Toyota Crown sedan replaces Avalon; sits higher, like an SUV
Toyota has reached back into its history to revive the Crown name for its new large sedan, which for 2023 replaced the Avalon in the automaker’s U.S. vehicle lineup.
The Crown is slightly larger than the midsize Camry sedan, and four inches taller than the Avalon model it replaced.
What that does for the Crown is to make it more palatable to a generation of new-car buyers who enjoy a higher driving position such as one gets from an SUV, rather than sitting low to the ground looking up at all those sport utilities around them.
Also of note is that this higher seating position makes the Crown easier to get into and out of, especially for an older generation of buyers such as the Avalon attracted. When getting into the Crown, one doesn’t have to drop down into the seat, but merely slide across it.
Toyota calls it a “lift-up” design that “features large wheels for striking style and easy ingress and egress, and an associated ride height [that] gives drivers great road visibility.”
Even though the Crown has a traditional trunk, it still feels more like an SUV because of its higher position and easier entry/ exit. Still, you won’t be able to haul some items that fit easily into an SUV with a rear hatch.
But wait, there’s more: The Crown comes only in gasoline-electric hybrid versions, and all models have standard all-wheel drive, which is provided by an electric motor positioned to power the rear wheels while the gasoline engine and a separate electric motor power the front wheels.
There are three trim levels available, the base XLE ($40,350), midlevel Limited ($45,950), and top-end Platinum ($53,370). These are 2024 prices, and do not include the $1,095 freight charge.
One big difference separates the XLE and Limited models from the pricier Platinum version: the