The 2024 Toyota Crown is this design concept of a lifted sedan. It sits between a CUV and a sedan. The one I got to review came with the option two-tone paint of supersonic red and black. I gotta say that the two-tone is the way to go with the Crown. I was a little disappointed with the design of this Avalon replacement. The design looks awkward with an extremely tall hood to accommodate a fairly high placed engine. The 21” wheel selection is entirely too big and makes the car look like it was from the DUBS early 2000s period. It also doesn’t help that the Crown is a lifted sedan which adds to the awkward overall design. The rear had a design that looked like a fastback design was starting to be developed but then abandoned midway. This comes as a surprise as Toyota has made the once boring Prius look incredible and appealing to many that would otherwise not consider it.

Getting inside, the interior was a better design. The large infotainment screen was extremely bright and clear even when the sun hit it directly. The seats were also comfortable and offered both heated and vented options for the crazy temperature shifts I encounter in Texas. The one thing that was confusing is that I had to press the AC button after every restart. Not sure why it did that since it did remember my temperature value and the circulation selection. The steering wheel was wrapped in a nice soft leather and offer plenty of comfort.

The Crown I drove was equipped with the 2.4L 4-cylinder turbocharged Hybrid Max engine. It had a combined 340 horsepower going through the direct shift 6-speed auto, and then to the AWD system. The power delivery felt linear as if it were a naturally aspirated engine. The Crown did feel extremely heavy in any aggressive driving. You’ll need to also be more cautious of braking since it is a sedan that weighs 4343 lbs!

Overall, the 2024 Toyota Crown had me thinking how good we had it with the Avalon. The TRD model that I reviewed was such an enjoyable and beautiful looking cars. I honestly can’t say I can recommend the Toyota Crown. I feel like the idea looked great on paper but failed when executed.