-
STYLING8.0/10
-
Safety9.0/10
-
PRACTICALITY8.0/10
-
USER-FRIENDLINESS9.0/10
-
FEATURES8.0/10
-
POWER8.0/10
-
COMFORT9.0/10
-
DRIVING FEEL8.0/10
-
FUEL ECONOMY9.0/10
-
VALUE8.0/10
From behind the wheel of the 2025 Toyota Crown, it’s easy to imagine cross-shopping it with a Lexus.
Introduced as the automaker’s top sedan back for 2023, it comes strictly as a hybrid with standard all-wheel drive (AWD), and with the choice between two engines, one of which is turbocharged. My tester, the non-turbo Limited, starts at $56,247, including a non-negotiable delivery fee of $1,860. The higher-power Platinum trim is about $10,000 more.
Styling: 8/10
The Crown is a well-proportioned sedan, especially from the rear three-quarter with that stylishly-sloping roof. I like it better in darker shades, since my tester’s white paint emphasizes the wide and somewhat overpowering swath of black grille. The Limited has 19-inch wheels; and while the Platinum’s 21-inch alloys look better, replacement tires will be pricier.
Inside, the Crown’s handsome cabin features a dual-level dash, with screens above and controls below, and a centre console that slopes up to the passenger-side dash pad. Although it looks Lexus-like, there are some hard plastic surfaces that remind you it’s a Toyota.
Safety: 9/10
The Crown received the top five-star crash-test rating from the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The 2024 model was named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), missing the Top Pick+ because it hadn’t yet been tested in the updated front moderate overlap, which now assesses potential injury to a rear-seat passenger as well as to those in front.
The Limited receives some new standard driver-assist technologies for 2025, which are shared by both trims. These include emergency front braking, adaptive cruise control, front and rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, panoramic camera, and a driver monitor that’s quick to beep if you’re not looking ahead. The bird’s-eye cameras are pretty slick: At low speeds, the car image is invisible, so you can see parking lines under it. Both trims can also self-park, and it’s a very sophisticated system that drives itself ahead, finds a spot, backs or parallel parks into it, and then puts itself in park when it’s done.
Features: 8/10
The Limited comes well-equipped including a new-for-2025 digital key, plus a panoramic sunroof, wireless charger, integrated garage door opener, premium audio, five USB charging ports, heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, auto-dimming mirror, leather upholstery, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 12.3-inch centre touchscreen. It comes with a three-year trial to Drive Connect, which includes Google Maps and assistant. If you don’t want to subscribe after that, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard to provide navigation and features from one’s phone.
The step up to the Platinum is mostly in the drivetrain, but it also builds on the Limited’s features by adding a hands-free power trunk, power-adjustable steering wheel, and head-up display.
User-Friendliness: 9/10
The Crown provides hard controls for several functions, including buttons and switches for climate control, a stereo volume knob, and steering wheel controls. The centre screen’s menus are fairly straightforward, and the digital assistant can perform several tasks.
Practicality: 8/10
At 360 L, the Crown doesn’t have the largest trunk in the segment — the Lexus ES has 394 L of space, and the Honda Accord’s trunk measures 473 L — but its low liftover makes it easy to load. Against those two, the Crown has more front- and rear-seat headroom, even with its sloping roof. Small-item storage up front isn’t spectacular, but the front console cubby has a removable divider that can turn it into a cup holder or a larger storage bin.
Comfort: 9/10
Also compared to the ES and Accord, the Crown isn’t the legroom leader, but it’s still roomy for most. When it debuted in 2023, I took one on a road trip that included some nine-hour driving days, and both my passenger and I stayed comfortable. Those chairs are firm rather than plush, but that’s the support you need to keep your spine happy. The ride is smooth and the cabin is quiet, too.
Power: 8/10
The Crown Limited uses a 2.5L four-cylinder engine that makes 184 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque on its own; with its hybrid system, the number registers at a combined 236 hp. It drives the front wheels through an automatic continuously-variable transmission (CVT), while a rear electric motor provides all-wheel drive as needed. It switches automatically and almost seamlessly between gasoline, electricity, or a combination of both, depending on driving conditions.
By contrast, the Platinum uses a turbocharged four-cylinder and its system makes 340 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. It uses a six-speed automatic transmission.
Driving Feel: 8/10
The Platinum is primarily about performance; it always provides some power to the rear wheels, and new for 2025, has rear steering, too. It’s very quick and tremendously fun to drive, but it’s also pricier. The Limited is intended more for everyday driving and does it very well, including highway passing. The steering is responsive and it’s easy to spin it around in tight quarters.
Fuel Economy: 9/10
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) rates the Crown Limited at 5.6 L/100 km city, 5.7 highway, and 5.7 combined. In my week with it, I averaged 5.8, and it takes regular-grade gasoline.
Its 5.7 combined is slightly more than hybrid versions of the Lexus ES 300h and Accord Hybrid, both at 5.3, but they’re both strictly front-wheel drive (FWD) to the Crown’s AWD. The more powerful Crown Platinum is thirstier at 7.8 L/100 km combined.
Value: 8/10
The Crown originally started with an XLE trim, but its departure puts the $56,247 Limited as the entry point. It’s pricier than the Honda Accord Hybrid, which runs from $44,830 to $47,330, but has more luxury features; and it undercuts the Lexus ES 300h, which makes a bit less horsepower than the Crown, doesn’t have AWD, and is $57,619 to $68,424.
The Verdict
Like the Avalon that preceded it, the 2025 Toyota Crown isn’t as well-known as familiar models like the Camry; and despite its crossover looks, it’s still a sedan in a market that loves SUVs. To that end, there’s now the Crown Signia. But it’s a comfortable car with a lot of features, it’s great to drive, and it's got that fuel-saving hybrid driveline. If you’re shopping in the premium segment, look at this top-tier Toyota, too.
Engine Displacement | 2.5L |
---|---|
Engine Cylinders | Hybrid I4 |
Peak Horsepower | 236 net horsepower |
Peak Torque | N/A |
Fuel Economy | 5.6 / 5.7 / 5.7 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb |
Cargo Space | 360 L |
Model Tested | 2025 Toyota Crown Limited |
Base Price | $54,387 |
A/C Tax | $100 |
Destination Fee | $1,860 |
Price as Tested | $56,602 |
Optional Equipment
$255 — Oxygen White paint, $255
|