As the signature variant of the reworked 16th-generation Crown series, the lift-up sedan cuts an intriguing silhouette. It stood out on the road during a recent test drive through Yokohama, just south of Tokyo. The car’s styling seems aggressive and sporty from the front and side, but a bit frumpy and bulbous from the back, with a round tail and steeply raked rear window.
It calls to mind the BMW X4 or X6 sports activity coupes, the Audi Q5 Sportback or even the ill-fated Honda Crosstour, which was killed in the U.S. after six years of lackluster sales.
In the U.S., the Crown will replace the outgoing Avalon sedan as the Toyota brand’s flagship, Akihiro Sarada, chief engineer of the Crown series, said on the sidelines of the test drive.
The other Crown variants include a creased and muscular compact crossover, called the Crown Athlete, or Sport type; a sleek and elegant traditional sedan called the Crown Royal; and a high-riding large crossover dubbed the Crown Majesta, also known as the Estate in Japan.
Sarada said all four will be on the market in Japan by the end of 2023.
Sarada declined to say which other variants might arrive in the U.S., but he sees particular potential for the large crossover because it is the longest and tallest, standing 5 feet, 4 inches.
“Our intention is an SUV-wagon fusion,” Sarada said. “It’s big with a sleek, utility-type body.”
The lift-up sedan tops out at 5 feet, 1 inch. Both vehicles are 16 feet, 2 inches long.
