Times may be tough in the family sedan business for many manufacturers, but Toyota clearly knows what they’re doing when it comes to 4-doors. Their Camry still sells around 300,000 units a year, and they’re not afraid to bring new ones to our market either, like this 2023 Toyota Crown.  

By the looks of it, this Crown is designed to compete with SUVs more than other sedans, having a higher than typical stance and standard all-wheel-drive.  All are hybrids as well.   

Conceived to be more of a premium offering, bridging the gap between Toyota and Lexus, the Crown begins midway up Toyota’s typical trim tree; offered in XLE, Limited, and Platinum versions.  

XLE and Limited pair their front and rear electric motors with a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter I4 to the tune of 236-horsepower.

While top Platinum gets a new Hybrid MAX setup that pairs the electric motors with a 2.4-liter turbo-4 for a combined output of 340-horsepower and 400 lb-ft. of torque.  

Platinum trims also get an Adaptive Variable Suspension, true 6-speed automatic transmission, 21-inch wheels, and the ability to add a heavy dose of black accents; making for one of the most unique looking sedans on the road.

 “With that taller stance and the AVS set to Comfort, the ride is quite plush, which does lend a more upscale feel to the Crown.  But, switch it over to Sport or Sport+, and it holds its own in the corners just fine too; and the Hybrid MAX feels plenty powerful in all of your typical driving situations.”

Pricing starts around $40,000, with the 2023 Toyota Crown arriving at dealers early next year.  

That’s all from our first Drive in Tennessee, but we’ll have plenty more on the Crown soon, right here on MotorWeek!