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Toyota C-HRModel year report

2020 Toyota C-HR Problems

Compared with other Toyota C-HR years

Typical for this model

42/100 0.8× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with a typical complaint level and no open NHTSA investigation: 2021

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
66filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
20,000miles, 7 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
5 / 5stars overall
EPA fuel economy
29 mpgcombined, 2.0L 4-cyl FWD · 27 city / 31 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2020 Toyota C-HR (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2020 Toyota C-HR most often report transmission problems: a whining, humming or grinding noise from the front that grows louder with speed, followed in some cases by loss of acceleration or a car that will not move. Complaints describe the noise appearing gradually over weeks or months, usually without warning lights, and dealers typically quoting a complete CVT replacement. A smaller number of reports cover tire and wheel concerns, electrical faults, and rear seat belt latching.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    CVT transmission whining or grinding noise

    • 34 complaints (52%)
    • median 78,000 mi at 6.2 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
    • owner-quoted repair $11,250 (median of 6 quotes)
    • filed 2025–2026

    Owners describe a high-pitched whine, hum, clunk or metal-on-metal grind from the front that rises and falls with vehicle speed, often noticed first at highway speeds and becoming louder over weeks. Most say no warning light appeared. Dealers and independent shops commonly diagnosed an internal bearing or belt failure and recommended replacing the whole CVT rather than repairing it, with owners citing quotes in the eleven to twelve thousand dollar range. Commonly reported between roughly 75,000 and 150,000 miles, though a few owners describe symptoms starting under 60,000 miles.

    What to check: During a test drive, listen at varying speeds with the radio off for a whine or grind from the front, and ask whether the CVT fluid has ever been serviced. A pre-purchase inspection by a transmission shop is worth the cost on this model.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “2020 CHR transmission failure. There were no lights no notice nothing appeared to warn me. The car started making a faint winding sound. Bought car brand new 2020 and Toyota Fred Anderson Raleigh diagnosed with internal transmission failure 2/28/26. The car is 20000 miles over warranty so they are telling me there’s no coverage for me and billed me 12000$ for a new transmission”

    NHTSA complaint #11721153, filed 2026-02

    “Started hearing a whining noise shortly after buying this car and found out it is an internal bearing failure inside the CVT transmission that is widely known in these vehicles to fail but there has been no recalls to correct the problem and could cost me money I don't have to get it fixed.”

    NHTSA complaint #11743202, filed 2026-06
  2. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission failure and loss of power while driving

    Mentioned in 12 of 51 sampled complaints

    Some owners report the car losing acceleration or refusing to move in any gear, sometimes with the engine still running and revving, or after a jerk or clunk. Several describe being stranded in traffic or at an intersection. Dealers told them the CVT had failed internally, in some cases noting debris in the axle area, and quoted a full replacement. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 60,000 to over 130,000 miles, with several cases at highway speed.

    What to check: Ask for service records and whether any transmission noise or hesitation was ever reported. Test acceleration from a stop and during a highway merge, and note any delay or slipping.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Good evening, My 2020 Toyota C-HR’s transmission broke down today while I was driving my kids to school. The car was last serviced on September 27, 2025, and at that time, no issues were mentioned regarding the transmission. I paid $269.19 for the service and $597.65 for the brake pad replacement. I was not expecting such a serious issue, especially with a relatively new car. The repair estimate I received is over $11,000, which I cannot afford. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11695132, filed 2025-10

    “The transmission no longer works on my husbands relatively new vehicle, only turning five years old not even a full two months ago. He took it to a dealership in Culpeper, VA to get inspected and was told it needs a CVT transmission replacement totalling a large sum of money which is arguably the full value of the car. Not only has my safety and his safety been compromised due to this issue, but also the safety of our families and other fellow drivers on the road. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11660952, filed 2025-05
  3. Tires

    Tire blowouts and rapid wear

    Mentioned in 4 of 51 sampled complaints

    A few owners describe tire blowouts or sidewall and tread damage at low mileage, along with air loss and reduced traction in wet conditions. One owner suspected a tie rod problem, but the dealer reported the tie rods were fine and found no fault with the vehicle. Reported at low mileage, generally under 10,000 miles.

