YearToAvoid

2020 Toyota C-HR Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

50/100

#3 most-complained of 5 C-HR years

The 2020 Toyota C-HR has 62 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 50, ranking 3rd worst of 5 model years with a "Caution" verdict. Transmission & Powertrain issues dominate at 76% of complaints, with median failure mileage of 80,000 miles.

Complaints
62
Recalls
1
Crashes / fires
1 / 0
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
29
27 city / 31 hwy

Top 2020 Toyota C-HR problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Transmission & Powertrain47 (76%)
  2. Engine7 (11%)
  3. Electrical System5 (8%)
  4. Other5 (8%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires5 (8%)
  6. Steering3 (5%)
  7. Brakes2 (3%)
  8. Seat Belts2 (3%)
  9. Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (2%)
  10. Fuel System1 (2%)

What owners report

  • CVT transmission develops a high-pitched whining noise that grows louder and faster as speed increases, sometimes progressing to grinding sounds.
  • Owners describe sudden hesitation or loss of acceleration during driving, with the vehicle failing to respond to throttle input.
  • Some report complete transmission failure, including a bearing failure preceded by whining that worsened over about two months.
  • Low tire pressure and unrelated warning lights illuminated together with a stall at 20 mph, requiring a jump start; this happened three times to one owner at 7,384 miles.
  • A front passenger tire suffered a blowout and repeated excessive tread wear despite multiple tire replacements, at 5,000 miles.
  • Rear seat belts intermittently failed to fasten properly, accompanied by an intermittent dashboard warning light.
2020 Toyota C-HR complaints: complaints filed per month10Nov 2020Jan 2022Apr 2025Aug 2025Dec 2025Apr 2026Aug 2026
78 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2020 to Sep 2026; peak Sep 2025 (10).

2020 Toyota C-HR recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V877000Dec 11, 2019Seat Belts9,468 vehicles

    Seat belts: rear/other:buckle assembly

    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.

    Remedy: 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 may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 19TB22 and 19TA22.

2020 Toyota C-HR fuel economy and fuel cost

City
27 MPG
Highway
31 MPG
Combined
29 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,250
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2020 compared with other C-HR years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020182019202020212022
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2018Avoid100320129
2019Avoid75110329
2020Caution5062129
2021Good2534129
2022No verdict03029

All Toyota C-HR years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

What is the main problem with the 2020 Toyota C-HR?
Transmission & Powertrain complaints make up 76% of all reports for the 2020 C-HR, with a median failure mileage of 80,000 miles.
Is the 2020 Toyota C-HR reliable compared to other C-HR years?
NHTSA data gives the 2020 C-HR a complaint index of 50 and a "Caution" verdict, ranking 3rd worst among the 5 model years tracked. The 2018 (index 100) and 2019 (index 75) are worse, while 2021 (index 25) and 2022 (index 0) fare better.
Does the 2020 Toyota C-HR have any recalls?
Yes, one recall (campaign 19V877000) covers a rear seat belt assembly with a dual-mode locking mechanism that may not lock properly. It is not a do-not-drive recall.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2020 C-HR have?
NHTSA lists 62 complaints for the 2020 C-HR, including 1 crash and 1 injury, with no fires or deaths reported.
What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Toyota C-HR?
The EPA rates the 2020 C-HR at 29 mpg combined (27 city / 31 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,250.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.