2023 Toyota Crown Sedan Promises Efficiency and Power in a Uniquely Styled Body

This Avalon replacement debuts solely with hybrid powertrains

The 2023 Toyota Crown Platinum trim with bi-tone paint.

By Jon Linkov

Toyota has taken the wraps off the 2023 Crown, a dramatically styled replacement for the Avalon. When it goes on sale in late 2022, it will be offered with only two hybrid powertrains.

The Crown’s powertrains were first announced early this year on the redesigned Lexus RX: one focused on fuel efficiency and another that produces prodigious power along with some fuel economy benefits. The standard 2.5-liter hybrid four-cylinder comes on the XLE and Limited trims, while the Platinum trim uses the Hybrid Max, a 340-hp turbo four-cylinder and hybrid electric powertrain. All-wheel drive is standard.

While the Avalon debuted for the 1995 model year and ran through five generations, Toyota has moved in a new direction in both name and styling for its big sedan’s replacement. The Crown name isn’t new to the U.S. market, as it was the first Japanese sedan sold here, in 1958, and ran through the 1972 model year. And it’s been used consistently in other markets.

The Crown features the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 system, which brings a generous roster of active safety and driver assistance features.

Pricing for the all-new 2023 Toyota Crown has not been announced. It goes on sale in late 2022.

Here’s what we know so far.
What it competes with: Acura TLX, Cadillac CT5, Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Nissan Maxima, Volkswagen Arteon 
What it looks like: A raised Toyota Mirai, with Honda Accord Crosstour inspiration. It looks nothing like the classic Toyota Crown sedan sold in other markets around the world.
Powertrains: 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, dual electric motors, electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (eCVT); 340-hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, dual electric motors, six-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive.
Price: N/A
On sale: Late 2022

CR's Take

With its replacement for the large Avalon sedan, Toyota has created a blend of the functionality of a sedan—popular with a shrinking, but core demographic—with some SUV-like looks. This comparably sized model appears more stylish and has a raised ride height, without going too far into the land of the SUV. It might be the ideal car for those who have gotten used to the raised ride height and easier cabin access of an SUV, but seek a less utilitarian-looking vehicle.

With standard AWD and two hybrid versions, the Crown has the on-paper details that could check the boxes for buyers looking for such an alternative.

With the Crown, Toyota remains true to—and reinforces—its leadership in hybridization. It’s not far-fetched to expect a plug-in hybrid electrical (PHEV) version down the road, similar to its existing “Prime” models. And that raised ride height may allow room below the floor for a long, flat battery that would be needed for a full EV version.

Outside

Unique. Different. Polarizing. A reminder of the awful trend of coupe-ified sedans and SUVs. These are just some of the ways our staff described the Crown when we saw it in photos. At the least, Toyota has done away with the traditional lines of the Avalon, instead delivering a sedan that blends a curved roof and tapering greenhouse with a raised, SUV-like ride height. Interestingly, the big front fascia is similar to the face of the final Avalon. Perhaps you can squint hard and see a similarity with the 1972 Toyota Crown, the last year it was sold in the U.S. Perhaps.

While it may look like a liftback, the 2023 Toyota Crown features a trunk.

Photo: Toyota

Size-wise, at 194 inches the Crown is two inches shorter than the Avalon, with nearly identical width and wheelbase measurements (72.4 and 112.2 inches, respectively). But it’s taller, 60.6 inches compared with the Avalon’s 57 inches. In comparison, the Camry is 56.9 inches tall.

XLE and Limited trims use 19-inch wheels, while the Platinum trim comes with 21-inch wheels.

In profile the Crown looks most like a raised Toyota Mirai, but with a more cab-forward design. As with Toyota’s fuel-cell vehicle, the Crown has a trunk (shown above), not a hatchback. The opening for the trunk appears tall and wide in photos, but there’s no information on depth or if the rear seats fold to expand cargo area.

The top Platinum trim also features what Toyota calls bi-tone paint, where black paint stretches from the hood to the trunk, and the rest of the car is painted in one of four contrasting colors. The XLE and Limited trims get a choice of five colors.

Inside

If the Avalon had a near-Lexus feel to its materials, the Crown takes that one step further with styling that is similar to current Lexus vehicles. But, at least, it’s a conventional interior.

The most prominent feature is the seemingly one-piece screen that stretches across nearly two-thirds the width of the Crown’s dashboard. In reality, it’s two separate pieces. All Crowns get a 12.3-inch panel in front of the driver that “houses” the digital instruments. This panel butts up to the standard 12.3-inch touch screen that sits up high on the dash.

Drivers can choose from a variety of display appearances, including one that shows the hybrid system’s charge status, and whether the Crown is using the gas engine or just the battery.