    What to check: Inspect all four tires for sidewall cuts, uneven wear and date codes, and confirm tire warranty coverage terms before purchase.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My tire blew out on back pass a get side I only have 9500 miles the tires were rotated and balanced at 5000 bought sept 18. The dealership said my tires were not under warranty the manufactprer carries warranty I called them they said yes is warrantied but every car I gray to take it to replace they want to be paid and says its road hazard the sidewall has a I inch horizontal slit in it I didn't run over anything and the tires have three year warranty. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11395228, filed 2021-02, 9,500 miles

    “One tire blowout less than 2k miles, Sidewall and tread on all other tires, not holding air, losing traction causing lose of control and hydroplaning 215/60 17R Pro Continental”

    NHTSA complaint #11497522, filed 2022-12

Buying note. The main thing to weigh on a used 2020 C-HR is the CVT: listen carefully for whining or grinding on a test drive and budget for a possible transmission replacement if mileage is high. Confirm the rear seat belt recall was performed and check tire condition and electrical functions.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 51 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 66 consumer complaints for the 2020 Toyota C-HR. 7 of the complaints include a mileage, and 57% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 20,000 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 111 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 3 Toyota C-HR model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 42 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Forward collision avoidance (1), Fuel system (1), Suspension (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “Purchased a used 2020 Toyota CH-R at Fairless Motors in the Philadelphia, PA area. As I was driving homw, noise at front right began. Took to mechanic as per dealer's request and was diagnosed with a transmission failure that required a complete replacement at $11,500. I purchased the car for $20,000, only drove it for one day and am now stuck making $500 per month payments for a car that does not run”

NHTSA complaint #11704821, filed 2025-12

Other or unknown: “Fred Anderson Toyota dealership said a bearing which is internal is going bad The manufacturer does not sell the kit as my transmission is called a CVT and it’s a sealed transmission. I will need to replace the entire transmission. Also my vehicle is also discontinued.”

NHTSA complaint #11769508, filed 2026-10

Electrical system: “I was driving on the highway, roughly going 70-75 miles an hour, and as i began to exit the highway the check engine lights on the dashboard came on and the vehicle seized up. Upon inspection at the Toyota Dealership, they said that the transmission has been broken, as well as shrapnel metal being in the axles of the front wheel drive, stopping the car from moving. As i was stuck on the exit of the highway, NTTA was forced to block the exit as well as tow my car to the nearest parking lot, causing traffic jams on the highway. …”

NHTSA complaint #11704010, filed 2025-12

Engine: “While taking off in my 2020 Toyota C-HR on the highway, the CVT transmission suddenly failed, resulting in an immediate and significant loss of propulsion power. The vehicle did not fully shut off but lost the ability to maintain normal highway speed, requiring me to rapidly reduce speed and carefully maneuver the vehicle to safety in active traffic conditions. This created a serious safety risk due to unexpected loss of acceleration and potential inability to maintain highway speed in traffic. The failure occurred at approximately 117,700 miles and shortly after purchase. …”

NHTSA complaint #11733254, filed 2026-04

Mileage when problems were reported

57% of the 7 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 9,500 and 76,000 miles.

43%0–1014%10–250%25–500%50–7543%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (7 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 20,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

2020202120222025202637
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2020 Toyota C-HR. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
C-HR · hatchback FWD★★★★★5 / 4554 · 14.3% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2020 model year: forward collision warning standard, lane departure warning standard, automatic emergency braking standard.

Neighbouring years: 2019: same overall rating; 2021: 4–5 stars overall. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2020 Toyota C-HR version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
C-HR FWD2.0L 4-cylCVT273129$2,300

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2020 Toyota C-HR → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 111 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 111 bulletins →

Other model years of the Toyota C-HR

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20268—1—117 MPGe—Too new
20213628,76414–52940 · TypicalRising
20206620,000152942 · TypicalRising
201911449,000352957 · TypicalRising
201832846,000152980 · MoreRising

All Toyota C-HR model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2020 Toyota C-HR?

Owners of the 2020 Toyota C-HR most often report transmission problems: a whining, humming or grinding noise from the front that grows louder with speed, followed in some cases by loss of acceleration or a car that will not move. The issues reported most often: CVT transmission whining or grinding noise; Transmission failure and loss of power while driving; Tire blowouts and rapid wear.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2020 Toyota C-HR have?

NHTSA recorded 66 consumer complaints for the 2020 Toyota C-HR as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2020 Toyota C-HR is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 51 complaints (77% of the total), followed by other or unknown with 6.

Has the 2020 Toyota C-HR been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2020 Toyota C-HR do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2020 Toyota C-HR 5 out of 5 stars overall. Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2020 Toyota C-HR get?

The EPA rates the 2020 Toyota C-HR (C-HR, 2.0L 4-cyl) at 29 mpg combined, 27 city and 31 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,300 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2020 Toyota C-HR reported?

Among the 7 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 20,000 miles and the middle half falls between 9,500 and 76,000 miles; 57% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.