The C-HR is a model that Toyota says ‘promises a radical injection of style, handling and driving pleasure’ into the medium-size crossover market.

Built in Turkey, with hybrid engines supplied by the company’s Deeside engine plant in North Wales, the transmissions are from Poland. Toyota says it has invested an additional £7.1 million in Toyota Manufacturing UK’s operations to bring the hybrid engine into production.

Built on Toyota’s New Global Architecture-based platform (TNGA) offering the Crossover a low centre of gravity and a highly rigid body construction, the new model is the first outside Japan to be manufactured using TNGA, which the Japanese company says is a central element its commitment ‘to build ever-better cars’.

Speaking at the line-off ceremony today at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey’s Sakarya factory, Dr Johan van Zyl, President and CEO Toyota Motor Europe, said: “The Toyota C-HR is a hugely important product for the whole of Toyota. The crossover segment is growing fast and this is our very strong entry into the segment.”

Available in three trim levels, the car offers customers the choice of a 'smooth and efficient' hybrid powertrain and it joins the British-built Auris and the French manufactured Yaris as Toyota’s third European-manufactured hybrid vehicle. Available to order in the UK now, prices start at £20,995 to £27,995 OTR.

First UK customers deliveries of the C-HR are expected in January 2017.