The new Toyota Crown is beautiful. Not everyone will agree with this, but not everyone has a good eye for these things.

The Toyota Crown is a perfect replacement for the outgoing Avalon. A large, but not full-sized, sedan, the Crown fits into the size efficiency slot that the Avalon vacates. Unlike the Avalon, though, the Crown is a lot less geriatric in its appeal.

There are few comparables to the 2023 Crown and all of them are either more luxurious (higher priced) or more sport-oriented (less comfortable). The Crown fits in that sweet spot where good looks, efficiency, and other marriage material adjectives are found.

Most buyers will be happy with the base model of the Crown–something that can’t be said of most other vehicles being sold. And that’s one of its greatest charms.

A true luxury model, the G80 is more expensive than the premium-level Crown. We like all of the vehicles in the Genesis lineup and the G80 is no exception. It’s a beautifully done sedan. The Crown is comparable in that it’s designed for a similar, but less luxury-minded market.

The Stinger is set to be discontinued, but rivals the Crown somewhat. The Kia is made to be sportier and more driver-oriented and lacks much of the refinement that marks the new Crown.

The closest competition for the new Crown is Volkswagen’s new Arteon sedan. It’s a very well-made car and a lot more engaging to drive. But it’s quite as upscale and nowhere near as fuel efficient as the Toyota.

Starting price for the Toyota Crown is about $41,000, but we think most buyers will be in the $48,000 range after options and delivery.

The table below shows the most common trim levels and how much they will run you.

The Toyota Crown is an all-new model introduced as a large midsize sedan to replace the outgoing Avalon. The Crown’s greatest appeal is in its younger look and more modern styling. The Avalon, which was, shall we say, fairly geriatric in its appeal, had limited options going forward.

Chief among the Crown’s changes are its exterior look versus the Avalon. Its interior stays true to the Avalon’s model of comfort and quality without pushing into luxury and its commensurate price jump.

There are three trim levels for the 2023 Crown, two of which use a well-designed 236-horsepower hybrid powertrain. This is a good fit for the car and is complemented by all-wheel drive as standard.

The other option is in the Platinum model, which upgrades output to 340 horses and swaps to a six-speed geared transmission. AWD remains standard. This is a fun combination, but totally unnecessary and cost-prohibitive.

The base model Toyota Crown XLE comes very well-equipped and is probably enough for most of the Crown’s potential buyers. We like the feel of this model and its performance and comfort mix.

Unlike most vehicles in the Crown’s general segment, this Toyota doesn’t try to be sporty or fast. It’s not a pretend sports car, but is instead a simple, spacious, and good-looking option with a realistic powertrain. And we like it for that.

Both crash test entities have given the Toyota Crown high marks for safety. And so far, there have been no major recalls for the car.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the Crown a five star rating out of a possible five stars. That’s not surprising as most Toyota vehicles achieve that rating and the company has a reputation for safety.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) also gives the Toyota Crown top marks, including the organization’s Top Safety Pick+ designation.

As with most Toyota models, the Crown is expected to have slightly better than average reliability. Most ratings are giving it good scores in that regard. Since the Crown shares parts with many other popular Toyota models like the Camry and outgoing Avalon, repair costs will also be lower.

Most buyers will be perfectly happy with the feature set found on the XLE package. But we have to admit that the two-tone alloy wheels and upgraded stereo and parking sensors on the Limited are appealing.

The warranty for the 2023 Toyota Crown is about average for the industry. Its powertrain warranty is a bit better than most, though. So that’s a plus.

• Basic: 3 years / 36k miles
• PowerTrain: 5 years / 60k miles
• Added warranties for some electrified and smog components
• If buying used look at our best extended warranties

The Crown is all new for 2023, so used models are not readily available. We’d recommend shopping the new models carefully and finding a match for your budget and needs. Resell on most Toyota models is high, so the new car depreciation will be lower.

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