2023 Toyota Crown Review: All-New Toyota Crown Replaces the Avalon Looks Incredible

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2023 Toyota Crown starting at $41,045 and ranging up to $53,445 for the loaded 340-hp Platinum model, Crown pushes Toyota’s top sedan models into luxury territory.

Toyota is aiming high with the new 2023 Crown sedan, both literally—it’s significantly taller than the large Avalon sedan it replaces—and figuratively because it’s priced in the high-end automaker’s product line, with models loaded to the tune of $50,000.

The Crown is available in three trim levels: XLE, Limited, and Platinum, and all versions come standard with all-wheel drive and a hybrid powertrain.

The Crown XLE starts at $41,045 and comes with a hybrid setup that uses a 2.5-liter petrol engine and produces a total of 236 horsepower. That starting price is $3125 more than the 2022 Avalon XLE.

The Limited starts at $46,645 and adds equipment including a panoramic sunroof, leather seats, an upgraded audio system, and rain-sensing windshield wipers. This version of the Crown is EPA rated at a combined 41 mpg.

The Crown Platinum takes a big jump up to its starting price of $53,445, and it features a much more powerful hybrid powertrain that Toyota is calling Hybrid Max.

This powertrain uses a turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four petrol engine, produces 340 horsepower, and is EPA rated at a significantly lower 30 mpg combined. Additional equipment for the Platinum includes adaptive dampers, 21-inch wheels, and an improved parking assistance system.

Toyota says the Crown will start arriving at US dealers in early 2023.

  • The Toyota Crown is a new sedan model for 2023 that replaces the Avalon.
  • Prices start at $41,045 and range up to $53,445 for the top Platinum model.
  • Crown will begin reaching US dealers in early 2023.

2023 Toyota Crown Review

Just as the Toyota Avalon died, a replacement came with a twist. On Friday, the 2023 Toyota Crown debuted with crossover height, full-size sedan proportions, and a pair of hybrid powertrains. Think of it as Avalon for a new generation.

2023 Toyota Crown Review

Each Crown will feature a hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive. The base system on the XLE and Limited models pairs the 2.5-liter inline-4 engine with front and rear electric motors, though Toyota hasn’t said how much power the system will produce.

The all-wheel-drive system will be able to vary torque between 100/0 and 20/80 front to rear. Estimated fuel economy comes in at a combined 38 mpg, which is significantly more than the Avalon AWD’s 28 mpg combined.

The ride modes will include Eco, Normal, Sport, and EV settings allowing for an all-electric ride in no time.

2023 Toyota Crown Specs

The Fancy Platinum model gets a 2.4-liter turbo-4 mated to two electric motors for a total system output of 340 hp. Paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission, this grade is expected to deliver just 28 mpg combined.

The electric motor can vary the torque distribution between 70/30 front bias and 20/80 rear bias. The turbocharged powertrain loses the base car’s EV drive mode but gains Sport+, Comfort, and Custom modes.

While Crown may not be a re-skinned Avalon, it feels like one. Based on Toyota’s New Global Architecture (TNGA-K), the Crown has a wheelbase of 112.2 inches, an overall length of 194 inches, and a width of 72.4 inches all of which nearly match the dimensions of full-size sedans in all but one category: height.

The Crown is 60.6 inches tall, about four inches taller than the Avalon and Camry. Toyota won’t discuss ground clearance yet, but spokesman Paul Hogard told Motor Authority it’s comparable to the Camry. The Camry has a ground clearance of 5.7 inches while the outgoing Avalon has a ground clearance of 5.3 inches.

The MacPherson front strut pairs with the multi-link rear independent suspension. The low-end XLE and Limited trims will use 19-inch wheels while the high-zoot Platinum model pairs adaptive dampers with 21-inch wheels. Those big wheels will be an option on the Limited with the Advanced Tech Package.

Bridging the gap between the first-generation Venza crossover SUV and the Avalon, the Crown blends Toyota’s latest design language with the fastback form. It may look like a hatchback but a sedan with a trunk. It lacks elegance and falls squarely in the “it won’t offend anyone” camp. The Platinum model will be available with two-tone paint.

