• by Tanya Gazdik , July 15, 2022

Toyota Motor North America is introducing a new sedan with an old name. 

With the 2023 Toyota Crown, the automaker announced Thursday it is bringing back to the U.S. a nameplate that disappeared in the 1970s, but has continued to be sold overseas.

While SUVs have come to dominate the market, Toyota clearly sees a market for traditional sedans. But the Crown aims to throw off the conventional concepts of a sedan, according to the automaker. 

The target buyer is older millennials and Gen X, says Lisa Materazzo, group vice president of Toyota Division Marketing at Toyota Motor North America.

"These are very bold and independent thinkers and do-ers," Materazzo tells Marketing Daily. "They want their vehicles to make a statement and this vehicle certainly does. These are very active folks. And they are looking for a lot of tech as well."

Design elements include large-diameter wheels, a raised hip point for ease of ingress and egress, and attention to detail on the inside to create the feeling of a comfortable home-away-from-home. 

While clearly aimed to appeal to a luxury buyer, Materazzo doesn't see the vehicle as cannibalizing on sales of its luxury sibling brand, Lexus. 

"I do think from a styling statement alone, there's quite a bit of distance from the Lexus vehicles," she says. 

Available in three grades -- XLE, Limited and Platinum -- Toyota Crown will offer a choice of two different hybrid powertrains: Hybrid Max, or the fourth generation Toyota Hybrid System. The Hybrid Max powertrain, exclusive to the Platinum grade, is Toyota’s all-new performance hybrid that puts out a manufacturer estimated 340 net horsepower.

Despite being similar in size, the vehicle is not a replacement for the Toyota Avalon, Materazzo says. 

"It's like comparing apples and oranges," she said, adding that unlike the Avalon, the Crown has a hybrid engine. 

The Crown first debuted in 1955 as the “Toyopet Crown,” Toyota’s first mass-produced passenger vehicle. It was also the first Japanese car to hit American shores back in 1958, with the last sold in the U.S. in 1972.

When the first generation was developed, Crown came to symbolize “innovation” and “pushing the limit” within Toyota, according to the automaker. Since then, it has gained recognition in Japan as Toyota’s premium sedan, and there have been 15 generations of the vehicle. 

The 2023 Toyota Crown is expected to arrive in U.S. dealerships later this year. Pricing and marketing initiatives will be announced closer to the on-sale date, Materazzo says.

Aiming to be a “a sanctuary on the road,” the vehicle targets customers who seek premium experiences, according to the automaker. 

Keeping unwanted noise out was one of the main goals of its design. Rather than simply aiming at a “numbers” goal for sound level (decibels), engineers created a calm atmosphere conducive to enjoying easy conversation or hearing music in cleaner detail. 

The luxury vehicle also features standard heated front seats and a standard 8-way power adjustable driver and front passenger seats.