2023 Toyota Crown | First Look

This is the new Toyota Crown. A brief history lesson: The “Toyopet crown” was the first Japanese car to be sold in America back in 1958 up until 1972, making its return to the U.S. for the 2023 model year. It’s now built on the Toyota New Global Architecture K platform which is used on the company’s sedans and crossovers. That increased ride height isn’t by coincidence, folks. The large wheels and tall hip point not only gives the Crown road presence but also practicality by making ingress and egress easier for occupants. Speaking of occupying the Crown, step inside and you’ll find (a mellow vibe with) comfortable seats with standard 8 way power adjustable front seats with driver lumbar support. There’s 3 trims for the Crown: XLE, Limited, and Platinum, with electronic On-Demand AWD standard across the lineup dubbed “E-Four”. Both the XLE and Limited receive Toyota’s 4th generation hybrid system of a 2.5L engine combined with two electric motors for a combined output of 236 hp linked to an electronically operated CVT. That E-Four AWD system should give the Crown stable performance by distributing power between 20:80 to front and rear, or 100% to the front for more efficiency However, the Platinum trim gets an E-Four Advanced AWD system along with Toyota’s new HYBRID MAX system which combines a 2.4L turbo 4-cylinder engine with a front electric motor and rear wheel eAxle that has a water cooled electric motor. This will give a combined output of 340hp, mated to a 6-speed transmission. With the ADVANCED E-Four AWD system, it should distribute between 70:30 and 20:80 of power to the front and rear wheels, making it possible to maximize torque going to the rear. I’ll note that the Platinum trim also gets standard Adaptive Variable Suspension for a more pleasant ride. The eCVT on the XLE and Limited trim uses a shift-by-wire system that electronically shifts gears that have an optimized ratio and deceleration mechanism to manage fuel efficiency, which Toyota estimates will return a combined 38 mpg. While Toyota estimates the HYBRID MAX system on the Platinum trim should return a combined 28 mpg. The newest iteration of the Crown is looking to shake up the conception of what a sedan should be. I’m not completely sure if this is to replace the Avalon as Toyota’s full size sedan but the design elements in front bare a small resemblance to each other, while the rear of the crown is looks unique to the lineup. Lower trims receive 19 inch two-tone wheels standard, while the Platinum trim has standard 21 inch alloy wheels with black accents. If you’d like dark metallic 21 inch wheels on your Limited trim, there’s an available technology package. Moving back inside there’s a 12.3” digital gauge cluster and 12.3” infotainment screen that standard on all trims and includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Keeping you safe, all Crowns will come with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 which includes pre-collision pedestrian detection, Dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert, blind spot monitor, and rear cross traffic alert for added peace of mind. Also, adding to that serenity is standard acoustic glass and sound deadening material throughout the cabin, keeping you safe and free of access sounds from the outside world. With so many standard features, the base XLE seems compelling, but move up to the limited trim if you’d like to add leather seat trim with ventilation, a fixed panoramic roof, JBL sound system, and rear cross traffic braking. Add that advanced technology package mentioned earlier for a birds-eye view camera, and digital key. For the most premium Crown, the Platinum trim adds advance park which will have the car search for a parking spot and park it for you, and this bi-tone color option extending from the front of the hood to the back of the trunk in four paint choices. We'll let you express how you feel about this color option in the good ol comment section.