Touted by Toyota as being its “first connected car”, the Crown becomes the latest model to ride on the firm’s TNGA platform, with bespoke revisions consisting of aluminium boot fenders, high mount front and rear multi-link suspensions also made from aluminium, and die casted front suspension towers.

Inside, the Crown’s connected focused interior comes in the form of a new dual display infotainment system made up of a top mounted eight-inch display and a smaller seven-inch setup, with linked features such as Hybrid Navigation, Passable Route Map in case of a natural disaster, Line My App information, My Car Security Remote, Agent Voice Recognition, Operator Service, e-Care Driving Guidance and e-Care Health Check Report.

Stylistically, the Crown’s biggest new addition is the RS and RS Advance appearance package, which comes with sequential front and rear indictors, model specific five-spoke, 18-inch alloy wheels, quad exhausts, a slightly lowered ride height, mesh grille, unique side skirts as well as front and rear facias, black door frames and a bootlid spoiler.

In addition to the standard Drive Mode Selector, the RS adds a further Custom mode “that allows drivers to select their preferred combination of powertrain, chassis, and air conditioning system”.

Available  in a choice of seven exterior colours and four interior hues, as well as the optional Japanese Colour Selection Package that consists of six exterior finishes and three interior colours Toyota claims “impart(s) a uniquely Japanese feel”, the Crown’s list of safety items includes Pre-Collision Mitigation with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Tracing Assist,Automatic High Beam Assist, Road Sign Assist, Adaptive High Beam, Parking Support and Rear Cross Traffic Auto Brake.

In a Toyota first, the Crown also come equipped with Rear Pedestrian Support Bake that uses a rear camera to scan for pedestrians, and in the case of detection, automatically applies the brakes to avoid a collision.

Tasked with providing forward momentum, Toyota has outfitted the Crown with a single petrol engine and two hybrid units, the former paired to an eight-speed automatic gearbox and the latter pair to the new 10-speed automatic also used in the Lexus LS 500h.

Displacing 2.0-litres with the aid of a turbocharger, the entry-level Crown has outputs of 180kW/350Nm, while the first hybrid model combines Toyota’s new 2.5-litre Dynamic Force unit with a nickel-metal battery pack for a total system output of 166kW. Unlike the blown-four cylinder though, the hybrid offers the option of both rear and all-wheel drive. Completing the range, the rear-wheel drive only V6 mates a 3.5-litre motor with a lithium-ion battery pack for a combined output of 264kW.

In total, the Crown line-up will consist of 22 models with pricing in Japan starting at ¥4 606 200 (R567 947).

PRICING

2.0T

2.5 Hybrid

3.5 Hybrid