In today’s market, “underrated” doesn’t mean forgotten. Underrated vehicles are often gems that are usually overlooked in favor of what’s fashionable. Today’s buyers chase crossovers, big screens, and even image and reputation, and end up often ignoring vehicles that quietly deliver the fundamentals of ownership—value pricing, engineering quality, powertrain efficiency, and low-cost long-term ownership. Toyota’s showroom is full of strong sellers, but not all its best work is reflected in sales supremacy.
Stocked with powerhouse names like Camry, Corolla, Prius, and RAV4, the Toyota model stable is stocked to the rafters with desirable, and even aspirational, vehicles, but also hides a couple that fly under the radar. Like a square peg avoiding round holes, one sedan doesn’t fit neatly into a segment. Its size, presentation, and powertrains bridge classes, but when you step back and look at what matters—what you pay, what you get, how it drives, and what it costs to own—you begin to wonder how it remains overlooked.
The 2026 Toyota Crown Is Toyota’s Most Underrated Model
The modern Toyota Crown is the kind of car that would have been a no-brainer 20 years ago—a refined, well-equipped, efficient, comfortable pseudo-luxury sedan with strong performance and a reputation for durability. In today’s Toyota lineup, though, it’s something of a misfit—too upscale to be a Camry, yet too pragmatic to be a Lexus. And that in-between status is exactly why it’s easy to overlook as buyers look for reputation and/or brand cachet.
Toyota positions the Crown as a premium flagship within its mainstream lineup, not as an entry-level midsize Lexus sedan. It sits above the midsize Camry in price and refinement, borrowing ideas from Lexus without charging Lexus-badge money. Like the Prius, hybrid power is standard across the Crown lineup. Like a Highlander, AWD is standard, and its interior and technology packages are a clear step up from other mainstream Toyotas. It delivers comfort, quiet, efficiency, and real-world usability.
This is Toyota’s top-of-the-line sedan, so the materials chosen to upholster the interior have a premium look and feel… What’s more, the Crown’s interior layout is spacious, comfortable, and pleasing to the eye.
– Lyndon Conrad Bell, TopSpeed Journalist
The 2026 Toyota Crown Bridges The Gap Between Mainstream And Luxury
If you start with price, the Toyota Crown immediately makes its case at a slot above the Camry but well below entry-level luxury sedans. Based only on price, you’re paying Toyota money for something that looks, feels, and drives closer to a Lexus ES or even an Audi A4. Factor in equipment levels, and the value gap begins to widen, with features that are optional or locked behind expensive packages even on luxury sedans. And efficient hybrid power is the only way to power the Crown baked in. That alone separates it from much of the segment, where electrification still costs extra.
Toyota Models Specs Comparison
|
2026 Toyota Crown |
2026 Toyota Camry |
2025 Lexus ES |
2025 Acura TLX |
|
|
MSRP Range |
$41,440–$54,990 |
$29,100–$37,025 |
$42,140–$49,835 |
$45,400–$58,050 |
|
Powertrains |
2.5L I-4 or 2.4L turbo I-4 + 2 motors |
2.5-liter inline-4 + 2 or 3 motors |
2.5L I-4 + opt 2 motors or 3.5L V-6 |
2.0L turbo I-4 or 3.0L turbo V-6 |
|
Transmission |
CVT or 6-spd auto |
Continuously variable |
CVT or 8-spd auto |
10-speed automatic |
|
Power |
236–340 hp |
225–232 hp |
203–302 hp |
272–355 hp |
|
Torque |
163–400 lb-ft |
163 lb-ft |
163–267 lb-ft |
280–354 lb-ft |
|
Driveline |
All-wheel drive |
Front or all-wheel drive |
Front or all-wheel drive |
Front or all-wheel drive |
|
Range |
435–594 miles |
559–663 miles |
398–581 miles |
334–398 miles |
|
Efficiency City |
29–42 mpg |
43–52 mpg |
22–43 mpg |
19–22 mpg |
|
Efficiency Highway |
32–41 mpg |
43–49 mpg |
31–44 mpg |
25–31 mpg |
|
Efficiency Combined |
30–41 mpg |
43–51 mpg |
25–44 mpg |
21–25 mpg |
|
Annual Fuel Cost |
$1,100–$1,450 |
$850–$1,050 |
$1,000–$1,750 |
$2,350–$2,800 |
Why The Market Isn’t Paying Attention To The Toyota Crown
There are several reasons the Toyota Crown doesn’t post massive sales numbers. Primary among them is that the market is shopping for crossovers and SUVs, big and small, that carry the image and utility buyers want, but don’t necessarily need. In 2025, Crown sales trailed behind Toyota’s crossovers and SUVs. From Corolla Crossover to Sequoia, they all posted year-over-year gains, and their year-end sales numbers were all higher than Crown’s, which only outdid Toyota’s sports coupes.
