Toyota launched a high-riding Crown sedan in the U.S. last year as the replacement for the Avalon, but it's just one of four distinct body styles the automaker plans for the nameplate.
The second is a crossover called the Crown Sport, which Toyota launched in Japan on Friday. Other planned body styles will include a low-slung sedan and SUV, due in Japan in November and early next year, respectively. Availability of these additional body styles outside Japan hasn't been announced.
The Crown Sport more closely resembles a high-riding hatch than a conventional crossover, and its footprint is smaller than that of its sedan sibling. It measures 185.8 inches long and features a wheelbase stretching 109 inches. Those figures are lower by about 10 and three inches, respectively, compared to the sedan.
For the chassis, there's a MacPherson strut suspension up front and a multi-link setup in the rear, and 21-inch wheels are fitted as standard. Rear-wheel steering is also featured.
2024 Toyota Crown Sport (Japan spec)
Inside, the dash design is a match with the sedan. A 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster is paired with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. There's likely to be more space at the rear due to the hatch design, though Toyota hasn't provided specifications. One detail the automaker mentioned is the first application of a “sound-regulating” roof. According to the automaker, the roof's inside lining has been designed to reflect sounds within the cabin to make it easier for occupants to communicate with each other.
The Crown Sport is available in Japan with two powertrain options. One is the regular hybrid powertrain with a 2.5-liter inline-4 featured in the U.S.-spec Crown, where it rates in at 236 hp combined.
The other powertrain is a new plug-in hybrid setup that's rumored to be offered in the U.S.-spec Crown. It also uses a 2.5-liter inline-4 as its internal-combustion component. Toyota hasn't provided a power figure for the plug-in hybrid powertrain. The automaker also hasn't said how big the battery is or what kind of electric range the setup will deliver.
Toyota introduced the Crown nameplate in 1955, on its first passenger car developed and built entirely in Japan. However, the nameplate was discontinued in the U.S. in the early 1970s, with the current Crown marking its return here.
