Conventional thinking suggests OEMs can't take unnecessary risks. This means that the big decisions come out of boardroom marathons, vehicle definitions follow pre-agreed templates, individual sub-brands stay within their lanes, and everything should be eminently sensible.However, sometimes, a new vehicle appears that seems to upend that way of thinking, and in the Toyota Crown the Japanese company seems to have applied more of a pick-and-mix approach.Here you have a US-centric quasi-flagship that's a four-door, hybrid-only high-riding sedan, of all things. It seems to reach into Lexus territory for its technology, design, and comfort. And it has a seriously upscale interior with that Lexus-like serenity, while sipping fuel like a compact hybrid and undercutting that luxury brand-mate on price. It's surely worth taking a closer look at this anomaly to unpack Toyota's strategy and reveal this quietly compelling new car. The Toyota Crown Feels Like A Lexus For Less ToyotaThe new Toyota Crown is a mid-sized five-passenger sedan that kicks out the old Avalon to become Toyota's flagwaving four-door in the US. It sits on a bridge between mainstream and luxury and its roomy interior, slightly raised ride height, and high seating position suggest it may also have some SUV aspirations. Some observers compare it to more luxurious sedans than typical family four-doors, and it also comes standard with all-wheel drive, which is quite rare for non-performance sedans in this price bracket.The base XLE comes with an eight-way power driver seat with heat, as well as dual-zone automatic climate control and ambient interior lighting. If you opt for a higher trim, you can get a panoramic glass roof and lots of leather with some advanced driver assistance tech. And if you go all the way up to a Platinum model, you can expect tasty copper trim and a significant improvement for those who may be familiar with Avalon ownership. In summary, it all looks very Lexus-like but for a more Toyota-leaning price. Pricing, Trims And The Value Play Toyota If you want to get Lexus luxury on a budget and are interested in a new Crown, the XLE comes in at $41,440, with a mid-level Limited at about $45,950, and the sportier Nightshade commanding an MSRP of $48,765. That entry-level figure puts the Crown XLE squarely in the middle of a comparison between well-equipped Camrys and entry-level German luxury sedans. If you want to compare a Toyota to a Lexus directly, a Lexus ES 300h hybrid typically starts in the low to mid-$40s before you think of options, but it climbs rapidly as you add leather packages and a panoramic roof. Expect to pay a lot more than $50,000 in many real-world transaction prices for a loaded 300h.By contrast, you can load as much as you want onto your Crown Limited to give you premium audio, a panoramic glass roof, leather, and a full Toyota Safety Sense suite. You might just cross into the $50,000s in doing so, but many of the luxury-grade features on the Crown come standard on the upper trims rather than being bundled into pricey option packages. If you really want to go all-in on your Crown, though, there is a premium Platinum version in the mid-$50,000s, too.Toyota offers the Crown to American buyers in three familiar trims, as XLE, Limited, or Platinum. If you choose Nightshade, you'll get some larger wheels for extra attitude and some blacked-out exterior bits for fun. The base models focus on the standard hybrid system with all-wheel drive, while the Platinum models sit at the top with the more powerful Hybrid Max powertrain, an advanced suite of advanced driver assistance systems and larger wheels.Perhaps the mid-tier Limited is the sweet spot in the range as it has most of the good stuff on board, and you won't need to pay for the extra cost of bigger wheels or sportier tuning. Importantly, in a straight comparison with a comparably equipped Lexus ES, the Crown seems to suggest similar day-to-day comfort and efficiency at an enticing price and with standard all-wheel drive throughout. Used Crown Pricing The Crown sedan has been around for longer than the all-new ES, which will be launched later this year. It's interesting to note that it's one of the few Toyotas that doesn't hold its value well. 2024 models are few and far between, but they are fantastic used buys.According to the CarBuzz Marketplace, you can buy a two-year-old Crown with 20,000 to 30,000 miles on the clock for roughly $32,000. That's basically the price of a brand-new Toyota Camry, but with the Crown you get a lot more refinement and power. The Cabin That Could Wear A Lexus Badge Toyota As soon as you open the door and step inside, you'll begin to understand how close the Toyota Crown is to its highbrow Lexus cousins. You’ll discover soft-touch materials as part of a clean design with a dashboard that certainly looks and feels better than a