2023 Toyota Crown Sedan

　　

2023 Toyota Crown Review

byMark TakahashiCorrespondent

　　Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the zzdcar YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.

　　, rating written byMark TakahashiDirector, Vehicle Testing

　　Jonathan Elfalan has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. As a director of vehicle testing at zzdcar, Jonathan has tested and reviewed thousands of cars and written thousands of car-related articles over the course of his career. Jonathan got his start testing cars for Road & Track magazine as a newly minted mechanical engineer grad from University of California, Irvine, and has also contributed to Motor Trend and the Associated Press. He likes to say he learned to drive a manual transmission in a rear-wheel-drive mid-engine vehicle but often omits it was his family's 1991 Toyota Previa minivan.

　　It wasn't much of a surprise when Toyota discontinued its luxury-adjacent Avalon sedan in 2022 since most shoppers have been gravitating toward SUVs for over a decade. It is somewhat surprising, though, to see Toyota jump right back into this class of sedan with its all-new 2023 Toyota Crown. As was the case with the Avalon, the Crown is larger than the typical midsize sedan but not quite big enough to qualify as a large sedan. The Crown distinguishes itself from the Avalon with an elevated ride height and distinctive styling.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2023 Toyota Crown XLE 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.06 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$92/mo  for Crown XLE

　　Crown XLE

　　XLE 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) - $39,950 MSRPLimited 4dr Sedan AWD (2.5L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT) (Most Popular) - $45,550 MSRPPlatinum 4dr Sedan AWD (2.4L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric hybrid 6A) - $52,350 MSRP

　　vs

　　$198/mo

　　Avg. Large Car

　　As unconventional as the Crown may look, it will likely appeal to the same audience that favors comfort and luxury over performance. In those areas the Crown succeeds with its soft suspension and spacious interior. Its real advantage comes in the form of fuel economy, with an EPA-estimated 41 mpg in combined city and highway miles from the base hybrid engine and standard all-wheel drive. There's a more powerful engine included with the top Platinum trim, but you'll surrender 11 mpg in return.

　　The softer suspension tuning benefits ride comfort but sacrifices some driving enjoyment as a result. Other sedans such as the Kia Stinger, Volkswagen Arteon and Genesis G80 corner with more poise and confidence while remaining pleasantly comfortable. But none of these can compete with the Crown's fuel economy.

　　If you've considered an Avalon in the past, we're confident the new 2023 Toyota Crown will easily meet or exceed your expectations. Like the Avalon, it has a premium status compared to other Toyotas, though it could never be confused for a Lexus or similar luxury vehicle. The Crown doesn't have any direct rivals unless you step up to a more expensive and more refined luxury sedan. Other options worth checking out include the Kia Stinger and Volkswagen Arteon. Read our test team's Expert Rating below to get a full report on the Crown's highs and lows.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　8.0

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the Crown drive? We didn't have high expectations for the Crown's driving experience given it's a large comfort-focused hybrid sedan. But our test car, a Crown Platinum with the upgraded Hybrid Max powertrain, surprised us. It's an enjoyable and easy vehicle to tool around in. Acceleration is smooth from a stop and responsive when you need to pass on the highway. It's properly quick too. At the zzdcar test track, our Crown test car zipped from 0 to 60 mph in just 6 seconds, which is significantly quicker than most of the competition. Unfortunately, the XLE and Limited trims aren't nearly as quick.

　　The Crown, despite the modest grip from its all-season tires, feels wholly willing to play a bit on curvy roads. Its limits are relatively low, but it keeps its composure and delivers enough feedback to give you confidence in exploring its capabilities.

　　

Comfort

8.5/10

　　How comfortable is the Crown? The Crown delivers on comfort. Our test car was top-of-the-line Platinum trim so it came equipped with an adaptive suspension. It provides an excellent ride over pretty much any surface you throw at it. The softest settings worked great for dealing with some of the worst road surfaces, and even the sportier settings still felt pretty cush but cut down on some of the body motions.

　　The cabin is also very well insulated against wind and road noise. We found the upgraded Hybrid Max powertrain in the Platinum trim to be pretty quiet in our testing, but the standard hybrid is noticeably noisier when you go hard on the gas pedal. Another area where we think the Crown falls a bit short is rear seat comfort. Though spacious, the rear seatback angle is off, so you have to adjust a bit before you can find a reasonably comfortable position.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below