The 2023 Toyota Crown emerges as a striking departure from the conventional sedan, injecting bold styling, premium comfort, and an elevated ride height into Toyota’s flagship sedan lineup. This all-new model is designed to capture attention with its unique silhouette, substantial wheels, and distinctive paint options, ensuring it stands out in a crowded market. The Toyota Crown delivers not just on aesthetics but also on capability, offering the confidence of standard All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and a choice of two advanced electrified powertrains, including the groundbreaking Hybrid MAX system.
Bold Redesign and Styling
The 2023 Toyota Crown definitively breaks away from traditional sedan design language. Its elevated stance is immediately noticeable, contributing to a commanding presence on the road and enhanced driver visibility. This increased height, partially achieved through the implementation of standard 19-inch or available 21-inch wheels – the largest ever fitted to a Toyota sedan – provides a hip point of approximately 25 inches. This thoughtful design element not only enhances the vehicle’s visual appeal but also significantly improves ease of entry and exit for both driver and passengers.
The side profile of the 2023 Toyota Crown further distinguishes itself with a flowing silhouette that culminates in a broad and assertive rear end. Dynamic body lines, characterized by rounded and sweeping shapes, give the vehicle a sense of motion and forward momentum, even at a standstill. For those seeking an even more personalized aesthetic, the Platinum grade offers an exclusive bi-tone paint option. This striking treatment pairs a black paint finish that extends seamlessly from the front to the rear of the vehicle with a contrasting color choice of Oxygen White, Heavy Metal, Supersonic Red, or the unique Bronze Age hue, creating a truly bespoke appearance.
Performance and Powertrain
Under the hood, the 2023 Toyota Crown offers a choice of two sophisticated hybrid powertrains, ensuring a blend of performance and efficiency across the XLE, Limited, and Platinum grades.
Hybrid MAX System (Platinum Grade)
Exclusively available on the Platinum grade, the Hybrid MAX system represents Toyota’s foray into performance-oriented hybrid technology. This system pairs a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine with front and rear electric motors, managed by a direct shift 6-speed automatic transmission. The result is an impressive manufacturer-estimated 340 net horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. This configuration delivers robust torque at lower RPMs, translating to a sporty and engaging driving experience. Despite its performance capabilities, the Hybrid MAX system maintains an EPA-estimated 30 MPG combined fuel economy rating, striking a balance between power and efficiency.
Toyota Hybrid System (XLE, Limited)
The XLE and Limited grades of the 2023 Toyota Crown are equipped with the renowned Toyota Hybrid System. This system combines a 2.5-liter engine with front and rear electric motors, prioritizing fuel efficiency without compromising on a responsive driving experience. This system achieves an EPA-estimated 41 MPG combined city/highway rating, making it an exceptionally fuel-conscious choice. The nickel-metal hydride battery within this system has been enhanced to provide improved output, contributing to brisk acceleration at lower speeds and a satisfying overall driving feel.
All-Wheel Drive Systems
Reinforcing its all-weather capability and confident handling, the 2023 Toyota Crown comes standard with All-Wheel Drive across all grades. The XLE and Limited models feature Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel Drive, which utilizes a separate rear-mounted electric motor to engage the rear wheels when additional traction is required. This system optimizes fuel efficiency by precisely controlling the torque distribution between the front and rear axles, ranging from 100:0 to 20:80.
The Platinum grade, with its Hybrid MAX powertrain, boasts Full-Time Electronic All-Wheel Drive. This system continuously distributes power to both front and rear wheels via a front-mounted hybrid motor and a rear eAxle electric motor. Working in concert with the direct shift six-speed automatic transmission, this AWD system delivers stable performance and confident acceleration. The system dynamically adjusts the front-rear power split between 70:30 and 20:80, depending on driving conditions, enhancing both straight-line stability and cornering agility.
Interior Comfort and Technology
Stepping inside the 2023 Toyota Crown reveals a spacious cabin designed with premium comfort and advanced technology in mind. The interior offers unique color combinations and available leather seating, creating an upscale ambiance. A full digital display, piano key controls, and a vertical wireless charging port contribute to a modern and user-friendly environment.
Cabin Space and Design
The Toyota Crown’s cabin prioritizes passenger comfort with ample space and thoughtfully designed seating. Standard 8-way power-adjustable driver and front passenger seats, along with supportive rear seats, ensure a comfortable experience for all occupants. Heated front seats are standard across all grades, while Limited and Platinum grades add ventilated front seats and heated rear seats for enhanced comfort in varying climates. The cabin is available in sophisticated color schemes, including Black, Black and Chestnut, and Macadamia, depending on the grade and trim.
