For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota C-HR have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Honda HR-V doesn't offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

The Toyota C-HR has a standard driver's side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The HR-V doesn't offer knee airbags.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the C-HR's standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The HR-V doesn't offer a cross-path warning system.

The C-HR's driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The HR-V doesn't offer a driver alert monitor.

The C-HR has standard Safety Connect, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it's stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The HR-V doesn't offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you're involved in an accident and you're incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the C-HR and the HR-V have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota C-HR is safer than the Honda HR-V:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota C-HR is safer than the Honda HR-V:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight's “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the C-HR the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 145 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The HR-V has not been fully tested, yet.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the C-HR for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Honda doesn't pay scheduled maintenance for the HR-V.

There are over 16 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Honda dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the C-HR's warranty.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the C-HR has a standard 520-amp battery. The HR-V's 410-amp battery isn't as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates' 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota 13th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 17th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates' 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 47 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 27th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports' January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Honda is ranked fifth.

The C-HR's 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 3 more horsepower (144 vs. 141) and 12 lbs.-ft. more torque (139 vs. 127) than the HR-V's 1.8 SOHC 4-cylinder.

For better stopping power the C-HR's brake rotors are larger than those on the HR-V:

The C-HR stops shorter than the HR-V:

For better traction, the C-HR has larger tires than the HR-V (225/50R18 vs. 215/55R17).

The C-HR's tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the HR-V's standard 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the C-HR has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the HR-V.

For superior ride and handling, the Toyota C-HR has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Honda HR-V has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The C-HR has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the C-HR flat and controlled during cornering. The HR-V 4x2 suspension doesn't offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the C-HR's wheelbase is 1.1 inches longer than on the HR-V (103.9 inches vs. 102.8 inches).

The C-HR Limited handles at .81 G's, while the HR-V EX-L AWD pulls only .80 G's of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the C-HR's turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the HR-V's (34.2 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The C-HR's turning circle is 4.5 feet tighter than the HR-V Sport's (34.2 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The C-HR has 2.3 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more rear hip room than the HR-V.

The power windows standard on both the C-HR and the HR-V have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the C-HR is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The HR-V prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The C-HR's front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The HR-V's passenger windows don't open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the C-HR the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the HR-V can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The C-HR's variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The HR-V LX/Sport's standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don't exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The C-HR's available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the HR-V's headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

The C-HR has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The HR-V has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the EX/EX-L.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the C-HR Limited has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The HR-V doesn't offer cornering lights.

The C-HR's standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Honda only offers heated mirrors on the HR-V EX/EX-L.

The C-HR's standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won't have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The HR-V doesn't offer dual zone air conditioning.