New Toyota Crown models to be led by Crossover version

MANILA: Toyota has unveiled its new range of Crown models. While inheriting the Crown's DNA of innovation, the flagship nameplate will come in four variations to meet the diverse values and lifestyles of customers, the carmaker said.  

The Crown made its  debut in 1955 as Toyota's first mass-production passenger vehicle created with Toyota's own domestic technology. In the early postwar period, the Crown was changed into Toyota's first independently developed luxury car, a quality that remained with successive models of Crowns for the past 67 years.

However, as times have changed even faster, the Crown has become unable to fully meet the diversifying needs of its customers, and its presence as a flagship vehicle has become less significant, Toyota admitted. 

In designing the 2022 Toyota Crown, the development team pursued to create a "Crown for a new era," which resulted in four completely new models.

In addition to the Crown Crossover type, a new style that combines a sedan and an SUV, the Sport offers a sporty driving experience and an easy-to-drive package. The Sedan is a new formal design that meets the needs of chauffeurs, and the Estate is a functional SUV with a mature atmosphere and ample driving space. The new 2022 Crown series will be rolled out in about 40 countries and regions. 

The 2022 Crown Crossover sports a coupe-like silhouette and elevated styling. The headlights and taillights are connected from left to right in a single straight line. Viewed from the side, the car exudes sophistication through surface variation without relying on character lines. 

Large-diameter tires that are uncharacteristic for a sedan have been adopted. By applying innovations to the body structure to create an underbody that extends outward close to the sides of the body, and balanced of spaces between the body and the tires, Toyota has created the 2022 Crown to appear as neither a sedan nor an SUV. Rather, the car presents a sense of stability representative of an elevated sedan.

Inside the variations of the 2022 Toyota Crown, horizontally placed display and operating equipment create a functional layout that can be operated intuitively from any seat. The wrap-around form from the instrument panel to the doors also give a sense that all seats are special, enabling the driver to focus on driving and providing comfortable and enjoyable mobility for passengers.

For the Crown Crossover, the understated and welcoming decorations are finished in Warm Steel. These are matched with an invitingly shaped and comfortable shift knob, seats that focus on instantly recognizable finishing and provide a sense of security when seated, and other features, helps create a space with a sense of quality and richness.

Powering the Crown models is a hybrid system that combines an 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder turbo engine. The mill produces powerful torque even at low RPM, is mated to the latest eAxle electric powertrain that provides high driving torque, and a newly-developed bipolar nickel-hydrogen battery used for the first time by Toyota. The hybrid system responds linearly to the operation of the accelerator by the driver creating a driving feel with a sense of comfortable acceleration.

The Crown Crossover is equipped with an optimized, high-efficiency hybrid system and a newly developed bi-polar nickel-hydrogen battery. Both systems achieve class-leading fuel economy and quietness, while further advancing the high-quality and smooth driving performance distinctive of the Crown. 

While the package prioritizes ease of entry and exit and driving, the Crown vehicles' Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform provides a lightweight and well-balanced high-rigidity body. The use of MacPherson struts in the front and a multi-link suspension in the rear also allows for solid straight-line stability characteristic of the Crown. 

All these features, along with a smooth ride with minimal vibration,  achieves a comfort level and prevents the driver's view to be shaken and blurred. 

Toyota Safety Sense, the latest active safety package with advanced and improved functions, is standard on all Crown grades. The new Crown Crossover is equipped with Toyota Teammate, a suite of driver-assistance technologies.

Advanced Drive supports driving during traffic congestion.  Advanced Park automatically parks and exits the car from a parking space. The driver can operate this remotely. 

In Japan, the 2022 Crown Crossover will be offered via the Toyota Kinto car subscription service. When ordered through Kinto automobile insurance, periodic maintenance, and various other vehicle expenses are included in the monthly payments. 

Photos from Toyota

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