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© Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Toyota's Japan flagship Crown car to debut on global markets
By YURI KAGEYAMA TOKYO©2023 GPlusMedia Inc.
56 Comments
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JeffLee
Because we all know that large gasoline-burning cars are the future.
lordoflys
I drove a Crown for years in Japan. Great car. Toyota's are so dependable they're scary.
Yrral
Will you get a case of crown royal along size
Kumagaijin
I've always liked the "Athlete" series.
ifd66
This is why Toyota and Japan are loosing the EV race. Stop doing everything by halves and pandering to the fossil fuel industry.
Samit Basu
@ifd66
Indeed, this is right after the unveiling of Hyundai Ioniq6, dubbed the Porsche Taycan for the ordinary people, Tesla killer, etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r9GrZx6Gg0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of9ma3oqd84
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhJJVWHxEVg
Desert Tortoise
Toyota used to sell the Crown in the US all through the 1960s. The final model sold in the US as a "Crown" was 1972-75. However for 1976 the next generation of the Crown and the generation after that were sold in the US as the Toyota Cressida.
Larr Flint
Way to go Toyota do as much as possible to save your sales!
the_sicilian
I would have liked the Athlete to have been sold in the US. Think it's a slick car, especially with some good aftermarket wheels, and maybe lower it about an inch.
smithinjapan
My friend was calling this a clown car all day yesterday and I agreed, though I find them a little more stylish than most Toyota cars, until I realized it was just a pronunciation error.
lucabrasi
Eastman
crown cars are produced both in Japan and in China/japanese models are RHD ones,chinese cars are LHD one/
pricey but reliable and worth of every penny spent.
very good name abroad as well.
good luck Toyota.
Fighto!
Toyota Crowns sure are cool! I'd love one of the silver "fastback" models. The SUV version is pretty easy on the eye too.
No word yet of the drive trains available in these new models?
factchecker
It's not the first time Toyota Crowns were sold outside Japan. Some basic journalistic research could have been used to prepare this puff piece.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Crown
Kobe White Bar Owner
I’m sure it’s a very reliable quality car but like all Japanese car has a distinct lack of character to put it politely.
the Prius being the worst example as it looks like a hand held vacuum cleaner.
shogun36
Always late to the game.
Nissan didn’t bring in the Skylines or S15s in the late 90’s when they were super hot.
Toyota didn’t bring in the Crowns in the early 2000/10s when they were fire.
Do it when they iron is hot, guys….
canigetawhatwhat
Used to love the older designs much more than these. What a shame.
mrtinjp
Looks like a last ditch effort, unless they can come up with EV equivalent's and that too in 1-2 yrs.. they will follow the same path as Japanese electronics companies..
Antiquesaving
Ok, but it is winning the overall race.
Toyota is the top car manufacturer in the world still out selling all other rivals.
Now for the reality.
EV are great IF and I repeat IF you live in a first world country, don't travel long distances in a single day and have your own private parking space with electrical outlet.
Now that doesn't apply to the majority of car owners in Japan, corporate fleets require a parking space with power outlet and special charging port ( cost extra) normal 100v to 120v will take minimum 8 to 16 hours to charge a standard car.
So EV are useless for now in any situation where you need to travel long distances between stops.
A Nissan leaf 60kw would need at least one stop for a minimum of 1 hour to drive from Tokyo to Osaka and that is if a high speed charger is available, if others are using them you need to wait long,
The top Tesla model can theoretically make it to Osaka but barely and once their it will need several hours to charge.
A hybrid can gas up takes 5 minutes back on the road.
wallace
EVs can travel 600 km without charge.
Hyundai Motor's latest electric vehicle can travel 220 km on a five-minute charge.
EVs are good for travelling around a city. In our location, I see many more EVs.
New electric vehicles accounted for 36.2% of total new car sales, up from 35.2% in 2019, and 32.9% in 2017. Japanese market demand for HEVs has been strong since the Toyota Prius was first introduced here in 1997.
garypen
Unless they are reasonably priced, they probably won't do well in markets where Lexus is available. Why pay a premium price for a "regular" Toyota, when you can have a Lexus for just a little more?
That's basically why the Toyota Avalon never did well in the US.
Speed
I could never understand why they stopped selling these in the US back in the early 70s. Every time I came back to Japan and saw these on the streets, I thought they were pretty awesome. Insanely reliable, which pretty much most American cars back in the mid-70s weren't.
Antiquesaving
I don't have time to verify and I am sceptical on the 5 minutes charge claim and that is based of simple science and physics and chemistry.
Unless they invented a new battery, have a super special charger the power influx would cause the battery to burn.
Now this claim is not Hyundai as you claimed it is Huawei China, so take it for what you feel.
