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Pros
- All-wheel drive is standard
- Easy entry and exit
- Raised driving position
Cons
- Rear headroom a bit compromised
What’s new?
- The Crown is an all-new model for 2023
The 2023 Toyota Crown is a full-size sedan with a few twists. It rides a bit higher than a typical sedan, and every Crown has a hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive. Pricing starts at $39,950.
Just when it seems there are no new ideas under the sun, Toyota unveils the Crown, a raised hybrid sedan with AWD. We’ve seen a few high-riding sedans in years past, but none this big, with all-wheel drive, and a hybrid powertrain.
The Crown name was used on past Toyotas, but who needs a history lesson when there’s a distinctive new car to explore? Perhaps this is the beginning of the end of the SUV craze. Where people realize they don’t need so much interior space and would prefer something with better aerodynamics and is easier on gasoline. Probably not.
Toyota has confirmed that a plug-in hybrid Toyota Crown Prime is on the way.
The 2023 Toyota Crown
Toyota
2023 Toyota Crown pricing
The 2023 Toyota Crown starts at $39,950. The Crown Limited starts at $45,550, and the more powerful, range-topping Crown Platinum starts at $52,350. The outgoing Toyota Avalon, which the Crown effectively replaces in the Toyota lineup, starts at $36,825.
- 2023 Toyota Crown XLS: $39,950
- 2023 Toyota Crown Limited: $45,550
- 2023 Toyota Crown Platinum: $52,350
There’s really nothing else like the 2023 Crown full-size hybrid sedan. The ancient Chrysler 300 (from around $35K) has space, but not the fuel efficiency. The Nissan
NSANY,
Maxima (starting at approximately $40K) has front-wheel drive exclusively. The hybrid/front-drive Lexus ES 300h (in the $44K region) can only muster 215 horsepower.
Before buying a new 2023 Toyota Crown, check the KBB.com Fair Purchase Price to see what others in your area are paying for theirs. It’s way too early to talk about resale values, but Toyota is one of the star players in this arena.
Read: New electric car buying incentives kick in Jan. 1, and a lot has changed. Here’s an explainer.
When does the 2023 Toyota Crown come out?
The 2023 Toyota Crown debuted in July of 2022, and is scheduled to go on sale in early 2023.
Driving the 2023 Toyota Crown
The Toyota Crown has a pleasant, well-rounded driving spirit. Outward visibility is good in all directions and, thanks to a higher-riding stance than traditional sedans, the driver is afforded a more commanding view forward. The Crown accelerates eagerly from a stop thanks to the standard hybrid powertrain’s prompt electric torque. At the same time, the electronic continuously variable transmission (eCVT) keeps the engine spinning at its highest power revs when the accelerator is floored, filling the cabin with racing engine noises. If you’re new to hybrids, that sound can take some getting used to. Similarly, when slowing down, the Crown’s brake pedal, like many hybrids, has a somewhat spongy feel. But with a little finesse, the Crown hybrid can be brought to a smooth stop.
The 2023 Toyota Crown
Toyota
The Hybrid Max powertrain found in the most expensive Platinum trim has a unique character of its own. For the Max, Toyota
TM,
exchanged the eCVT for a 6-speed automatic transmission and traded the base 2.5-liter engine for a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine. The benefits are a big bump in power and more immediate thrust when the driver presses the accelerator. Toyota claims a 0-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds for the Hybrid Max. That’s nearly 2 seconds quicker than the standard hybrid. Another benefit of the Hybrid Max’s traditional transmission is that, when accelerating, the engine revs rise and fall in a way many drivers will find more pleasing than the persistent droning found with an eCVT.
The standard Toyota Crown exhibits a plush ride quality with well-controlled body movements. Granted our Nashville-adjacent test roads were exceptionally smooth, but the Crown’s on-road refinement should translate just fine to other regions. Despite some play on-center, steering wheel inputs yield prompt reactions from the chassis. The Crown doesn’t corner with overt raciness but driving on winding roadways at moderate speeds it turns in cheerful fashion. The Platinum trim with the Hybrid Max powertrain once again amplifies the Crown driving experience by directing more power to the rear wheels than the standard hybrid, giving the Hybrid Max a livelier handling feel. That eager spirit is further bolstered by the Platinum trim’s adaptive dampers, which alter the ride from comfy-soft to sporting-firm via an expanded range of Hybrid Max-specific driving modes.
