The Toyota Crown is the company’s longest-running nameplate, in production since 1955. The 2020 model year belongs to the fifteenth-generation S220 series, which was launched in Japan in June 2018 and built until June 2022. A 2020 Crown is therefore a carryover of that car rather than a new design, and it was sold mainly in the Japanese domestic market.
The Fifteenth-Generation Crown
Toyota unveiled the S220 Crown as a concept at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 2017 and put it on sale on 26 June 2018. It moved to the TNGA GA-N platform, a rear-wheel-drive architecture shared with other large Toyota and Lexus models. The Crown has long occupied a unique place in Toyota’s lineup: it was the company’s flagship sedan for decades and is generally regarded as second only to the Century in prestige.
What Changed for 2020
Because the S220 had only just been introduced, the 2020 model year brought no major mechanical or styling overhaul. Updates during the S220 run were limited to equipment and trim adjustments rather than a redesign. Buyers who saw a “2020 Crown” were looking at the same car that launched in 2018, and the generation continued unchanged for another two years.
Exterior Design
The fifteenth-generation Crown adopted a wide, low grille and a more expressive front end than its predecessor, with a long hood and a gently sloping roofline. It was available as a four-door notchback sedan. The design was intended to broaden the model’s appeal beyond its traditional older buyer base in Japan, while keeping the formal proportions that the nameplate was known for.
Interior
The cabin seated five and was trimmed to a high standard, with soft-touch materials, wood-effect or metallic accents and a wide center console. Higher grades offered leather upholstery, heated and ventilated seats and a large infotainment display. Toyota also fitted driver-assistance technology across the range through its Safety Sense suite, including pre-collision warning, radar cruise control and lane-keeping assistance.
Powertrains
The S220 Crown offered one gasoline engine and two hybrids, and all could be had with rear-wheel drive, while the smaller hybrid was also offered with E-Four all-wheel drive.
| Powertrain | Type | Output | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 L 8AR-FTS | turbo I4 gasoline | 245 PS (241 hp) | 8-speed automatic |
| 2.5 L A25A-FXS hybrid | I4 hybrid | 226 PS (223 hp) combined | e-CVT |
| 3.5 L 8GR-FXS hybrid | V6 hybrid | 359 PS (354 hp) combined | e-CVT |
The 2.0-liter turbo was the conventional choice, while the two hybrids used Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive with an electric motor and a battery pack. The 3.5-liter V6 hybrid was the most powerful and the most expensive version, intended for buyers who wanted strong performance with lower consumption than a conventional V6. The 2.5-liter hybrid was the volume seller.
Chassis and Driving
The GA-N platform gave the S220 a lower center of gravity and a more rigid body than the previous generation. Toyota tuned the suspension for a blend of comfort and control, keeping the Crown’s traditional emphasis on ride quality while improving responses. Rear-wheel drive remained the default layout, preserving the driving character that had defined the model for decades.
Market Availability and the US Return
The S220 Crown was built for Japan and, until 2020, also for China, where it was eventually replaced in that market by the Avalon. Toyota had sold an earlier Crown in the United States until the early 1970s, after which the model left North America for decades. The nameplate returned to the United States in 2022 with a very different car, the S235 series, a taller fastback-crossover rather than a traditional sedan. Buyers researching the 2020 car should note that it was never part of the US range. For other large Toyota sedans, see the 2019 Toyota Mirai Rumors and Engine Specs and the 2019 Toyota Corolla Review.
Crown Heritage
The Crown first appeared in January 1955 as the Toyopet Crown, making it one of Toyota’s oldest and most important models. Toyota began exporting it to the United States in the late 1950s as one of the company’s first serious overseas products, although the model later left that market. Across more than six decades the Crown has been offered as a sedan, wagon, hardtop and coupe, and it became a common choice for executives and as a taxi in Japan. The S220 is the fifteenth generation in that long line.
Safety and Technology
The S220 came with Toyota’s Safety Sense package, which combined a pre-collision system, radar cruise control, lane-keeping assistance and automatic high beams. Higher grades added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and a surround-view camera to help with the car’s length. The infotainment system supported navigation and smartphone integration, and a digital display sat within the instrument cluster.
Fuel Economy and Running Costs
As a large rear-wheel-drive sedan, the Crown was never a fuel-efficiency leader, but the two hybrid options cut consumption substantially compared with the turbocharged 2.0-liter. The 2.5-liter hybrid was the most economical and the most popular, while the 3.5-liter hybrid balanced strong output with better economy than a comparable conventional V6. Maintenance and running costs reflect the car’s upmarket position, and because it was a Japan-market model, parts and service outside Japan can be harder to arrange.
In Japan the Crown carried a level of cultural weight that few other mass-market cars enjoy, and Toyota maintained a dedicated dealer network for it. That status helped the S220 command a premium over ordinary large sedans, and it is part of why the nameplate survived into the 2020s while many rival executive cars were discontinued.
