The 2023 Toyota Crown is a lifted Japanese luxury sedan

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I honestly never thought we’d see this day. In fact, most of us old-timers — and, I’ve got to tell you, that increasingly self-evident self-deprecation hurts — had long ago given up asking when Toyota Canada would finally bring its flagship back to Canada.

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Well, the answer, it seems, is later this year, as Toyota has made it official, its top-of-the-line Crown will finally make a reappearance on these shores after an absence of, get this, 47 years. For those barely out of diapers — and if you’re 64, that’s pretty much anyone under 50 — the Crown has long been Toyota’s flagship, and was part of the company’s initial invasion of North America, circa 1965.

But, the 1973 oil crisis — yes, there was one before our current malaise — made the sale of all large cars, a Japanese import no less, very difficult. It is also the longest-running sedan nameplate in Toyota’s history — only the Land Cruiser is older — and was powered by the first V8 Toyota ever produced.

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That’s not to say that the development of the Crown has stagnated. Indeed, it’s now in its 15^th generation, this latest by far the most advanced yet. Certainly, it is, with some vaguely SUV-ish styling cues in an otherwise traditional sedan silhouette, the most distinct. Ditto for is shades-of-Subaru Sport-Utility-Sedan-elevated again-SUVish ride height, which Toyota officially calls its “crossover-like ride height.” In other words, the suspension has been jacked up, Toyota seemingly convinced that the allure of SUVs is not their rugged and practical silhouettes, but rather the gap between the top of the tires and the bottom of their fender flares. We shall see.

The Crown certainly has all the technological goods to be a success. Only available with hybrid powertrains, the base version — in XLE and Limited trims — will be Toyota’s now-ubiquitous 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle hybrid. Officially dubbed THS IV — as in, we can presume, Toyota Hybrid Synergy; fourth generation — it mates gas engine and twin electric motors to a newly-developed high-output “bipolar” nickel-metal-hydride battery for an astounding 6.2 L/100 km fuel economy. Not bad for something that Motor1 says is 4,930 millimetres long and rides on a 2,850-mm wheelbase (this last identical to the last Lexus GS sold in Canada).

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If you’re (only) slightly less concerned with fuel consumption, but unwilling to sacrifice performance, Toyota has something it’s calling Hybrid Max at your disposal. Marrying an all-new 2.4-litre turbocharged four to a rear “e-Axle,” the combination is said to be good for 340 hp. Essentially the same powertrain is used in the upcoming Lexus RX500h performance luxury SUV, only it’s good for 367 hp in luxury SUV guise.

But don’t be too jealous yet; Toyota says its particular version of the Hybrid Max is tuned to hit maximum torque between 2,000 to 3,000 rpm, and, if true, combined with that rear e-Axle, the Platinum version of the Crown should boast some serious low-rpm throttle response.

Good thing, then, that it is also imbued with the latest in Toyota AWD systems, Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel Drive. In the case of the 2.4L-powered Platinum, this is an E-Four Advanced system which means it can split the available twist anywhere between 70-30 and 20-80 front-to-rear. Unlike the base E-Four system — which defaults to being a 100-0 front-driver but can send some of its torque to the rear — the more powerful Hybrid Max powertrain always sends at least some of its power rearward.

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In other words, it’s not just another slip-and-grip AWD system. The fact that the rear electric motor is always on duty is made possible, says Toyota, because the rear e-Axle is water-cooled, the constant power distribution to the rear generating “the feel of rear-wheel-drive maneuvrability.”

The base E-For system, on the other hand “provides traction when needed in slippery conditions.” Reinforcing that Hybrid Max really is the premium powertrain in this lineup is the fact it is also mated to a direct-shift six-speed automatic transmission with a new multi-plate wet clutch, while the base THS IV hybrids use Toyota’s traditional continuously variable transmission (eCVT).

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As for the unique raised chassis, it, like so many other large Toyotas — from the Camry and Avalon to the Lexus RX and NX — rides on the familiar Toyota New Global Architecture platform, K version. In this case, there’s a new multi-link rear suspension system across all model grades, to which the top-of-the-line Premium edition adds Adaptive Variable Suspension, tuned, says Toyota, for the “high output” of the combination of the 2.4L engine and the rear e-Axle. Ditto, one presumes for the 21-inch “dubs” adorning the Hybrid Max-powered Platinum (lesser XLE and Limited version ride on 19-inch tires).

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Inside, heated front seats make the standard equipment list, while ventilated versions render the Limited and Platinum grades that little bit more special. The front seats are eight-way adjustable, and dual-zone climate control air conditioning is standard throughout the lineup. Ditto wireless phone charging and USB-A and USB-C ports. The panoramic moonroof, however, requires an upgrade to Limited or Platinum price points.

Toyota’s latest Multimedia system also makes the grade, a 12.3-inch touchscreen handling the visual interface duties while an Intelligent Assistant reads verbal commands led by the “Hey Toyota” awakening slogan, much like in the recently introduced BZ4X.

Like most modern offerings, over-the-air updates are available for the cloud-based navigation system and you can dictate “free-form” text messages thanks to voice control. It’s also worth noting that base XLE models get a six-speaker audio system but both Limited and Platinum versions upgrade to an 11-speaker JBL Premium Audio System with a rear subwoofer and an eight-channel amplifier. All three grades benefit from wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.

Toyota seems especially proud of the Crown cabin’s quietude, the engineers studying noise transmission paths around the door frames, window frames, and even the wiring harness. Even the inner rocker and bulkhead are connected by sound-absorbing adhesives, says the company.

Prices for the new Crown are yet to be released, but we do know it will be in Toyota dealerships this fall.