mainstream sedan. The Limited and Platinum trims carry leather upholstery and ventilated front seats, pushing the ambiance deep into entry-level luxury territory. And the leather trim seats themselves are comfortable with nice side bolsters, attractive contrast stitching and piping. If you choose one of the higher trims, you can also get a heated leather steering wheel and in-cabin LED lighting, which all add to the vehicle's upscale impression.Toyota's Crown has a modern entertainment system with a digital instrument cluster. In the upper trims you can get features like a panoramic view monitor or a digital key within their advanced technology packages. The center console has an integrated horizontal Qi wireless charging pad and contemporary USB-C ports.Both front and rear seats are roomy and comfortable, with generous legroom and plenty of headroom for the adults, despite the car's sleek roofline. And for those who may still be drawn to the idea of a bit more of a view, the Crown offers an additional enticement. The driver sits a bit higher than in a traditional sedan, with a seat height that's quite comparable to a compact SUV. That gives a driver some high-riding feel to make the car easier to get into and out of, and easier to live with every day. Hybrid Power Refinement And Comfort On The Road Toyota Toyota has built up an exceptional knowledge base when it comes to hybrid drivetrains and the Crown leans heavily into that. All the versions you can get in the US have a gas engine with electric assistance and all-wheel drive. While most trims use the 2.5-liter inline-four hybrid system to focus on efficiency, some Platinum models had a higher output Hybrid Max setup, which gave stronger acceleration as well.The Crown also delivers strong fuel economy within its sector at 42 MPG combined with the 2.5 hybrid, and that hybrid system can certainly make it an appealing choice for those who rack up the miles and want a good combination of comfort and fuel economy. Lexus approaches this demographic very well with its hybrid ES and RX models and the same philosophy carries across here.You wouldn't necessarily expect a vehicle with such a regal name to be sporty, and the Crown is definitely more comfortable and relaxed than frenetic. Reviewers cite its good ride quality and quiet progress, while others like its fastback styling and the fact that its raised ride height combines style with practicality.Every vehicle has Toyota Safety Sense as standard, with a comprehensive suite of driver assistance features, like lane keeping assistance or adaptive cruise control. And while this is the same kind of approach to safety as you'll find over at Lexus, you're now getting good levels of technology with luxury-grade comfort, while servicing your car at a more familiar Toyota dealership. The Crown Signia SUV Is Lexus-Lite In Wagon Form Jared Rosenholtz/CarBuzz/ValnetIf you're still not fully convinced by that SUV-lite ride height or seating position but still want some Lexus luxury on a Toyota budget, then the Crown Signia could be for you. It's the more SUV-flavored member of the Crown family and a mid-sized two-row crossover wagon that has a similar upscale mission to the sedan. Here you can choose between XLE and Limited trims and both come with standard hybrid power and all-wheel drive.The starting price begins at $43,590, which puts it right in the middle of midsize crossovers, even though it brings an extra layer of premium feel to the mix. The Limited trim will cost quite a bit more than the base XLE, but this does have a panoramic sunroof, heated rear seats, 21-inch wheels, and an 11-speaker JBL audio system to sweeten the deal. On board, the Crown Signia is somewhat like the sedan, and it definitely has a more upscale look than typical Toyota SUVs. However, you'll need to choose the Limited upgrade if you want the full leather experience.The Crown Signia has a two-row layout that seats five, with a generously sized cargo area that you can expand significantly if you fold the seats down. The Signia adopts that not-especially-engaging, quiet-and-comfort-first driving approach that you'll find in the Crown sedan, too. You'll get relatively strong fuel-economy figures of 38 MPG, while giving you more room than the sedan and perfectly comfortable ride quality.With its Crown sedans and Crown Signia SUVs, Toyota is squarely aiming at those who would like Lexus-adjacent comfort, design, and tech. It's looking at people who want a bit more, but may want to stay in their Toyota family and don't want to cross over into luxury brand price territory. If that's the case, those board-room decision makers may be smart after all. They may simply be trying to catch the stragglers who can't quite decide between a Toyota and a Lexus, but who now have something in the middle.
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