AUTO REVIEW: 2023 Toyota Crown Is Finally Here

By Marc D. Grasso

(Boston Herald/TNS) — As Toyota betters its fleet with the elimination of the longtime Avalon, the creation of the Toyota Crown was born. Bringing to the table Lexus, which molds the Crown into the luxury vehicle it deserves, we notice some Lexus interior-like accents and technology.

With exterior curvatures similar to the Polestar 2, we notice a midsize luxury vehicle in our 2023 Crown Limited tester. With a base price of just under $40K, the Crown is really a nicely sized and priced vehicle with tons of interior legroom. Did I mention fuel mileage? We noticed 41 miles per gallon with our hybrid engine option on our weeklong test. Powering our Crown Limited tester was the only engine option, a 2.5 liter 4-cylinder hybrid with AWD. This included a 236 hybrid system net horsepower and electronically controlled CVT transmission, which was well designed and quiet for interior passengers unlike other CVTs.

Wrapped in Supersonic Red, which is one of nine color options available, the Crown rides on 19-inch wheels with 21-inch alternatives as an upgrade. The interior offered a 12.3 inch multimedia infotainment screen with touch-screen and JBL 11-speaker stereo system. SiriusXM, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay were standard. Heated and ventilated seats as well as heated rear seats were also just a few of the standard features on our enjoyable Crown tester.

As mentioned earlier, the exterior curvatures are certainly futuristic and one that takes some getting used too. As a Polestar lover myself, the exterior was attractive and one that was familiar. Although Polestar is 100% electric, it was good to see the Crown as a hybrid with similar curvatures confirming the wave of the future is here and rear seat comfort is somewhat of a priority.

Toyota does one of the best jobs in developing mass-market production while creating reliable and marketable vehicles for all consumers. With a fleet as large as Toyota, there is no secret it has what it takes to get the Crown to be one of the most popular mid-size luxury vehicles in the consumer market. With adding Lexus to the conversation, will there be a Crown shaped sedan coming to that market? Guess we will wait and find out.

2023 Toyota Crown

MSRP: $45,550

MPG: 42 city / 41 highway / 41.0 as tested

As Tested: $50,020

Grasso’s Garage is here for you! Are you in the market for a new car? I would be happy to provide my honest input. All you have to do is email me at marc.grasso@bostonherald.com