars.it's the refinement,interior build quality and performance that they are usually ahead (at least in case of Golf and Tiguan).

I’ve been a VW fan all my life and never had any serious issues with any , worst being a crank sensor failing at 18 months , replaced in 48 hours. The C-HR ticked all the boxes for my wife , stylish✅ Economical ✅ comfortable ✅ lots of kit✅ Automatic ✅ warranty ✅ and affordable✅.  TBH VAG are taking the proverbial with pricing and I doubt I’ll ever buy one again, and to reiterate my point the iD4 has probably the worst interior of any car I’ve sat in for many years.  

[AndyRC]

53 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

Couldn’t agree more with all forum members, I think you got it all wrong from the beginning with perhaps very different expectations.
Toyota e-CVT hybrid drivetrain is the best and most reliable transmission ever created by all manufacturers, it is the closest think to full electric cars by performance, efficiency and reliability, where the infamous DSG is the worst one together with some cvts from other manufacturers. The vw build quality and engineering is not ahead of Toyota, even its behind, especially under the bonnet. I am not a fanboy at all, and I used to like vw cars and still have some in the family, but these were different times. Since 2005 vag has lost it, not even 1 good engine or transmission. Now back to Toyota., The chr it’s not my favourite model either for two reasons: 1- bad design especially rear doors and windows, too cramped inside with dark roof lining makes it unpractical and claustrophobic indeed and this is what I agree  with your statements, 2- just don’t like that type of cars in general. , rather have a Corolla or RAV4, no offence to any Chr owner, we are all different and we like different things and here is the key to your disappointment., Toyota hybrids drives very different from any other cars with ice (internal combustion engines) and some people dislike that smooth continues acceleration, they prefer old school gears, revs, shift shocks , noises etc. My advice is to watch some videos how the hybrid system works, how it’s built, how performs and how to get the most out of it , been efficient or fast , there are tricks for both  and once you learn how to use it the way it’s designed you may start to like it at least a bit just to drive until the time for replacement is coming, and if you still don’t like it just buy vw dsg and enjoy your driving. I used to love vw and still like a lot of their models and would pick some over Toyota cars but the hybrid drivetrain is a magic and delivers the best , and simply will stick with Toyota just because of that reason. You car is definitely not slower than others in the same category, it’s just smoother and more relaxed to drive. 👍

Sorry Tony but try a Mk 7/7.5 Golf R , the E888 engine is great and married to the DSG I can’t think of anything that shifters gears quicker. It was the most complete car I owned but sadly had no “soul” it did everything so well with no drama, or to be honest excitement. The only DSG to fail that I’m aware of was on a Golf R that the guy had tuned to nearly 600 bhp , yes 600 , and it ate 3rd and 4th gears pretty regularly, please don’t ask why anyone would tune a Golf R to 600bhp , it was the most vicious thing I’ve ever been in 😂

[TonyHSD]

38 minutes ago, SunnySky said:

again,I'm not comparing it to manual cars or a fast BMW,I'm just comparing it to a VW Golf automatic 1.6 (so smaller engine than 1.8 of this CHR) ,I'm not complaining about "smoothness" of the gearbox,I'm complaining about it's performance.the car is definitely slow, have to push the pedal full to gain some speed.I compared it with a Nissan Qashqai and it's much slower than that too.

that I what car are you comparing it to?

in fact I just did some research (which I admit I should have done prior to buying it) and "being slow" and "CVT" "tight space at rear" is a common negative in reviews.so I'm not alone, but it seems I chose the wrong forum to express my dissatisfaction as you people are clearly biased! so I may leave with at this point.

this for example :

https://www.motorbiscuit.com/is-the-2020-toyota-c-hr-as-bad-as-everyone-says-it-is/

or 

https://www.carwow.co.uk/toyota/c-hr#gref

 

“Have to push the pedal to gain some speed “, well here it’s the difference vs  dsg or manual or conventional auto gearboxes , they all have gears and Chr doesn’t, it’s pretty much one pedal drive. Are you driving it in Eco mode? If you drive in normal or power and you are saying that the car has no response or been sluggish either is faulty or there is something else., I know it’s not a fast car but should perform as good as the golf or any other 1.6 diesel or petrol. Reviews from auto journalists are purely non sense, they are only suitable for entertainment. 👍😂 dsg has a clutch kit non warranty covered, consumable part that goes bad after a certain mileage and cost fortune to replace. In general vag cars are horrible in terms of reliability, service and repair.,  they are built to break and dealers to sell you spare parts, German philosophy of the business, even their own technicians can say that. I like both companies vw and Toyota, but have no intention to spent my own money on vw product currently. Id3 over 390 used examples on autotrader Uk only an year old model, that says a lot. 👍

[FROSTYBALLS]

40 minutes ago, SunnySky said:

I just did some research (which I admit I should have done prior to buying it)

Yes - buying a car is usually the second most expensive purchase a person makes. It is useless blaming the car because  you didn't do any research before the purchase to see whether it suited your needs/wants, and now you don't like it.  You are where you are. 

43 minutes ago, SunnySky said:

it seems I chose the wrong forum to express my dissatisfaction as you people are clearly biased

We are an owners club for Toyotas. Equally, a Volkswagen owners club will be biased towards Volkswagen. 

[TonyHSD]

7 minutes ago, AndyRC said:

Sorry Tony but try a Mk 7/7.5 Golf R , the E888 engine is great and married to the DSG I can’t think of anything that shifters gears quicker. It was the most complete car I owned but sadly had no “soul” it did everything so well with no drama, or to be honest excitement. The only DSG to fail that I’m aware of was on a Golf R that the guy had tuned to nearly 600 bhp , yes 600 , and it ate 3rd and 4th gears pretty regularly, please don’t ask why anyone would tune a Golf R to 600bhp , it was the most vicious thing I’ve ever been in 😂

Cheers Andy,

I am in the trade since long time and have some experience, the golf R is a great car, performance wise no complains, however it is dsg and tsi, this is a deadly combination for someone like me that drives 200+ Miles a day every day, I have my reason to stick with Toyota hybrids, I am not a fanboy at all but realistic. I like vw, even I was a fanboy of them, I worked with them and on them and after all I seen I am not gonna get any closer to them anytime soon. Not saying they does not drive well, yes they do, they are lovely, they have built strong bodies, best sound proof, best suspension set up, design is good on most of them, but they don’t last, and require a stupid maintenance., expensive and unnecessary. As I said if you like it and fits your personal preferences and budget, yes why not. 👍