Photo: Toyota
The longest-running Toyota nameplate in the current lineup is the Land Cruiser. The second model in this ranking is the Crown, a mid-size sedan loaded with luxurious features. The Japanese automaker introduced this fellow in 1955, and come 2021, production will reportedly grind to a halt over dwindling sales.
Japanese newspaper Chunichi Shimbun reports that Toyota is on track to sell 18,000 units through October 2020, which is downright bad compared to the 50,000 units sold two years ago. Redesigned on the TNGA-N platform in 2018, the Crown will reportedly be replaced by a plushed-up sports utility vehicle as early as 2022.
The Japanese automaker is expected to come up with a more luxurious version of the Highlander in order to keep the nameplate alive while also boosting sales. It remains to be seen how Toyota will differentiate this luxury SUV from the Lexus RX, but then again, it’s the most sensible course of action for the Crown.
Now in its fourth generation, the mid-size crossover shares the TNGA-K vehicle architecture with other SUVs such as the Kluger, Harrier, Venza, as well as the Sienna minivan and Lexus ES sedan. Even the RAV4 rides on this platform, along with the Camry and Avalon. These underpinnings also translate to front-/all-wheel drive and a transverse engine layout, which isn’t exactly luxurious.
Topped only by the Century in Toyota’s current lineup, the Crown is available with engine options ranging from a 2.0-liter turbo to a 3.5-liter hybridized V6. The most affordable specification at the time of writing retails at 4,899,000 yen or $47,165 at current exchange rates. At the other end of the spectrum, the Hybrid G-Executive with the six-cylinder engine and hybrid assistance is listed at $71,175.
Controversial by some accounts, changing the Crown from sedan to utility vehicle pales in comparison to what Toyota will do to the Land Cruiser. Toyota has reportedly stopped all V8 engine development this year, which is why the 4x4 icon is expected with a twin-turbo V6 with hybrid assistance as the range-topping option.
Because the all-new Land Cruiser shares the F1 body-on-frame platform with the next generation of the Tundra, the full-size pickup truck is also going to lose the free-breathing V8 of today for a force-fed V6 with electrical assistance for extra efficiency. Toyota has already committed $391 million into the San Antonio plant in preparation for the F1 platform, which will also be utilized by the Tacoma.
The Japanese automaker is expected to come up with a more luxurious version of the Highlander in order to keep the nameplate alive while also boosting sales. It remains to be seen how Toyota will differentiate this luxury SUV from the Lexus RX, but then again, it’s the most sensible course of action for the Crown.
Now in its fourth generation, the mid-size crossover shares the TNGA-K vehicle architecture with other SUVs such as the Kluger, Harrier, Venza, as well as the Sienna minivan and Lexus ES sedan. Even the RAV4 rides on this platform, along with the Camry and Avalon. These underpinnings also translate to front-/all-wheel drive and a transverse engine layout, which isn’t exactly luxurious.
Topped only by the Century in Toyota’s current lineup, the Crown is available with engine options ranging from a 2.0-liter turbo to a 3.5-liter hybridized V6. The most affordable specification at the time of writing retails at 4,899,000 yen or $47,165 at current exchange rates. At the other end of the spectrum, the Hybrid G-Executive with the six-cylinder engine and hybrid assistance is listed at $71,175.
Controversial by some accounts, changing the Crown from sedan to utility vehicle pales in comparison to what Toyota will do to the Land Cruiser. Toyota has reportedly stopped all V8 engine development this year, which is why the 4x4 icon is expected with a twin-turbo V6 with hybrid assistance as the range-topping option.
Because the all-new Land Cruiser shares the F1 body-on-frame platform with the next generation of the Tundra, the full-size pickup truck is also going to lose the free-breathing V8 of today for a force-fed V6 with electrical assistance for extra efficiency. Toyota has already committed $391 million into the San Antonio plant in preparation for the F1 platform, which will also be utilized by the Tacoma.
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