To provide a toner having low temperature fixability in a high temperature and high humidity environment (for example, at a temperature of 45°C and humidity of 80%) and capable of preventing carrier spent, and to provide a two-component developer, a process cartridge and a color image forming apparatus using the toner.

The toner has a core-shell structure comprising a core containing at least a first binder resin, a colorant and a release agent, and a shell containing at least a second binder resin. The toner shows a softening index of from 86°C to 95°C and a thermal hardness of from 0.7 to 1.8.