The inside of the Crown features an upscale design sitting 4 inches higher than the Avalon. The 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster is paired with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The lower-spec XLE models feature fabric and synthetic suede upholstery, while the Limited and Platinum models feature leather, a panoramic sunroof, and an 11-speaker JBL audio system.

Platinum buyers will get cooled front seats, a surround-view camera system, and digital locks. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and over-the-air software update capabilities are standard across the line.

Each Crown will come with Toyota’s suite of active safety technologies including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, cross-traffic warning, adaptive cruise control, active lane control, and blind spot monitoring. The Platinum model gets an auto park function.

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New Toyota Crown Report

Over the past weekend, we’ve covered plenty of stories about the new 2023 Toyota Crown which will be the first time Japan will sell it in the US With the growing market for fuel-efficient luxury sedans and compact SUVs, experts say this could be the next Camry or Toyota Corolla.

However, the average person says otherwise. I personally like the new Crown and of the three, I would probably choose the Sedan Type because it looks more VIP.

Now according to Toyota, the new 2023 Crown across all four variants should replace the hugely successful Toyota Avalon. The Avalon has been known as Toyota’s non-Lexus Lexus if that makes any sense.

Toyota’s luxury brand, Lexus, is sold in the US but all their cars are very expensive. The Toyota Avalon was created to provide American buyers with affordable, reliable luxury sedans. I remember my dad driving it a few years ago and I vividly remember how soft the seats were in a 10-year-old car.

Greg Smith said, “Take care of Avalon. I don’t have to sacrifice 5 mpg for AWD and an extra 25 hp.” It’s true that the 2023 Toyota Crown makes less than the Toyota Avalon despite having a new hybrid battery.

Now whether or not a different drivetrain will come out, hopefully, EV, we don’t know but I can say that I highly doubt Toyota will intentionally make their new Crown less efficient than the existing Avalon even if they do take the Avalon out of the sale.

Dorothy Patel said, “Yes! I like my Avalon, but the ground clearance is too low for Houston, where we often have high water problems. (When we don’t have a drought!). this is a good point. Bear in mind that this funky-looking crossover isn’t the only Crown out there. There are also Estate, Sports,s and Sedan types that offer different versions of the Crown experience in different body styles.

Regardless of what the Crown will replace, I think the 2023 Toyota Crown will definitely open up a new market segment of inefficient luxury sedans and SUVs.

2023 Toyota Crown Hybrid

The Crown nameplate, which has been in Japan since the 1950s, will now appear in the US with a new hybrid sedan with standard AWD and up to 340 horsepower.

  • The new Toyota Crown arrives for the 2023 model year with two hybrid powertrain options, standard all-wheel drive, lots of modern technology, and an unorthodox lift sedan body style.
  • The base powertrain is a 236-horsepower hybrid setup, while the Platinum trim features a 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four and two electric motors, good for 340 hp.
  • The Platinum also features an 11-speaker JBL sound system, heated and ventilated leather-covered front seats, and a cool two-tone paint option.

If you’re not sure how to classify the 2023 Toyota Crown, don’t worry. Toyota doesn’t either. The teaser video asks “Sedan or SUV?” while a press release referred to it as a “premium sedan” with a “higher ride height design”. We tend to call it a “sports sedan,” with the Crown’s look reminiscent of the late ’90s Subaru Legacy SUS and Volvo S60 Cross Country.

Whatever the Crown, it’s effectively a replacement for the Avalon, which is discontinuing after 2022, and trades the Avalon’s sober look for a striking new design, two hybrid powertrain options, and standard all-wheel drive.

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2023 Toyota Crown Interior

On the inside, the Crown has a sleek and simple design. The dashboard is dominated by a 12.3-inch touchscreen and digital gauge cluster. Thankfully, there’s a row of physical buttons below the screen for operating the standard dual-zone climate control.

The Crown comes with a wireless charging pad and plenty of USB ports, including two USB-C outlets for the rear passengers. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are supported, and the Wi-Fi subscription service can provide up to five devices with a 4G connection.

The Crown XLE comes standard with eight-way electric heated front seats wrapped in a mix of leather and synthetic fabrics. Stepping up to Limited or Platinum adds ventilated leather seats up front and heated seats for rear passengers.

