The 1 2023 Toyota Hybrid That U.S. News Wasn’t Very Impressed With
U.S. News wasn’t very impressed with the 2023 Toyota Crown, so they assigned it a lackluster score of 6.0 out of 10. It ranked last in the site’s Best Hybrid Cars for 2023 list, sitting below the 2022 Toyota Prius Prime, which was assigned a 7.7 out of 10.
In this article, we’ll look at the 2023 Toyota Crown and highlight its pros and cons to understand why it had the lowest score, by far, on this list.
Overview of the 2023 Toyota Crown
The U.S. News review of the 2023 Toyota Crown highlighted the following features, pros, and cons.
Exterior
The front fascia of the 2023 Toyota Crown features quad LED lights and a large, flat front grille with a diamond-cut pattern that gives it a bold appearance. It has a sleek aerodynamic shape with three-box styling and a roofline sloping toward the rear, giving it a coupe-like silhouette. It has 5.8 inches of ground clearance.
At the rear, it has a wide, vertical trunk and taillights that flow from end to end, completing its elegant and streamlined appearance. Additionally, its alloy wheels improve acceleration and handling.
Interior
The interior of the 2023 Toyota Crown is well-constructed, but it feels basic for such a high starting price. The designs and materials are bland, with several hard plastics throughout the interior. The design is OK but could be more impressive.
Infotainment controls were designed with ease of use in mind, and Toyota opted for physical buttons and intuitive controls on the steering wheel.
The Crown has a crossover-like cabin height, making it more challenging to get in and out than a typical sedan. The seats are comfortable and have standard features like eight-way power adjustments and heating. The XLE’s seats have fabric upholstery, while the Platinum and Limited trim levels have leather upholstery. The higher trims also have ventilated front seats and a panoramic sunroof.
Interior room and cargo space
The Toyota Crown can seat five people in two rows. While the Crown’s dimensions are similar to the 2023 Toyota Camry and Avalon, the interior room is limited because of the higher ride height and sloping roofline cut into the available headroom. Passengers over six feet will be uncomfortable in the back seat. Additionally, it has 15.2 cubic feet of trunk space, which is average for its class.
Powertrain
The Crown’s XLE and Limited trim levels have a 236-hp hybrid system with three electric motors and a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. It is paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission. The Platinum model features the Hybrid Max setup, which pairs an electric motor with a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. It makes 340 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is standard in all models.
Fuel economy
The 2023 Crown has EPA estimates of 42/41 mpg city/highway with the base hybrid powertrain and 29/32 mpg city/highway with the Hybrid Max powertrain. This is mediocre compared to the Prius Prime’s 55/53 mpg city/highway, which also features an additional 25 miles of pure electric range due to its plug-in hybrid (PHEV) status.
Pros of the 2023 Toyota Crown
- Elegant and streamlined appearance
- Simple interior with intuitive controls
- Balanced ride
- Quick acceleration
- Good visibility due to higher ride height
- Quiet interior
Cons of the 2023 Toyota Crown
- The sloped roofline and raised seating position make the cabin feel tight.
- Unimpressive fuel economy compared to other Toyota hybrids
- Average cargo space for its class
- High starting price
Why the 2023 Toyota Crown deserved its score
The 2023 Toyota Crown earned the lowest score and rank in the U.S. News rankings of the Best Hybrid Cars for 2023. While it has an elegant and streamlined exterior, a simple, quiet interior, a balanced ride, and quick acceleration, it performs below average in several aspects. Compared to other vehicles on the list, its interior room and cargo space are limited, its fuel economy is poor, and it has the highest price of all the cars ranked on the list while delivering the least value.
