We've seen the return of many nameplates across the industry in recent years. But amid the Broncos, Wagoneers, Integras and others, if there’s one that few would have bet on seeing rise from the dead, Toyota's Crown might have been it.
Part of the reason for that, of course, is that younger gamblers likely wouldn't even remember it. The name originated in 1955 with the Toyopet Crown, Toyota's first mass-market car. That model appeared on the Canadian market in 1965, but by 1972, the name had disappeared from the map in North America.
Cut to a half-century later, and lo and behold, it's back. That Toyota decided to retrieve the name from a back shelf is surprise number one.
Surprise number two? The future Crown is not an SUV as such, but rather a sort of high-sitting sedan. The model is tall, and it does offer all-wheel drive, but it's definitely closer to a car than an SUV. Ironically, back in 2008, Toyota presented the first generation of the Venza and pitched it as being a reinvention of the automobile, when in fact it was offering us a utility vehicle. In our view, the new Crown fits that description more than that Venza did.
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Two hybrid engines and three versions
The Crown will be available in several different versions, all of which get one of two hybrid powertrains. There are three trims, XLE, Limited and Platinum, and the powertrain matched to them is the fourth generation of Toyota's hybrid system; exclusively with the Platinum trim, buyers can opt for the HYBRID MAX performance powertrain.
The default engine is a 2.5L 4-cylinder with a CVT, while with the HYBRID MAX system, the gasoline engine is a 2.4L turbocharged 4-cylinder and a 6-speed automatic transmission will be paired with it, not a CVT, and output is 340 hp in that case.
The average fuel consumption of the model with the performance-focused powertrain is estimated at 8.4L/100 km by Toyota. With the more conventional hybrid system, the average is 6.2L/100 km.
The Crown is based on a new chassis built using the GA-K platform. The model stands four inches taller than a Camry, just to give an idea.
Equipment will of course vary from one model to another and be enhanced as you move up the ladder, but the base model does get Toyota's new 12.3-inch multimedia system. The top variant gets an adaptive suspension, 21-inch wheels, a two-tone approach and driving modes, in addition to the more powerful engine, of course.
As for all-wheel drive, there are also two of those systems in the offering, the most powerful of which is reserved for the Platinum model. Both work using an electric motor mounted on the rear axle.
For the rest, we'll know more when the models is presented in the flesh. Toyota describes its features as very upscale - further proof that likely the Crown is meant as the de facto replacement for the Avalon in the lineup. Luxury on board, soundproofing, comfort on the road: Toyota is pushing the upscale angle hard.
Again, we’ll know more about that when the model is shown in person, and especially when we get to drive it.
