The CROWN appears to be approaching prime time. I mean, buy a Prime PHEV model.
We recently heard that the Toyota Crown, a hybrid-only, lifted-like-an-SUV sedan replacing the long-gone Avalon, will receive a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain in addition to two other hybrid powertrains that are not PHEVs. The information was obtained through a conversation with Toyota President and CEO Akio Toyoda at this week's dealer convention in Las Vegas.
The base model of the Crown is very similar to the RAV4 Hybrid; it has a 2.5-liter I-4 engine with two electric motors that drive the front wheels and a third motor that spins the rear axle independently. The exact numbers will be released soon, but plan on 236 horsepower. The option above that, which is meant to be sportier, has a same trio of electric motors (again, two up front and a third on the rear axle), but they collaborate with a stronger 2.4-liter I-4 gas engine that has been turbocharged. The Lexus RX500h hybrid luxury vehicle, which is also brand-new for 2023, appears to be the source of this arrangement. Aim for 340 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque.
While information on the Crown's plug-in hybrid variant is currently lacking, Toyota is hammering home the notion that the car is sporty, claiming that the 340-ish horsepower of the top pure hybrid model makes it enjoyable to drive and significantly different from the deceased Avalon. With such positioning, it makes sense that the company would aim to give the plug-in model greater strength to draw attention to its position in the lineup. Additionally, the plug-in hybrid (known as "Prime" in Toyota lingo) is the top-of-the-line vehicle in every other Toyota model. The main issue is that none of the current Toyota or Lexus models have a plug-in powertrain available that can match the Crown's top hybrid configuration.
With its 300 horsepower, the new RX450+ plug-in hybrid falls somewhere between the entry-level and top-tier Crown hybrids. That SUV can also travel for around 30 miles on electric power alone.
All we know for sure right now is that a Crown PHEV is going to happen, so it's now up to Toyota to work out the specifics—and who knows, maybe it will settle with a lower-output Crown Prime so long as it gives some EV-only range.
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