The Limited and Platinum also upgrade to the 11-speaker JBL sound system. While the XLE’s interior comes exclusively in black, the Limited can also be specified in black and chestnut or macadamia. In our short time with the Crown Platinum, we found it comfortable and fairly roomy but were surprised by the amount of hard plastic in the interior.

Toyota also talked about the Crown’s quiet cabin, with acoustic glass and soundproofing materials throughout the vehicle, and when we sat in the car, we could barely hear the music blaring in the studio.

The Platinum and Limited trims also add other features such as a panoramic sunroof, LED interior accent lighting, LED headlamps, and rain-sensing wipers. A bird’s eye view camera is also present on Platinum and can be selected on Limited as part of the Advanced Tech package.

The add-on also includes digital locks and dark metallic 10-spoke 21-inch alloy wheels. Platinum can also be trimmed in two-tone paint, with black paint on the hood and trunk.

All Crowns feature Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, which includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, dynamic radar cruise control, lane-departure warning with steering assist, automatic high beam, and more.

The Platinum trim comes standard with the Advanced Park system, which will park the Crown without the driver needing to touch the wheels or pedals.

Hybrid Horsepower and MPG

The 2023 Crown debuts with three trim levels. Powering the XLE and Limited is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with three electric motors powered by a new nickel-metal-hydride battery pack.

This is Toyota’s familiar hybrid setup, with two motors and an internal combustion engine coupled via a planetary gearset that allows for continuously variable ratio adjustments when sending power to the front wheels. Plus, there’s a third electric motor driving the rear wheels, giving the Crown all-wheel drive.

Toyota claims this setup produces 236 horsepower and will achieve a combined 38 mpg. This hybrid system also has an EV mode that allows electric-only driving for short distances at low speeds.

Upgrading to the Platinum trim features what Toyota has dubbed “Hybrid Max,” a new hybrid system with a turbocharged 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder hybrid powertrain mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, with a wet multi-plate clutch sandwiched between the engine and gearbox, replaces the standard torque converter (as Mercedes-AMG does).

The electric motor adds extra horsepower and torque and improves powertrain responsiveness. As with the basic hybrid system, another electric motor sits on the rear axle, although it is water-cooled and more powerful than the motors in the XLE and Limited.

Toyota claims that the Hybrid Max setup produces 340 horsepower, with peak torque from the petrol engine reaching between 2000 and 3000 rpm. While the base hybrid operates with front-wheel drive under certain conditions, the Platinum is always in all-wheel-drive mode, sending up to 70 percent of the Crown’s power to the front wheels or up to 80 percent to the rear.

Fuel economy took a hit compared to the XLE and Limited, however, with Toyota estimating a combined 28 mpg.

Platinum also gets adaptive dampers, and all 2023 Toyota Crown have strut front suspension and multilink rear suspension. The Crown is also equipped with Active Cornering Assist, which uses stability control to minimize understeer in corners. The XLE gets 19-inch alloy wheels, while the Platinum gets 21-inch 10-spoke wheels with black accents.

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2023 Toyota Crown Price

With prices to be announced closer to the sale date. We expect the XLE to start in the low $40,000 range, with Platinum pushing $50,000, though Toyota did say Crown is targeting a wealthier buyer than its predecessor, the Avalon.

2023 Toyota Crown Release Date

New Toyota Crown 2023 will reach dealers this fall

People also ask

Q: Will there be a 2023 Toyota Avalon?
A: Toyota has announced that it will stop making the Toyota Avalon in 2023

Q: Is Toyota discontinuing the Avalon?
A: Around the mid-1990s, Avalon has now been dropped by Toyota. But the automaker is replacing the sedan with a new semi-luxury full-size sedan. The Avalon “was replaced by the Crown, which is a slightly odd upcoming vehicle,” says Kaufman.

Q: What is Toyota replacing the Avalon with?
A: The Crown nameplate, which has been in Japan since the 1950s, will now appear in the US with a new hybrid sedan with standard AWD and up to 340 horsepower.

Q: Will there be a 2024 Toyota Avalon?
A: And Toyota has confirmed that the Avalon will die after 2022