Occasionally, Toyota introduces a car that’s principally completely different from all the pieces else and often distorts the road between their mainstream lineup and Lexus luxurious automobiles, which isn’t essentially a nasty factor. One car that stuffed such a submit was the most recent Toyota Venza, and now, after the demise of the Toyota Avalon, the all-new Toyota Crown is available in to fill its place as a refined and considerably high-statured near-luxury sedan.
The Toyota Crown is a reputation synonymous with a long-standing premium sedan in Japan from a model that had a run on our facet of the pond with the Crown as the primary Japanese car within the United States in 1958. Now, after a 50-year hiatus within the USA, the Crown title has made it again to our American shores, the place it offers us one thing recent out of the field, choosing up the place the Toyota Avalon left off final 12 months.
There’s little doubt that the Toyota Crown is one thing completely different, which could be a good factor or one thing to shake issues up. Most of the shaking revolves across the Crown’s styling, which is exclusive as a car that appears to be a barely lifted sedan, which pays respect to being simpler to get out and in – probably concentrating on a sure crowd. The additional peak, simply over 3-inches taller than Avalon that was discontinued final 12 months, appears to emerge on the favored SUV crowd to provide shoppers one thing distinctive that doesn’t depart an excessive amount of from the loved characteristic of SUVs being somewhat larger off the bottom. Apart from its odd peak for a sedan, the Crown has a bubbly character and may be accentuated additional within the prime Platinum trim of my tow-toned-painted check car with giant 21-inch wheels. Such a glance could possibly be a brand new trendsetter or one thing that goes away quietly within the subsequent couple of mannequin years – solely time will inform.
Performance and Driving Character
Powering the brand new Toyota Crown is a alternative of two all-wheel-drive hybrid drivetrains, the usual setup of a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and three electrical motors for a complete of 236 horsepower with a constantly variable transmission (CVT), which is discovered within the base XLE and Limited trims. The prime Platinum trim will get a distinct hybrid setup borrowed from the brand new Lexus RX 500h F Sport Performance, a 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with an electrical motor on the rear axle for a complete system output of 340 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. The Crown Platinum’s powertrain will get a 6-speed automated transmission for its shifting duties that have an effect on simply the entrance wheels, whereas the rear is a direct drive from its electrical motor as a substitute of getting any bodily connection from the entrance engine.
The Crown Platinum performs fairly properly, even surprisingly, while you actually put your foot down. The turbocharged engine is keen to rev up, and the supplemented energy from the rear axle’s electrical motor appears to provide you somewhat kick because it has as a lot as 215 lb-ft of on the spot torque to play with by itself. In anticipated Toyota trend, the pioneers of hybrid automobiles in America, the Toyota Crown is a seamless expertise the place you hardly really feel transitions from the electrical motor working alone to firing up the turbocharged engine. Everything works properly, and it really works rapidly – the quickest I’ve skilled in a mainstream hybrid car for energy transitions making driving a seamless and nearly inconsiderate expertise. Even the brakes really feel pure to be used of the braking regen transitioning to the friction brakes.
Acceleration is powerful, and energy comes on precisely while you want it it doesn’t matter what velocity or energy state of affairs the hybrid system is presently in. When circumstances are ideally suited and you might be within the Sport+ drive mode, you’ll hit 60 mph in 5.1 seconds.
The energy administration of the Toyota Crown can be what you count on out of a Toyota hybrid, however the drive modes appear to solely make delicate adjustments within the driving character as they do with the adaptive dampers. The suspension is extra on the facet of consolation, and it exhibits because the Crown soaks up highway imperfections however does it with a little bit of luxurious float however nothing to the purpose of being overly bouncy. The three-mode dampers make minimal adjustments in every mode, the place I discovered the Sport setting to be extra agreeable to maintain physique motions to a minimal versus considerably lofty consolation and regular modes. I received’t go so far as to say the Crown is extra versed for an older crowd, however it does fill the void that the Avalon left – so take that for what you’ll.
While the theme of the Crown is clearly mushy and premium, there’s an assurance of its highly effective powertrain while you go for the Platinum trim. Going with the usual hybrid powertrain within the XLE and Limited trims, you’ll be about two seconds slower to 60 mph, however you’ll tremendously profit within the space of gasoline effectivity.
Fuel Economy
The good thing about the hybrid powertrain within the new Crown XLE or Limited trim, is you’ll be 40+ MPG figures all day lengthy. However, the Crown Platinum, with its extra highly effective hybrid setup, the EPA estimates of 29 mpg metropolis, 32 mpg freeway, and 30 mpg mixed isn’t going to precisely impress anybody. To rapidly notice, the Crown Platinum can nonetheless get outstanding gasoline economic system numbers, however you’ll must be a acutely aware driver to make the perfect use of how the hybrid system operates. Otherwise, the hybrid setup within the Crown Platinum is extra ‘geared’ in the direction of including energy with the good thing about occasional electrical drive moments.
Interior and Technology
In filling the sneakers of the Toyota Avalon, the brand new Crown does properly to supply up a spacious cabin and proportions that aren’t very far off from what we loved within the Avalon. The premium really feel of the inside is barely enhanced with the Limited trim, in having leather-based upholstery, heated and ventilated entrance seats, heated rear seats, keyless entry/begin, and an 11-speaker JBL audio system. The seating areas throughout are very accommodating for nearly any dimension particular person, together with the rear bench. There are a number of soft-touch surfaces precisely the place they need to be, and the arduous plastics are pushed properly under your eyesight in order to not take away from the premium really feel of the Crown, which is sort of to the extent of what you count on in a Lexus.
The Crown makes use of the identical latest 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system present in different new Toyota automobiles incorporating over-the-air updates, cloud-based navigation, and the combination of wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system is pretty much as good as I’ve defined in earlier critiques. What is barely completely different within the Crown is the 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, which has the everyday hybrid data shows however is considerably complicated for establishing the shows and mentioning a central navigation map, which appeared to be intermittent with loading. Overall, the inside is agreeable with easy-to-reach controls, a central quantity knob, and bodily automated local weather controls.
Cargo area is a bit smaller than I hoped for at 15.2 cubic toes, however you possibly can fold down the 60/40-split rear seatbacks for added area.
Safety
The Toyota Crown brings all of the anticipated security options, together with a bevy of energetic security options, together with blind-spot screens, lane departure warning, lane hold help, adaptive cruise management, ahead collision warning/emergency braking, and protected exit help. Having the Crown Platinum trim provides the 360-degree surround-view digital camera system, and a complicated park system that permits the car to autonomously park itself in each parallel and perpendicular areas.
Price
Ultimately, the Toyota Crown makes an attempt to convey somewhat SUV-ness to the desk, and having that advantage together with its premium inside, distinctive styling, and highly effective hybrid powertrain, you’ll pay a slight premium to the tune of $54,420 (together with a $1,095 supply price) for my top-trimmed check car. The new Toyota Crown XLE with the bottom engine begins at $39,950 earlier than any charges. As far as such a value attracting many, it stays to be seen. However, you do get an honest car for the cash that tends to bend the traces between a sedan and SUV with the added bonus of being close to luxurious wrapped up in a clean working touring hybrid with revered energy.
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Source: www.automotiveaddicts.com