Technology and Multimedia System
At the heart of the 2023 Toyota Crown’s technology suite is the all-new Toyota Audio Multimedia system, showcased on a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen. This system offers intuitive touch and voice controls, including an Intelligent Assistant activated by the phrase “Hey Toyota”. This voice assistant enables users to control navigation, audio, climate settings, and more with simple voice commands. Cloud-based navigation with real-time updates and integrated Google Points of Interest ensures up-to-date and accurate routing. Wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ compatibility, along with dual Bluetooth phone connectivity, provide seamless smartphone integration. For audiophiles, the Limited and Platinum grades offer an available 11-speaker JBL Premium Audio system, acoustically tuned to the Crown’s cabin for an immersive listening experience.
Grades and Features
The 2023 Toyota Crown is available in three distinct grades – XLE, Limited, and Platinum – each offering a progressive level of features and equipment to cater to diverse customer preferences.
XLE Grade
The entry-level XLE grade is well-equipped with standard features including the 2.5-liter Toyota Hybrid System, Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel Drive, 19-inch alloy wheels, heated and powered woven fabric front seats, and the Toyota Multimedia System with a 12.3-inch touchscreen and 6 speakers.
Limited Grade
Building upon the XLE features, the Limited grade adds multibeam LED headlights, a fixed panoramic roof, leather seats (heated and ventilated front, heated rear), an 11-speaker JBL Premium audio system, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automatic Braking. An available Advanced Technology package further enhances the Limited grade with dark metallic 21-inch alloy wheels, a Panoramic View Monitor, and a digital key.
Platinum Grade
The top-of-the-line Platinum grade encompasses all the features of the XLE and Limited grades and elevates the driving experience with the Hybrid MAX powertrain, Full-Time Electronic All-Wheel Drive, Adaptive Variable Suspension, unique 21-inch machined alloy wheels, and the available bi-tone paint option. It also includes Advanced Park for automated parking assistance.
Ride and Handling
Despite its elevated height, the 2023 Toyota Crown is engineered to deliver confident handling and a comfortable ride. Built on Toyota’s GA-K platform (TNGA-K), the Crown utilizes lightweight, high-strength materials and advanced construction techniques to enhance structural rigidity.
Suspension and Stability Features
The Toyota Crown employs a MacPherson-type strut front suspension and a newly developed multilink rear suspension to balance handling and ride comfort. Swing valve shock absorbers are standard on XLE and Limited grades, while the Platinum grade features Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS). AVS automatically adjusts damping force based on driving conditions and selected drive modes (NORMAL, ECO, SPORT, SPORT+, COMFORT, CUSTOM), optimizing ride comfort and handling responsiveness. Active Cornering Assist (ACA) further enhances handling by engaging stability control to mitigate understeer during cornering.
Noise Reduction and Cabin Quietness
Toyota engineers prioritized cabin quietness in the 2023 Toyota Crown, creating a serene environment for conversation and music enjoyment. The TNGA-K platform, acoustic glass, and strategically placed insulation materials minimize noise intrusion from the road, wind, and powertrain. Suspension tuning and body sealing further contribute to a hushed cabin, enhancing the overall sense of premium comfort.
Safety and Driver Assistance
The 2023 Toyota Crown is equipped with a comprehensive suite of safety and driver-assistance technologies, providing peace of mind and enhancing driving confidence.
Toyota Safety Sense 3.0
All grades come standard with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0), the latest iteration of Toyota’s advanced safety suite. TSS 3.0 includes Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection (enhanced to detect motorcyclists and guardrails), Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Lane Tracing Assist, Automatic High Beams, Road Sign Assist, and the new Proactive Driving Assist. These features work together to help prevent accidents and mitigate the severity of collisions.
Other Safety Features
In addition to TSS 3.0, the 2023 Toyota Crown includes Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), and Rear Seat Reminder as standard features. The Platinum grade further enhances safety with the standard Panoramic View Monitor for a 360-degree view of the vehicle’s surroundings. Available Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automatic Braking adds convenience and helps prevent parking mishaps.
The 2023 Toyota Crown redefines the modern sedan, offering a compelling blend of bold design, hybrid performance, all-weather capability, and premium features. With its distinctive styling and advanced technology, the Crown is poised to capture the attention of drivers seeking a sedan that truly stands out from the crowd.