Toyota Models’ 2025 Sales Figures
|
2025 Toyota |
RAV4 |
Camry |
Corolla |
Corolla Cross |
Grand Highlander |
Crown Signia |
Crown |
|
Annual Sales |
479,288 |
316,185 |
248,088 |
99,798 |
136,801 |
20,550 |
12,309 |
|
Yearly Change |
+1.2% |
+2.4% |
+6.9% |
+7.5% |
+91.4% |
+100.9% |
-37.1% |
The gap between what the Toyota Crown offers and how it’s received is what defines “underrated.” Buyers aren’t rejecting it because it’s expensive, unreliable, or outdated. They’re overlooking it because it doesn’t match the prevailing “wants” of the market. It offers all-surface traction but doesn’t pretend to be rugged; it comfortably houses the family and their take-alongs, but isn’t oversized. It simply does the job well, and in today’s climate, that is apparently no longer enough to drive showroom traffic.
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The Toyota Crown Deserves More Attention
Within Toyota’s lineup, the Crown occupies a role that once defined the brand’s upper tier: a quiet, refined, comfortable car built for long-term ownership. It replaces the Avalon, which was derived from the Toyota Camry to offer more presence and polish than the midsize sedan market leader at the time, without crossing into luxury-brand pricing. Back then, it was like the Buick Lacrosse, bridging the gap between Chevrolet’s Malibu and Cadillac’s CTS.
The thing is that, aside from three (Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, and Toyota Camry), mainstream mid-size sedans have abandoned their segment, and the Crown is the only one on the cusp of full-size luxury, so it’s trying to navigate hostile waters. Crown isn’t trying to out-handle a BMW 3 Series or out-comfort a Lexus ES, but that’s half of the competition it faces, pricewise—the other half being its half-brother Camry and its rivals, in terms of size and comfort.
The 2026 Toyota Crown Has Two Hybrid Powertrains
One of the 2026 Toyota Crown’s greatest strengths is its hybrid-only approach, something else it has in common with the latest Camry. The standard system delivers the kind of fuel economy buyers now expect from compact cars, not near-luxury sedans. But for buyers who want more muscle, Toyota’s high-output Hybrid MAX option delivers performance that rivals entry-level sports sedans, with acceleration that isn’t raw and a ride that isn’t rigid. And it doesn’t sacrifice efficiency, refinement, or drivability.
2026 Toyota Crown Specs
|
Trim |
XLE, Limited, Nightshade |
Platinum |
|
MSRP Range |
$41,440–$48,785 |
$54,990 |
|
Powertrains |
2.5-liter inline-4 + 2 motors |
2.4-liter turbo inline-4 + 2 motors |
|
Transmission |
Continuously variable |
6-speed automatic |
|
Power |
236 hp |
340 hp |
|
Torque |
163 lb-ft |
400.4 lb-ft |
|
Range |
594 miles |
435 miles |
|
Efficiency City |
29 mpg |
42 mpg |
|
Efficiency Highway |
32 mpg |
41 mpg |
|
Efficiency Combined |
30 mpg |
41 mpg |
|
Annual Fuel Cost |
$1,100 |
$1,450 |
The 2026 Toyota Crown Is Value Packed
The Toyota Crown’s value proposition becomes even clearer when you examine trim levels and equipment. Base models are already well-appointed, with large digital displays, comprehensive safety tech, and upscale materials. Move up the range, and you add features typically reserved for luxury brands: premium audio, ventilated seating, advanced suspension tuning, and sophisticated driver aids.
Find 2026 Toyota Crown and more cars for sale on our Marketplace
In many sedans, particularly the entry-level luxury Germans against which the Toyota Crown may be measured, impactful luxury-vehicle features are scattered throughout their trim levels and often priced exorbitantly. In the Crown, they’re integrated into the trim structure in a way that streamlines pricing. However, that is often viewed as constrictive because, in order to get a certain feature, you may have to move up a trim level, and in the process, get features you may not really want.
