The Toyota Crown is an oddball of a sedan that more or less replaces the Avalon but comes with the increased ride height of a crossover. It’s an interesting decision from Toyota, but at the same time, we expect it will appeal to older drivers who have a hard time getting in and out of traditional sedans. It’s entirely possible that one of the 13,054 people in the U.S. who own one is under 65, but there can’t be many of them. That may change, however, with the introduction of the Toyota Crown Sport because man, this thing looks good.
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Is it a crossover? Is it a wagon? Are lifted wagons crossovers? We’re not going to debate that here, but we’re definitely getting Ferrari Purosangue vibes, and we’re not complaining. Sure, there’s no V12 under the hood, but we suspect buyers will be more than happy with the standard hybrid and optional plug-in hybrid powertrains. Toyota hasn’t announced power figures just yet, but when we drove the Crown sedan, we found the 340-hp Platinum version to be surprisingly quick.
The Crown was also surprisingly fun to drive, and it sounds like the Crown Sport will be even more agile thanks to rear-wheel steering. No, there’s no manual transmission, but did you really expect a Toyota hybrid to come with a manual? We certainly wouldn’t complain if Toyota ever decided to add one like it did with the Supra, but at the same time, we’re not holding our breath. It’s 2023, not 1993. But hey, at least it comes in some fun colors.
Now for the bad news. Toyota is already taking orders for the Crown Sport but only in Japan. For now, there don’t appear to be any plans to sell the Crown Sport outside of Japan, and even if it ever does make its way to Europe, it’s unlikely that it will ever come to the U.S. Which is a shame because this thing is an absolute home run. Maybe if we all call our Toyota dealers and beg them to beg Toyota to give it a shot over here, we can convince the executive team to change its mind.
Will it work? Probably not. But it can’t hurt to try. And Toyota, if you’re reading this, please consider blessing us with a U.S.-spec Crown Sport. It’s basically a crossover, and Americans love crossovers! If Porsche can make the business case to sell both the Taycan Sport Turismo and Taycan Cross Turismo here, surely there’s enough demand for the Crown Sport to justify bringing it over here. Pretty please?
