The dignity of the crown has appeared beyond imagination.

Looking back at 2023, the car that became a hot topic is definitely the Toyota Prius. I'm sure many people took a second look at the sporty styling, which was different from previous models. It has taken a different direction than previous models, including its driving performance, and its quality of finish has been so good that it was awarded the 2023-2024 Japanese Car of the Year. The performance is satisfying even for car enthusiasts.
And Toyota has introduced another model that will surprise us. This is the Crown crossover that will be released in 2022. It was a big shock because the traditional model appeared completely changed. Many people must have muttered, "Is this a crown?" There was information floating around in advance that the new Crown would be an SUV, but I feel like many people didn't believe it.
However, it was announced. In a way beyond imagination. What was interesting was that there were four models there. Sedan, estate, crossover, and sports cars lined up. I realized, ``I see, this is how things are going.'' Considering the times, it has a lineup of tall models, but also has a solid lineup of classic sedans, which is typical of Toyota in a sense.

This is a long introduction, but following the crossover, the sports and sedan were announced in the second half of last year. The Sport will be available on October 10th, and the Sedan will be available on November 6nd. For some reason, we don't have an estate yet, but we now have three out of four models.
I test drove the Crown Sport and sedan in early December last year, so I would like to give you an overview of them.

Strategic skills that capture a wide range of needs, from sports to sedans

First of all, the positioning of the four models was clearly divided according to the presentation. The crossover is placed in the center of the matrix, with sports being the most emotional and creative, and sedans being the opposite. In other words, sedans are more conservative than innovative sports. The estate is an infusion of creativity into this sedan. The company aimed to surround the market with four models in the same segment. It's a pretty intelligent strategy.

As for its character, the Sport was created as a new type of SUV with a desire for ``beautiful design'' and ``enjoyable driving.'' In terms of size, the overall length of the crossover has been shortened, the width has been increased, and the height has been increased slightly. The wheelbase has been shortened and the tires have been increased in diameter to improve agility. A sport exactly as its name suggests. The styling image is similar to Porsche's Panamera and sports tourism. The crossover is like Panamera, and the sport is like Sports Turismo. Two power sources are available: hybrid (HEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV).

The sedan, on the other hand, started by redefining the orthodox sedan. It is said that it can be used for both personal and business purposes, and has a spacious interior as a chauffeur car. Compared to the conventional sedan, the overall length and wheelbase are longer, and the vehicle is wider.

The redefined styling has a flowing form even though it is a sedan. Like the previous generation, it features a gentle roofline. It is different from the so-called three-box box type.

What is unique is the power source, with fuel cell vehicles (FCEV) and hybrid (HEV) available. The fuel cell vehicle shares the powertrain with the previously released Toyota Mirai.

So why did the company choose to include a fuel cell vehicle in its sedan? There is a clear reason for this, and the company has targeted government offices and local governments. In other words, we focused on those who want the SDGs. If this happens, the number of hydrogen stations, which have been slow to increase, will become widespread throughout the country. This is because national subsidies and local finances support it. Moreover, there is still an atmosphere of supremacy in sedans in such government offices. It seems that sedans are more popular than SUVs for transporting important people. The American presidential car switched from a sedan to an SUV many years ago, but that hasn't changed.

So, this time we focused on Crown's two models, the sports and sedan. Since it's a major Toyota model, there are bound to be a lot of different opinions. However, both models felt good to drive. Like the sporty Prius, the Crown also has a high level of driving performance. Actually, this is the worst part. Even if marketing is perfect, if that aspect is lacking, the model's lifespan will not last long. This is especially true recently. In that sense, we can expect a fourth model as well. A long-distance test drive in the Crown Estate wasn't bad either.

Tatsuya Kushima

Motor journalist and columnist. Currently, he is the media site editor-in-chief and media business producer for the surfing magazine "NALU." She has previously served as editor-in-chief of many men's magazines, golf magazines, car magazines, airline in-flight magazines, etc. In addition to media activities, he is a member of the Japan Car of the Year selection committee, a member of the Japan Cigar Association, a Japan Boat of the Year selection committee, and the creative director of men's golf wear ``The Duke's Golf.''