Hyundai's fastest charging would take 20 to 30 minutes for the equivalent distance.
And in all the cases a high speed charger is needed.
The Huawei 5 minutes take a proprietary charger and supposedly special batteries.
Oh and my top selling car maker point was WORLD WIDE ,!
TOYOTA is out selling all the other manufacturers, Hyundai is far behind in sales.
Rodney
My image of a crown driver is an ojisan, smoking cigarettes on the way to pachinko.
wallace
Antiquesaving
which car do you own and drive?
https://www.hyundai.com/jp/home?gclid=CjwKCAjwoMSWBhAdEiwAVJ2ndqEybkfnHBgq3Nw_vjOSN0GaStDgSTlpBP9-1Az_sLkpUtYHFxPMghoCjG4QAvD_BwE
John-San
Toyota exported crown around the world in the 70,s
The Avenger
Toyota remains the most popular car brand in the world, for a reason.
Antiquesaving
Again you don't seem to have the facts straight!
The link was to Hyundai's hydrogen fuel cell not an EV car!
You do no the difference, right?
Hydrogen fuel cell is basically a hybrid that runs on Hydrogen not gasoline.
Or in other words the Toyota Mirai!
The same site you posted say the fully electric takes 10 min to 18 min to charge from 20% to reach 80% depending on the type of rapid charging port.
Same place says max around 600 km on a full charge, what is doesn't say is that if you do go below the warning it will take several hours to fully charge.
It pays to actually read everything
Chibakun
I understand it's like a Lexus GS underneath, so what's the point of we have that car already?
gabrial888
It's interesting to know that the car hasn't been introduced to the global market already. I'm curious as to foreign car buyers respond to the distinction between the Crowns and Lexus cars. As long as the cars are attractive, they won't have any problems selling the. I myself don't know the difference between the Crowns and Lexuses. That they are both expensive cars is all I know.
wallace
The days of gas cars for personal transport are numbered. EV, hydrogen, ammonia, and hybrid are going to take over.
ifd66
As reported elsewhere - this is why Toyota are playing a loosing game by continuing their hybrid path:
Antiquesaving
Toyota alone sold over 10 million cars.
Now again I have to point out facts vs feelings!
So feelings: it makes you feel good but isn't really!
Facts: what is actually possible and real.
Facts, billions live in places without reliable electrical power, often in remote areas.
Spare Gasoline or gas) hydrogen tanks or just trucked in is possible,
Trucking in electricity not so practical.
Solar before someone says it would require about 8 full size panels (over 12 m2) between 12 and 16 hours to charge a 40Kw Nissan leaf if you are lucky.
Toyota is investing in Hydrogen fuel cells, basically a hybrid that runs on Hydrogen.
Toyota is heavily invested in new sources and. Production of hydrogen.
EV are great if you live in a nice first world country especially small and in the city.
Good luck in Northern Canada it will be fun trying to drive in Yukon, the BC interior ( BC Rockies) take a nice EV ride into Amazonia, hit the open savannah areas Near Kilimanjaro, drive through the interior of Mongolia.
Oh Siberia would be a hoot especially in winter!
The day I can load spare power into my camping truck back home heading into the wild for 2 weeks camping and fishing, that it when EV are going to replace Hybrids or gasoline engines on a broad scale l, until then the only people that are convinced they are read are people living in big cities, will have a stroke if they cannot connect to the internet for more than a few minutes, must have the latest iPhone, etc. .
garypen
You have a point about many JP models, especially the Prius. But, many Mazda models are pretty good-looking, especially the 3, CX-30, and new Roadster. Also, Honda's new Vezel and NSX are pretty sharp. Even Lexus, which has an issue with grotesque body design, has the gorgeous LC sport coupe.
I still generally prefer German design, though. British, too, which are often strikingly beautiful. But, I avoid the latter due to historically poor quality. Such a shame.
Our next car will most likely be German again, but BEV this time. Or, at the very least PHEV.
garypen
Or, an unmarked cop car, especially in silver or black.
wallace
The article is about Toyota and Japan and not not the wilds of Canada and the Arctic. Norway is a very cold country but has the highest number of EVs.
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/electric-vehicles/chart-these-countries-have-the-most-electric-vehicles-per-capita
WA4TKG
I always liked the classic MKII.
Had one last time I was in Japan.
Antiquesaving
Aahhh NO!
You didn't read the article, did you?
It is not about Japan it is precisely about selling cars in another country.
About sell Toyota Crown outside Japan.
You and others claim that EV are the future and Toyota is lost.
You pointed out other car manufacturers EV including not knowing the difference between EV and hydrogen fuel cell.
But you and Even those writing the articles you link, live in a world were the other 7.5 billion people don't exist or matter.