Plush interior
The Crown effectively replaces the Avalon, which was approaching Lexus in terms of interior quality. This 2023 Crown edges even closer.
As is the current trend, the new Toyota Crown has dual 12.3-inch screens — one for driver information, the other for a new Toyota infotainment system that responds to voice commands and can be summoned by saying: “Hey, Toyota.” Wi-Fi and wireless charging are also available.
The elevated height of the 2023 Crown compared with a typical full-size sedan means the occupants’ hip point is higher, so climbing in and out is a bit easier and more dignified. The sloping roofline imparts something of a coupe-like profile, but impacts rear headroom a bit.
Be sure to read: ‘Auto makers are building more expensive vehicles’: Why you should not buy a new car in 2023
Unique design
The new Crown full-size sedan is almost 4 inches taller than the familiar Toyota Camry midsize sedan. As far as the nose and tail are concerned, if this is the new direction for Toyota vehicles, we say bring it on.
The 2023 Toyota Crown
Toyota
The standard alloy wheel size for the 2023 Crown is 19 inches. The Limited is available with 21-inch rims, which suit the overall design arguably better. The Platinum has 21s standard.
The Platinum is available in 2-tone color schemes, with the hood, roof, and trunk all in black, paired to either Oxygen White, Heavy Metal (a kind of dark silver), Supersonic Red, or Bronze Age.
Also see: The 8 best hybrids you can get for under $40,000
Favorite features
12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen
This focal point of a new user-friendly infotainment system is standard across the 2023 Crown lineup.
12.3-inch digital driver’s display
A complement to the infotainment screen, this standard feature can be configured to show various types of information, including navigation directions. It also has a special hybrid mode to help drivers achieve optimum fuel efficiency.
Heated front seats
These are standard across the Crown lineup and come with power adjustment as well. The Limited and Platinum trims add ventilation and leather seating surfaces.
Fixed panoramic roof
Adding some airiness to the cabin, this panoramic roof becomes standard at the Limited trim level.
JBL audio
Coming in at the Limited trim, this 11-speaker system is supplied by a company with a rich reputation in the sound reproduction world.
Advanced Park
A standard feature in the Limited model, this is a self-parking function for parallel or perpendicular spaces.
Read: It’s sexy, it’s fast. It’s…the new Toyota Prius?
Engine and transmission
The first two trims of the 2023 Crown — XLE and Limited — employ a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine and two electric motors. The electric motors take their energy from a nickel-metal hydride battery pack. One of them powers the rear wheels. Every new Toyota Crown has this electronic form of AWD as standard.
We expect this new 2023 Toyota Crown to produce around 240 horsepower. Toyota estimates that it will average about 38 mpg.
The second gasoline/electric drivetrain in the 2023 Crown — exclusive to the top Platinum trim — is the Hybrid Max, which puts more of an emphasis on muscle than fuel economy. The engine here is a turbocharged 2.4-liter 4-cylinder unit. Along with its electric motors, output is 340 horsepower.
Plus: 5 things you really should not buy in 2023
Toyota never quotes torque figures for its hybrids but says maximum thrust is achieved between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm. Average fuel economy of the Crown Platinum is expected to be more like 28 mpg.
Toyota has confirmed that a plug-in hybrid variant of the Crown is coming to the U.S. market. We know very little about it so far, but we think its powertrain will be similar to the Toyota RAV4 Prime; a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine mated to two electric motors.
Toyota Crown XLE and Limited
2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine
Two electric motors
All-wheel drive
236 total system horsepower
EPA combined fuel economy: 41 mpg (42 city, 41 highway)
Toyota Crown Platinum
2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine
Two electric motors
All-wheel drive
340 combined horsepower
EPA combined fuel economy: 30 mpg (29 city, 32 highway)
3-year/36,000-mile Warranty
The 2023 Toyota Crown is covered by Toyota’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty, which covers just about everything beyond normal wear and maintenance items. The powertrain is protected for 5 years with no mileage limit. Hybrid components are covered for 8 years or 100,000 miles, and the battery is covered for 10 years or 150,000 miles. In addition, all factory-scheduled maintenance is covered for two years or 25,000 miles.
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This story originally ran on KBB.com.
