Fast Facts
🏎️ Power: 264 hp and 332 lb-ft from a turbocharged 2.4-liter hybrid setup
🛣️ Fuel Economy: 30 mpg combined (EPA)
📦 Cargo: 15.2 cu ft behind rear seats
🎯 Price: Starts at $56,185, including destination
🏆 Safety: 2024 IIHS Top Safety Pick, standard Toyota Safety Sense 3.0
🎵 Tech: 12.3" touchscreen, 12.3" digital cluster, 11-speaker JBL
2025 Toyota Crown Platinum Review: Elevated Comfort Meets Hybrid Power
Launching a new sedan these days is a bit of a brave thing to do. The once-dominant four-door segment has been struggling of late, with stalwarts like the Malibu and Taurus dying off left and right. Toyota's latest, though, isn't your typical sedan.
The Crown is taller and, by extension, somewhat unusual looking, but the unusual shape makes it stand out in Toyota's expansive lineup. Plus, its unique profile is backed by an upscale interior and driving feel, resulting in an unusually high-spec car for a brand that usually shuffles its luxury offerings into the Lexus deck. Here's our take on the Platinum trim.
Tall Roader
Crown is actually a storied nameplate in the Toyota lineup, something the brand has offered in Japan since the mid-1950s. Luxury and poise have always been a priority.
This new generation is the first we've received here in North America since the '70s, though our version rides higher than the traditional-shaped sedan on the Japanese market, a decision that seems wise given America's current SUV obsession.
The Crown is nearly three inches shorter in length than a Camry, but almost four inches taller, and those numbers match the first impression it gives in person. The design is not without its charms, especially the detailing on the nose. But skipping the typical SUV shape means you're a little down on cargo space: 15.2 cubic feet in the trunk compared to the 25.8 under the hatch of the more traditionally proportioned Crown Signia.
Toyota offers the sedan Crown in XLE, Limited, Nightshade, and Platinum trims, with starting prices ranging from the low-$40,000 mark up to the mid-$50,000s. The Crown I tested was a top-shelf Platinum with just one option: $425 for the lovely copper color, evocatively named Bronze Age. That's money well spent in my book. Total MSRP price, including the $1,195 destination, was $56,610.
Luxury Appointments
To really appreciate the Crown, you need to take a seat and look around. The interior here is fresh and welcoming, and that's despite the overwhelmingly dark materials. The copper trim that runs across the dash, framing some of the controls, is a nice touch.
Front seats are roomy and comfortable, as are those in the rear, which offer generous legroom and just enough headroom, too. A panoramic sunroof admits plenty of light.
Explore another luxury plug-in SUV: 2026 Volvo XC90 T8 PHEV Review
Materials are generally solid, though you will find some brittle plastics lower on the dashboard and on the doors. The main touchpoints, though, feel high-quality, and while the button layout is unusual, Toyota's done a good job of putting the major controls in places that will fall to hand quickly and comfortably.
Touchscreen Tech
There are just enough buttons scattered around the Crown that you won't have to reach for the 12.3-inch touchscreen for every interaction, but you will certainly be using it frequently. Toyota's software interface is clean, sharp, and easy to use, but surprisingly, many features were disabled on this Platinum trim.
The voice assistant was able to handle requests like in-cabin temperature and enabling the seat ventilation and heating, but when I asked for navigation help, I got: "Sorry, you have to be subscribed to connected services to use the navigation feature."
All the more reason to take advantage of the wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There's a wireless charger here, too, which was just barely big enough to accommodate my Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. You'll find a pair of USB-C ports up front, plus another pair for rear-seat passengers. Media is played back through an excellent, 11-speaker JBL sound system.
When it comes to active safety tech, the Toyota Crown features automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and an active lane-centering system with lane-change assist. In my testing, the Crown's adaptive cruise control spotted traffic far enough ahead to adjust speed smoothly, while the active lane-centering system lived up to its name even when asphalt markings were unclear.
The Toyota doesn't offer any sort of hands-off highway assist or the like, but it does still feature a driver monitoring system that will chime should you spend too long pondering a roadside food truck.
Imperious Motoring
The Crown's luxury definitely shines through as soon as you get underway. The default suspension tuning here could best be described as relaxed. Take a corner, and you'll notice a good amount of body roll — the Crown takes a generally casual approach to making its way through a turn.
The active dampers are much more responsive in Sport mode, but I actually preferred Comfort. In exchange for the extra body movement, you get a royally smooth ride over just about any conditions. I headed out to my favorite bumpy road, the one that's about three years past due for a repaving, and the Crown crossed it with nary a complaint. It absorbs asphalt imperfections as well as some far more expensive luxury cars.
Princely Power
The Crown in Platinum trim also offers plenty of power. While lower trims make do with a 2.5-liter hybrid setup making 184 horsepower, the Platinum gets Toyota's Hybrid MAX system: a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder hybrid setup with 264 horsepower. It's not a plug-in, and you typically won't get more than a few feet before the gas engine spins up, but the electric motor helps give the Crown immediate throttle response.
Toggle it over to Sport mode, and it is quite eager. Even in Normal mode, you'll have no problem moving through traffic. You also have an Eco mode if you're more concerned about frugality, plus a Custom mode where you can roll your own settings.
The Crown Platinum is EPA-estimated for 29 mpg in the city, 32 on the highway, and 30 mpg combined. I couldn't manage that in my mixed testing, scoring 26.9 mpg.
King Crown
The tall-sedan design of the Crown means it doesn't have much in the way of direct competition. It fills the gap left by the Avalon's discontinuation, and you could potentially compare it to luxury crossover coupes like the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, just with a trunk instead of a hatch.
The Crown is a supremely refined cruiser with good power and comfort. Sure, its shape sacrifices some cargo space, but if you want elevated positioning without the extra bulk of an SUV, the Crown is a sublime choice.
💎 Hybrid Luxury & Market Insights
- 2026 Volvo XC90 T8 PHEV Review
Volvo’s flagship hybrid SUV blends Scandinavian luxury with real-world range.
Read More ➜ - Best Plug-In Hybrid Crossover SUVs
Our experts rank the most efficient plug-in hybrid SUVs for 2025–2026.
Read More ➜ - Ford’s New $30K Electric Pickup Will Launch on Universal EV Platform
Ford’s affordable new EV pickup will redefine cost and efficiency in 2028.
Read More ➜
