2021 Toyota C-HR: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
32 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 32 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 6.4
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
It will not drive forward and only in reverse. There is a known bearing issue but unfortunately this is past the 60k and no recall.
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota CH-R. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle made an abnormal whining sound that progressively became louder. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired and remained at the dealer. The contact stated th…
The car has developed a growl/whine from the transmission. A trip to the mechanic determined that it sounded as if a bearing inside the transmission is failing. A check online showed multiple complaints regarding the transmission failing with the same issues as my car, and what appeared to be a possible class action lawsuit being filed regarding this transmission issue. No recall is showing for the transmission fr…
Recalls: 1 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 22V107000 | Forward Collision Avoidance: Sensing System: Radar | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021 C-HR vehicles. The radar sensor may not have been activated during production, making the pre-collision system (PCS) inoperative. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 29 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Power Train14 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other6 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Electrical System5 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Forward Collision Avoidance4 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
- Seat Belts3 complaints · typical job: Pretensioner or retractor replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$800
- Lane Departure2 complaints · typical job: Camera module replacement and calibration (2.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,700
Other Toyota C-HR years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Toyota C-HR?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Power Train (14 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2021 Toyota C-HR a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 91/100, computed from 32 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2021 Toyota C-HR's most common problem?
14 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2021 Toyota C-HR sit in the Power Train group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is transmission service or clutch-pack repair: about 7.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,290–$4,040 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2021 Toyota C-HR cost to run per year?
About $3,591 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $17,955 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2021 Toyota C-HR have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for the 2021 Toyota C-HR, 0 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 24/02/2022. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compact suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2021 Toyota C-HR really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 32 complaints, 1 recalls on record
- 32 NHTSA complaints on record (6.4/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (10.0/yr)
- 1 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality