Toyota’s Stunning SUV Comeback

2024.03.15(Toyota CROWN) by RAI STAR

In a momentous return to the spotlight, Toyota is set to showcase its latest “new large SUV” at the upcoming Crown exhibition event. Marking its first appearance in a staggering 17 years, the SUV promises a blend of opulence and functionality with its touted “luxury interior.”

Scheduled for March 12, 2024, the event will take place at the Yokohama Tsuzuki store in Tsuzuki Ward, Yokohama City, and the Fukuoka Tenjin Store in Chuo Ward, Fukuoka City, both renowned hubs for the Crown specialty store, “THE CROWN.” Toyota enthusiasts and prospective buyers will have the opportunity for a hands-on experience through a comparison test drive featuring four Crowns and three additional models.

The current 16th generation Crown, introduced to the world in July 2022, has been expanded to include three new variants: “Crossover,” “Sport,” and “Estate.” Notably, this iteration marks the first-ever global release for the Crown series.

The rollout strategy sees the crossover hitting the market in September 2022, followed by the sports variant in October and the sedan in November. The highly anticipated estates are slated for release starting mid-2024.

Among these releases, the new Crown Estate stands out as a fusion of wagon and SUV elements, boasting dimensions of 4,930 mm in length, 1,880 mm in width, and 1,620 mm in height. This marks a significant revival of the Estate moniker, dormant since the discontinuation of the 11th generation Crown station wagon model in 2007.

In tandem with the series’ expansion, Toyota is introducing a flagship store, “THE CROWN,” dedicated to showcasing the entire Crown lineup. Five such stores are expected to open nationwide by 2024.

To offer enthusiasts a firsthand experience, Toyota is hosting the “CROWN STYLE CARAVAN in THE CROWN” event, themed around “a journey to discover the Crown that’s right for you.” The event, featuring display models and test drives, has garnered significant attention since its inauguration on February 23, 2024, at The Crown Aichi Takatsuji.

The event saw over 600 attendees across a two-day period, drawing enthusiasts not only from Aichi Prefecture but also from distant regions like Osaka, Nara, and Hyogo Prefectures. Notably, 12 groups were selected through a lottery system for a comparative test drive of the new Crown 3 model.

Looking ahead, Toyota enthusiasts can mark their calendars for upcoming events at The Crown Yokohama Tsuzuki on March 30th and 31st, 2024, and at The Crown Fukuoka Tenjin on April 6th and 7th, 2024. Test drive reservations are open from March 12th to March 29th for the former and from March 20th to March 27th for the latter, ensuring enthusiasts can secure their spot for an exclusive firsthand experience of Toyota’s latest offerings.