Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 107 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Toyota C-HR, and it carries 3 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 51 | 48% |
| Unknown or other | 18 | 17% |
| Power train | 4 | 4% |
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 4% |
| Engine | 3 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 3% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 2% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 2% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 2% |
| Structure | 1 | 1% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Hood latch and hood latch cable corroded on a 7 year old vehicle. hood latch coroded and could have let go at any time and caused harm to myself and others on the road. The problem was evaluated by Bristol Toyota. The la
NHTSA complaint: Structure
Transmission won’t shift out of manual mode and car won’t move at all even when in drive or reverse. Was working completely fine then all of a sudden got drive start malfunction and won’t move. Called mechanic they came
NHTSA complaint: Power train
At 70,000 miles I was just told my transmission id failing. After much research I am finding that this is a common issue with the Toyota CHR and CVT transmissions. Apparently Toyota is aware of this issue but has not is
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
While driving my vehicle, it is a consistent clicking loud noise. I had the vehicle checked out twice and both places said the same thing as it is explained down below: Transmission Replacement (Automatic): SEVERE INTER
NHTSA complaint: Power train
No warning lights, only noticed a new noise like a whirring sound that matches car speed, not acceleration. Had the car looked at and determined it was likely the same CVT transmission bearing failure most CHR owners are
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The transmission started having issues once the car hit 100k miles, it is unbelievable that Toyota is not willing to help me with this matter! Toyotas are supposed to be reliable!
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
Noise from front left axel began on XXX. Taken to local garage for diagnostic on XXX at approximately 149,000 miles. Was informed that it likely was the transmission. This was confirmed when taken to Toyota dealership on
NHTSA complaint: Power train
2019 C-HR is experiencing transmission failure due to a faulty joint. Metal shavings flow into the fluid. Am being told I will need to replace the entire transmission. Toyota is fully aware of the issue with the failures
NHTSA complaint: Power train
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2019 Toyota C-HR. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019-2020 C-HR and 2020 Corolla and Corolla Hybrid vehicles equipped with rear seat belt assemblies with a dual-mode locking mechanism. The seat belt webbing sensor locking mechanism may not lock as intended.
Risk: In the event of a crash involving multiple impacts, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seat belt assembly production dates, and replace the assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2020. Owners
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019 Toyota C-HR vehicles. The rear axle hub bearing bolts may have been insufficiently tightened, causing the bolts to loosen and damage the rear brake components or cause a rear wheel to detach.
Risk: If the bolts loosen and damage the rear brake components, or cause a rear wheel to detach, it would increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear axle hub bearing bolts. If a bolt is found to be loose or detached, the dealer will replace the rear axle hub bearing assembly and rear a
Gulf States Toyota (GST) is recalling certain 2019 C-HR, 4Runner, Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, Land Cruiser, Prius, RAV4, Sequoia, Tacoma, Sienna, Tundra and Yaris vehicles. The text on the load capacity label may become illegible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply
Risk: If the driver cannot read the label, they may unknowingly overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GST will notify owners, and dealers will provide corrected load carrying capacity modification labels, free of charge. The recall began May 24, 2019. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800
| Reliability raw | 82 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 84 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 90 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 67 | good |
| Performance | 45 | below average |
| Efficiency | 50 | average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 107 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 51 of them (48%). There are 3 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 82/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 84/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2019 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 76/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.