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Value In The Toyota Crown Goes Beyond The Purchase
Value doesn’t stop once you’ve signed the contract and driven out of the dealership; it extends through your Toyota Crown’s life with you. In keeping with Toyota’s reputation for dependability, the Crown benefits from decades of engineering know-how and fine-tuning, from precise body panels and solid chases to stable and durable hybrid systems and noise insulation. Toyota products are trusted worldwide, and its hybrids have proven to be among the most reliable electrified powertrains on the market.
Safety is another quiet strength. The Toyota Crown carries a full suite of modern driver-assistance systems, and strong crash-test performance across the IIHS’s (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) evaluation categories, rating “good” in all facets of safety, save for an “acceptable” in headlight performance.
The Toyota Crown Has A Long History Of Solid Reliability
- Est. Maintenance Cost During The First 10 Years: $4,895 (CarEdge)
- 2026 Recalls: 1
- Generation Recalls: 6 (rear camera; incorrect weight label; instrument panel failure; camera displays)
Historically, the Toyota Crown name has been associated with longevity in global markets for 70 years, and despite a decades-long hiatus in North America, the current model continues that tradition. Having been introduced in the 2023 model year, the current Crown has not yet accrued a solid repair dataset, but CarEdge predicts a lower-than-average cost of ownership over 10 years of ownership (with just a 12.3 percent chance of major repairs in that time), and J.D. Power rates it 82/100, based on owner surveys.
The 2026 Toyota Crown Is Solidly Backed
Toyota’s warranty coverage, combined with its vast dealer and service network, makes Crown ownership straightforward. Hybrid components receive coverage beyond federal mandates (eight years or 100,000 miles for the battery), and parts availability is rarely an issue. In that respect, it benefits from mainstream coverage, which is sometimes not as extensive as that of luxury brands, but its upkeep and component costs are also mainstream, whereas the cost of “prestige” components and service can quickly erode perceived value.
- Comprehensive Coverage: 3 years/36,000 miles
- Powertrain: 5 years/60,000 miles
- Hybrid Components: 8 years/100,000 miles
- Hybrid Battery: 10 years/150,000 miles
- Roadside Assistance: 2 years/unlimited miles
The Mainstream Car That Delivers Flagship Comfort Without The Badge
Despite waning numbers, there is still an audience for comfortable sedans of substance, and there’s perhaps no better mainstream example than this.
The 2026 Toyota Crown Is Toyota’s Most Underrated Vehicle
The 2026 Toyota Crown earns the designation of Toyota’s most underrated vehicle because it excels in the fundamentals buyers traditionally value—price-to-equipment ratio, powertrain balance, everyday drivability, and long-term reliability—and delivers unexpected premium comfort and technology without demanding luxury-brand money or introducing luxury-brand ownership headaches. It’s efficient without feeling compromised, refined without being fragile, and well-equipped without being overcomplicated.
The 2026 Toyota Crown doesn’t shout for attention. It just goes about the business of efficiently and effectively moving people around, and simply does the job better than most buyers even consider. That having been said, there is another underrated vehicle in Toyota’s current lineup, and it caters to different needs.
The Toyota Sequoia Is Often Overlooked As A Rugged Hauler
Where the Crown is about everyday value, the 2026 Toyota Sequoia is about the size, power, and towing capability expected from traditional body-on-frame SUVs. Whereas the Crown is often overlooked by buyers seeking Camrys and Priuses or Lexus ESs, Sequoia is often overlooked by buyers seeking Chevrolet Tahoes, Jeep Grand Cherokees, or Lincoln Navigators. The Sequoia’s hybrid V-6 powertrain delivers immense torque, and its cabin space makes it a legitimate hauler for family adventures, yet its sales are among the lowest in Toyota’s stable.
2025 Toyota Sequoia Specs
|
MSRP Range |
$64,825–$85,235 |
|
Powertrains |
3.4-liter twin-turbo V-6 + 1 motor |
|
Transmission |
10-speed automatic |
|
Power |
437 hp |
|
Torque |
583 lb-ft |
|
Driveline |
Rear- or 4-wheel drive |
|
Range |
450–495 miles |
|
Efficiency City |
19–21 mpg |
|
Efficiency Highway |
22–24 mpg |
|
Efficiency Combined |
20–22 mpg |
|
2025 Sales |
26,186 |
|
Year-Over-Year Change |
+0.7% |