2023 Toyota Crown, An SUV-ified Sedan, Will Debut July 15

• The 2023 Toyota Crown will debut July 15, and it appears to be a lifted sedan.
• Patent images show the overall shape, which is of a four-door sedan with body cladding and a raised ride height.
• We expect the Crown to come standard with a hybrid drivetrain.

UPDATE 7/11/22: Toyota has released a teaser video for the Crown showing glimpses of the headlights, the taillights, the badge, the wheels, and a few other details. The sneak peek appears to confirm that the leaked patent images are accurate.

View full post on YouTube

We first heard about a new SUV version of the Toyota Crown a few months ago, but the actual vehicle, set to debut July 15, will be a bit more interesting than that. Based on leaked patent images and Toyota's website that asks, "Sedan? SUV?" it appears that the 2023 Crown will be a four-door sedan with SUV styling cues and a raised ride height—much in the vein of Subaru's long dead Outback sedan, or SUS (Sport Utility Sedan).

For Sale Near You

See all results for 2023 Toyota Crown for sale near 110223

More from Toyota

• Toyota Avalon Sedan Will End Production in 2022
• Report: Toyota Crown Coming to U.S. as an SUV
• Patent Images Show Possible Toyota GR GT3 Road Car

The Crown looks larger than the Camry mid-size sedan, which suggests that it could serve as a replacement for the recently discontinued Avalon. Because of its crossover-esque appearance, we assume it will come standard with all-wheel drive. A hybrid drivetrain is a sure bet, although we're not sure if it will use the setup found in many other Toyota hybrid that uses a 2.5-liter inline-four gasoline engine, or a more powerful hybrid setup such as the new Lexus RX's top 367-hp configuration that has a turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four plus electric motors.

We also expect the Crown to be more expensive than the Camry, and for it to have a plusher interior. This segment-busting vehicle will likely compete with the few remaining large sedans on the market—the Nissan Maxima, Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, and VW Arteon—along with mid-size SUVs such as the Nissan Murano, Chevy Blazer, and Ford Edge.

We'll learn more about the Crown soon, as the official reveal will take place next week, on July 15.

Joey CapparellaDeputy Editor, Rankings Content

Despite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.