You do realise that it is in the other places where the growth really is l, right?
Antiquesaving
Better order now.
I looked at Plug in hybrid and was told 2 years, to get one, I could maybe get a used one.
The same thing was told to family back home all makers 2 to 3 year wait
Samit Basu
For those living in Japan not understanding how far Japan Inc has fallen behind in the EV scene, here is something to watch to educate yourselves.
With Hyundai Ioniq5, you can go from 10% to 80% in 19 to 23 minutes depending on the charge level, be it 150 kw or 350 kw charger. This is based real world testing by an actual owner.
https://youtu.be/rICtlHU1WAI?t=543
Now, compare Hyundai EVs(Hyundai, Kia, Genesis) to Toyota EVs, namely brand new 2023 bZ4X.
https://youtu.be/QzCpbQT-cq4?t=1267
Worse, Toyota's warning that bZ4X may not charge at all when the temperature falls below -20 degree Celsius.
https://www.electrive.com/2022/05/13/coldgate-for-toyota-bz4x
Nadrew
Toyota could have owned the BEV space. It almost seems like stubbornness now.
Desert Tortoise
Sigh. Instead the US was stuck with this big floaty tuna boat called the Avalon. My wife has two. I marvel at the fact that despite being physically huge, the front seats of both are cramped for someone my height and both my wife and I experience sciatica after an hour driving them. The newer one is so loosey-goosey on bumpy desert roads combined with the huge C-pillar blocking my view that if I sit in the back with our child I get car sick. With the older one I marvel how, on certain bumpy desert road, every corner of the car is bouncing up and down at a different rate even with brand new Sachs monotube shocks. It's like all four corners of the car are doing something different at the same time. Oil changes and basic maintenance access were apparently afterthoughts for the designers and they assumed all work would be done on a lift at a Toyota dealer. However every time we take it to a shop for anything the price ends up being a minimum of $1000 and often much more, so I do as much as I can at home while swearing like a sailor at it. Replacing blend door actuators on the AC are good example. Did I mention I hate Toyotas? Ok car I guess if you live in a city with smooth streets, take it to a shop for everything and sell it when the warranty expires but if you keep cars like we do, they are not a good choice.
JTC
Crown is a lousy name for a Car brand, gives the impression of some fake tooth cover - looks nice on the outside but very painful underneath.
Mark
Toyota and Honda make the best cars EVER, my Honda ride is 15 years old bought it new and I only have to rest the engine indicating light once at the dealer and silicone spray the R/H door lock once. other that regular oil changes the engine has never even BLINKED.
Never in my life were I had ever owned anything that runs as smooth and reliable as this.
Congrats Japan.
Tom San
IMO, EV's are "here and now" appliances.
Chances are that after 3 to 4 years of buying one, you'll be trading it in for the latest "flavor" of EV, much like you do with your iPhone.
Not very good for the environment, considering the amounts of rare metals and other raw materials that have to be mined/extracted and refined to make not just the batteries, but the other components (fewer than ICE, of course) needed to build an EV.
The transition isn't going to happen soon. It's going to be much further down the road than you think.
EV's aren't all rainbows and unicorns.
Toyota knows this, too.
Tom San
Nice car (I prefer the "Sports" version).
Way over my budget though.
garypen
It depends on make/model. Our dealer tells me ~1 year. 1 to 1.5 years would be good, as it would make our current car 3 years old. We've owned our previous cars 2-6 years. So, it would fit right in with our history.
garypen
Much like most people do with ICE vehicles, as well, especially in Japan.
Have you heard of "used cars". That's what happens to new cars after the original owner sells or trades them in for a new one. They're quite popular.
Tom San
Used? After you, please. LOL
garypen
Your response makes no sense. I was pointing out how people giving up their cars after 3-4 years does not mean the end of life for those cars, nor the resources that went into them. They get new life on the used car market.
Desert Tortoise
I have never in my entire life bought a new car. One of the cars I bought used I have owned for 29 years as of next month. I like it so much that several years ago after test driving a bunch of new cars I spent about 2/3 the cost of a new one to have the old one restored to as-new condition.
Desert Tortoise
The original Toyopet Crown was the car that put Toyota on the map in many parts of the world. As I grew up I always knew the Toyota Crown was their flagship car, and the early 1970s models were darned nice indeed by the standards of the day. A friend's parents had one and I remember it being well made and different, but different in a good way. It wasn't a Mercedes but it sure wasn't some gauche floaty pos American barge like my other friends parent's drove with chrome painted plastic interior bits and door armrest cushions that split open on top like a dinner roll.
Strangerland
Maybe to you. But to most of the world I would be the more common meaning is a sort of hat, generally made of jewels, gemstones, luxury, and elegance, worn on the heads of monarchs.