Toyota Crown updated in Chinese market
The Toyota Crown has been updated in Japan, with the crossover variant launching first, followed by sport and sedan variants in September, and the estate towards the end of 2026. The Crown is one of the best-selling cars in Japan, available as a crossover, SUV, sedan, and estate.
The Crown Crossover is generally bigger than the Camry and is positioned as a premium choice in the market, with prices starting from around 5.2 million yen, equivalent to about $46,000. The sedan starts from 6.2 million yen, less than $60,000.
Crossover variants now receive red-coloured brake callipers, a dimpled leather gear shifter, and a dimpled leather steering wheel. The steering wheel is heated and has touch-sensing functionality, and features new paddle shifters.
The sedan’s interior now has the option of a 13.2-inch OLED rear-seat display and 10-speaker premium sound system. Sport SUV variants have an updated interior trim that features new grey ditching and black switch surrounds for a slick feel inside.
The Toyota Crown is available with two conventional hybrid set-ups and a plug-in hybrid one in Japan. Hybrid set-ups for the Crossover include a 2.4-litre turbo-petrol engine and dual electric motor set-up, producing 254kW and 460Nm in all-wheel drive.
Toyota also offers a plug-in hybrid set-up in the Crown SUV spin-off that pairs a 2.5-litre petrol engine with two electric motors to offer a total system output of 225kW.
Related: Skoda EV outsells petrol models in Australia
While plenty of Toyota Crown examples are brought into Australia via grey importers, its popularity has not been enough for the Japanese brand to consider offering it officially. They have previously poured cold water on the idea of the Crown range launching locally.
According to former Toyota Australia Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Sean Hanley, “We’d love to have everything, but it rationalises down to what services our customers better, and the commercial realities, too.”
Sedans and to a degree station wagons are making a small comeback in Australia, with many Chinese automakers looking to exploit an increasingly ignored part of the market.
New options coming soon for the mid-size wagon and sedan space include the Mazda 6e and Geely Emgrand, while Zeekr is set to offer its sporty electric 7GT wagon before the end of the year. BYD has already made an impact in the segment with its Seal 6 plug-in hybrid, which is similar to the plug-in hybrid set-up offered by other manufacturers. The Tesla Model 3 is largely credited with keeping interest in the bodystyle alive for many years, albeit in fully electric form.
The Crown’s interior also features a 12.3-inch digital driver display and 12.3-inch central touchscreen, providing a modern and premium feel to the vehicle. Additionally, the Crown Crossover has a 2.5-litre petrol electric motor unit option, making 172kW and 221Nm in front-wheel drive, further expanding the range of hybrid set-ups available for the model.
Whether these shifts in the market could make Toyota think twice about the Crown’s future Down Under remains to be seen.
