Old-timers might remember the surprise and innovation sparked by American Motors in 1980 with the introduction of the Eagle, a tall station wagon equipped with all-wheel drive.
It was a new idea that, ultimately, reshaped the automotive world into the crossover and SUV era.
Could Toyota’s Crown do something similar—but in reverse—for sedans?
The Crown replaced the Avalon sedan in Toyota’s lineup about a year ago and has stirred the market, even as sedans have lost popularity in recent years. Yet, the Crown is a full-size car with all-wheel drive. Much like the Eagle experiment, the Crown targets an endangered part of the market while adding a feature nearly every buyer demands: AWD. Clever, right?
Toyota has styled the Crown to be a sharp looker, featuring a pointy, beak-like nose, a smoothly rounded rear end, and a fastback profile. Add Toyota’s renowned hybrid system for enhanced fuel economy, and there’s little to turn a buyer away—perhaps the price, but more on that later.
The Crown rides higher, striking a balance between the easy entry of a sedan and the taller seating position that provides better all-around visibility. Its all-wheel drive (AWD) keeps the Crown steady on slippery winter roads, and with four drive modes, including Sport, it can add a little excitement to dry-weather driving.
The ride quality resembles a large luxury sedan, and the Crown handles easily, particularly when compared with most SUVs. However, many midsize to compact crossovers handle similarly well. For the record, the Crown has a fairly large turning radius, so quick U-turns on narrow neighborhood streets aren’t its forte. Still, settling into a highway cruise is a delight, aided by smart cruise control and lane departure assist.
An additional feature, Active Cornering Assist, smartly brakes the appropriate wheel to improve cornering at speed, helping the Crown hug corners more confidently and enhancing stability.
Power is somewhat underwhelming for such a sizeable sedan. The model tested was the Nightshade trim, the third of four levels, powered by a 2.5-liter I4 hybrid engine paired with a couple of electric motors to deliver 236 horsepower. While sufficient to bring the Crown up to highway speeds under heavy acceleration, it struggles a bit when pulling away from a stop, with noticeable hesitation and a fair amount of engine noise. The CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) seems to lack low-end torque—a turbocharger could likely smooth out the performance and increase power.
Naturally, the hybrid system shines in fuel efficiency. This I4 hybrid is rated at 42 mpg city and 41 highway on regular fuel. During testing, it achieved 36.1 mpg, which is impressive for a large sedan with AWD. By comparison, last year’s higher-horsepower 2.4-liter turbo hybrid Crown, which produces 340 horsepower and uses a smoother 6-speed automatic, managed 30 mpg. That was the top-end Platinum trim. Your choice, but the turbo trim offers noticeably better power.
Inside, the Crown feels near luxury level (extremely quiet) although styling is pretty bland, black dash and gray leather seats with just a tiny touch of brown piping at the seatbacks top. Lighter gray stitching helps give the seats some visual highlights and there’s a subtle bronze satin chrome trim around air vents, on slim dash trim, and on a bit of the shifter knob. The console top is black gloss too.
Perhaps this interior should be called the Dark Knight instead of Nightshade.
A twin-panel panoramic sunroof overhead lets in much-needed daylight, especially during dreary winter days. The panoramic roof is standard on the Limited, Nightshade, and Platinum trims.
Seating is comfortable, with well-formed seats that provide excellent lateral support. The front seats are powered, heated, and cooled, while the steering wheel is also heated—a standard feature on all Crown trims. Heated rear seats are included as standard in the Nightshade trim as well.
Toyota’s 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen is user-friendly and easy to adjust. Below the screen, you’ll find all the climate controls, including automatic settings for the heated seats and steering wheel. There’s no need to hunt through screen menus for adjustments, unlike in many modern vehicles.
The deep-pocket wireless charger for cell phones is a standout feature, conveniently located in front of the cupholders, allowing for easy visibility and access.
In terms of safety, Toyota includes a full suite of advanced features. There’s even an advanced parking system—essentially a self-parking feature—that makes parallel parking or backing into a space a breeze.
Rear seat space is generous, though the swooping rear roofline could limit headroom for taller-than-average adults. NBA hopefuls might be better off in the front seats.
If you’re planning a lengthy trip with four or five adults, the Crown offers plenty of cargo space for luggage. Its trunk boasts 15.2 cubic feet of storage—comparable to the old Ford Taurus, which was known for having one of the largest sedan trunks for many years.
As mentioned earlier, pricing for the Nightshade trim is on the higher side. It starts at $49,860, including delivery. The test vehicle included several minor add-ons, such as illuminated door sills ($345), side puddle lamps ($165), and a dash cam ($375)—though the need for a dash cam is debatable—bringing the total to $51,158. That’s about $6,000 more than the average car price.
Opting for the base XLE trim brings the starting price down to a more accessible $42,535, with AWD included as standard. However, many buyers will likely gravitate toward the better-equipped Limited trim at $47,045. At the top of the range, the Platinum trim starts at $56,085.
For those who still prefer an SUV or crossover, Toyota offers the Crown Signia, built on the same platform but styled more like an SUV. It starts in the mid-$40,000 range. Something for everyone!
If that’s not rugged enough, Toyota also has the Highlander, Grand Highlander, 4Runner, Land Cruiser, and the massive Sequoia in its lineup.
It’s worth noting that a few other manufacturers produce AWD sedans, though they tend to be smaller models. The Crown stands out as a king-size option in this category.
FAST STATS: 2025 Toyota Crown Nightshade
Hits: Handsome sedan, good ride quality, responsive handling, and standard AWD. Supportive heated/cooled front seats, heated wheel, quiet interior, wireless charger, panoramic sunroof, big screen, easy controls and dash layout. Big trunk and solid safety equipment.
Misses: Feels underpowered for size, plus fair amount of engine noise. Big turning radius.
Made in: Aichi, Japan
Engine: 2.5-liter I4 hybrid, 236 horsepower/332 torque
Transmission: CVT automatic
Weight: 4,013 lbs.
Length: 196.1 in.
Wheelbase: 112.2 in.
Cargo: 15.2 cu.ft.
MPG: 42/41
MPG: 36.1 (tested)
Base Price: $49,860 (includes delivery)
Invoice: $45,471
Major Options:
Illuminated door sills, $345
Mudguards, $155
Side puddle lamps, $165
Dash cam, $375
Rear bumper applique, $69
Carpeted floor mats, $189
Test vehicle: $51,158
Sources: Toyota kbb.com