~ A DriveWays Review ~
by Frank A. Aukofer

Gone missing for half a century, Toyota’s most prestigious passenger car, the Crown, returns to stores in the United States as the Japanese company’s new top-of-the line sedan. It replaces the Avalon, which had served as the flagship here.

Introduced in 1958, the Crown was pulled from the U.S. market in 1972, left to further development in its home market of Japan, where it served as a prestige luxury car as well as modified for taxicabs and police cars.

In the states, where it might have qualified as a Lexus—Toyota’s luxury line–it was replaced in 1995 by the Avalon, which now returns the favor.

For years, a main distinguishing characteristic was that the Avalon was one of the few sedans anywhere that could seat three adults comfortably in the back seat, thanks to a flat floor and an adult-sized center-rear seat.

It was classified as a large car by the federal government, defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as an automobile with 120 cubic feet or more of interior volume, which includes the passenger and trunk space. But the Avalon came up slightly short with 119 cubic feet.

In 2013, the Avalon joined the masses when was downsized to its current state as a midsize car with a center-rear seat that featured a small, uncomfortable seat cushion and a big floor hump—much like almost every other car, and even some SUVs. It continued in that configuration, barely larger than its popular—and lower-priced—sibling, the Toyota Camry.

Avalon devotees will not be shame-faced by the Crown. It is 16 feet 4 inches long with a total interior volume of 115 cubic feet, placing it in the upper reaches of the EPA’s midsize class. The center-rear seat is compromised by a high cushion and a prominent floor hump.

Yet the 2023 Crown Platinum driven for this review fairly reeks of royalty. It came with a snazzy two-tone paint job done in shiny bronze and black with a black leather-upholstered interior, custom 21-inch alloy wheels and a long list of standard and optional equipment. It is the top of three versions, called trim levels in the industry.  

All Crown models are hybrids—no surprise given Toyota’s extensive hybrid experience. The tested Platinum version gets its power from Toyota’s new Hybrid Max system, which uses a 2.4-liter four-cylinder turbocharged ICE (internal combustion engine) up front with an electric motor on the rear wheels for a total combined 340 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque.

Power gets to all four wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission for the ICE, working in concert with a direct-drive automatic for the electric motor. Independent tests place the zero-to-60 miles an hour acceleration in the low five-second range. Top speed is rated at 129 miles an hour.

Yet the Crown’s Hybrid Max system delivers city/highway/combined fuel economy of 29/32/30 miles to the gallon, according to the EPA. It estimates an annual fuel cost of $1,500, or about $29 a week.

On the road, the new Crown delivers attributes that satisfy a broad range of driver’s preferences. It looks and feels like a large car but not the traditional mush-mobile of the decades-old U.S. version. There’s a comfortable ride, confident straight-line cruising and mostly muted mechanical and road sounds on the Interstates.

Enough steering response and compliance in the suspension system combine to maintain confidence on slower, twisting two-lane roads in the countryside and hill countries. It is enhanced by the Crown’s adaptive shock absorbers and suspension system tuning.

Befitting its royalty orientation, the Crown is fully staffed with built-in toadies, flatterers and sycophants that never will never seek higher pay or other emoluments. On the tester, these included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, dynamic radar cruise control, lane-departure alert with steering assist, driving assist with road sign detection, blind-spot monitoring, and front and rear parking assist with automatic braking.

Also: Toyota Multi-media audio, Apple Car Play and Android Auto, SXM satellite radio, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, heated leather-covered steering wheel, auto-dimming rear view mirror, and wireless smart phone charging.

In this era, when the average price of a new car in the U.S. hovers somewhere between $48,000 and $50,000, the 2023 Toyota Crown Platinum hybrid looks a bit pricey with a $53,445 base price, including the destination charge, and a bottom-line sticker price of $54,420.

Still, on balance, it’s tempting.

Specifications

  • Model: 2023 Toyota Crown Platinum hybrid four-door sedan.
  • Engine/motors: 2.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline with rear electric motor; combined 340 hp, 400 lb-ft torque.
  • Transmission: Six-speed automatic with electric direct drive; manual shift mode, and all-wheel drive.
  • Overall length: 16 feet 4 inches.
  • Height: 5 feet 1 inch.
  • EPA/SAE passenger/trunk volume: 100/15 cubic feet.
  • Weight: 4,338 pounds.
  • EPA city/highway/combined fuel consumption: 29/32/30 mpg.
  • Base price, including destination charge: $53,445.
  • Price as tested: $54,420.

Disclaimer: The manufacturer provided the vehicle used to conduct this test drive and review. Photos ©Toyota