The 2017 Toyota C-HR is a prototype model and a crossover under development for the U.S. audience.

The car shares a lot of similarities with the existing C-HR being sold in other regions. Spy shots of the same emerged recently giving us a glimpse.

Similar to the 2016 Prius which was built on the same TNGA platform, the C-HR is built on the same but there are some subtle changes in the interiors and the exterior design. The car joins the long list of small and compact crossovers released by top auto manufacturers. It is Toyota’s answer to models like Mazda CX-3, Subaru Crosstrek and Nissan Juke. It is set to hit dealership stores by Spring 2017 in the North American region.

The global version of the C-HR was first showcased at the 2016 Geneva auto show. The U.S. specific version has similar design features including the strikingly bold front fascia. It uses upswept headlights for longer coverage but instead of LED lights used in the European model, this particular version is equipped with halogen light bulbs. A single line can be found on the car that starts with the headlights and runs throughout the sides to end in the taillight region. It adds up to the sporty look the company is going for.

Being a compact crossover, the 2017 Toyota C-HR is obviously being aimed at people who want extra room for the passengers and are not satisfied with the minimal space offered by sedans and saloons. The rear fascia looks the same as the global version except for the red designed combined with a rear mounted spoiler and bumped up rear window. Clear taillights are used by Toyota to indicate a vehicle’s hybrid nature but the spy shot shows a model that lacked this feature.

It confirmed that the one heading to the United States is actually a gasoline engine powered model. One of them is powered by a 2.0 liter I-4 engine while another model uses 1.2-liter turbo four engine capable of rendering 122 horsepower. All models used a six speed manual gearbox system. There may be unique powertrain variants specific to the U.S. audience which is not known at the moment.

Once production is over and Toyota is ready to roll out new C-HR crossovers to dealership stores, they will probably start talking about region specific models as well as the official pricing for each one of them.