Toyota Izoa

The Toyota Izoa has arrived at Toyota dealers in China. It will officially launch on the Chinese car market on April 25, and sell for 140.000 to 180.000 yuan. And if you think the Izoa looks a lot like the C-HR; well, then you are right.

China gets two versions of the C-HR, one for each joint venture that Toyota runs in China. FAW-Toyota’s version is called the Izoa, and Guangzhou-Toyota’s version will be called the C-HR. The latter will arrive in H2. Both cars will look identical bar for minor details.

Izoa badge on the right. This particular car looks very nice in dark red with a white roof. The Izoa will be available with two four-cylinder petrol engines: a 1.2 turbo with 114 hp and 190 Nm mated to a six-speed manual, and a 2.0 with 158 hp and 195 Nm mated to a CVT. There will be no hybrid.

The interior looks exactly the Euro-spec C-HR. CVT in this car, so this must be a 2.0.

The Izoa is quipped with Baidu CarLife, but strangely not with Apple CarPlay. And check out that clock, it looks very monochrome 1985. Is Toyota trying to be retro here or are they really that far behind in the clock-design business..?

And check how high the screen is positioned atop the dash. I rented a C-HR when I was in Holland last summer, and that screen really blocks your sight.

This one seems to have darkened rear light visors, looks great in combination with the gray paint and dark gray wheels.

FAW-Toyota hopes to attract a younger generation of car buyers with the new Izoa. Expectations are very high and so far the market seems to respond; there is a lot of anticipation and rumors say FAW-Toyota has already orders for some 10,000 cars.