What did Toyota replace the Avalon with?
The Avalon has been replaced in the U.S. market by the Toyota Crown, starting with the 2023 model year.
In practical terms, Toyota retired the Avalon nameplate in North America and introduced the Crown as the flagship sedan to fill the large-sedan slot in the lineup. The Crown brings new styling, updated technology, and electrified options that aim to appeal to buyers seeking a premium Toyota experience while maintaining the brand’s emphasis on reliability and value.
Replacement in the U.S. market
Below are the core aspects of how Toyota positioned the Crown as the successor to the Avalon in North America.
- Flagship replacement: The Crown serves as the large-sedan advancement in Toyota’s U.S. lineup, taking the role once held by the Avalon.
- Powertrain options: It offers a turbocharged 2.4-liter engine with an 8-speed automatic, plus a Hybrid MAX variant that pairs electric motors with the turbo engine for higher output, including all-wheel drive on select trims.
- Technology and interior: The Crown features modern infotainment, a digital cockpit, and premium trim options designed to deliver a more upscale experience than the Avalon.
- Market positioning: Toyota markets the Crown as a bridge between mainstream sedans and Lexus-level refinement, targeting buyers who want luxury cues in a Toyota package.
These attributes collectively illustrate how the Crown replaces the Avalon by offering updated powertrains, advanced technology, and a premium feel in a single model.
Powertrain options and performance
The Crown provides two main powertrain routes to suit differing preferences for efficiency and performance.
- 2.4-liter turbocharged engine with 8-speed automatic transmission, available in rear- or all-wheel-drive configurations depending on trim.
- Hybrid MAX version: turbocharged engine paired with a robust hybrid system, delivering stronger performance (up to around 340 horsepower) and standard all-wheel drive on many trims.
- Technology alignment: Both options are paired with Toyota’s latest hybrid and drivetrain technology, emphasizing smooth power delivery and improved efficiency for a flagship sedan.
Together, these powertrain choices reinforce the Crown’s role as the modern successor to the Avalon, combining spirited performance with efficiency and advanced technology.
How the Crown differs from the Avalon
To understand the shift from Avalon to Crown, consider these key differences that Toyota emphasizes in marketing and reviews.
- Design and positioning: The Crown adopts a more contemporary, premium look and aims for flagship status within Toyota’s sedan lineup, whereas the Avalon was a traditional large sedan with broader mainstream appeal.
- Powertrain diversity: The Crown offers a turbocharged engine with optional Hybrid MAX, including strong hybrid performance, contrasting with the more conventional engines historically offered on the Avalon.
- Platform and tech: The Crown sits on updated TNGA-based architecture with newer infotainment and driver-assistance features, reflecting a leap forward in technology compared with the Avalon’s era.
- Market strategy: Toyota targets the Crown as a bridge between mainstream sedans and luxury brands, a positioning shift from the Avalon’s more utilitarian large-sedan identity.
In short, the Crown represents Toyota’s modern approach to filling the same segment that the Avalon occupied, but with newer powertrains, richer tech, and a more premium feel.
Summary
Toyota replaced the Avalon with the Crown in the U.S. market for the 2023 model year, introducing a flagship sedan with turbo and hybrid powertrains, available all-wheel drive on select trims, and advanced technology designed to deliver a more premium Toyota experience. The Crown marks Toyota’s strategic refresh of its large-sedan lineup, balancing performance, efficiency, and luxury cues in a single model.
Did Toyota make a 2025 Avalon?
No, there is no 2025 Toyota Avalon. Toyota discontinued the Avalon in 2022 in North America, and the Toyota Crown has effectively replaced it as Toyota's full-size flagship sedan. While some online sources mention a hypothetical or imagined 2025 model, there is no production version available for purchase.
You can watch this video to see a comparison between the Toyota Crown and other sedans: 56sAuto Buyers Guide | Alex on AutosYouTube · Jul 15, 2022
- Discontinued in 2022: The Avalon was officially discontinued in the United States in 2022.
- Replaced by the Crown: The Toyota Crown was introduced as the new flagship sedan for the brand, though it is a hybrid-only model.
- No 2025 model: There is no official 2025 model year for the Avalon, and any mentions of one are either speculative or refer to a different vehicle, such as the Crown.
Why did Toyota discontinue the Avalon?
Toyota discontinued the Avalon primarily due to a major shift in consumer preference from sedans to SUVs and crossovers. Declining sales for the full-size sedan segment, coupled with Toyota's strategy to focus on its SUV lineup and hybrid/electric vehicles, led to the decision to end production after the 2022 model year. The Toyota Crown replaced the Avalon as the company's flagship sedan, offering a new, high-riding design.
- Changing consumer demand: The popularity of SUVs and crossovers, which offer more space and versatility, has steadily eroded demand for traditional sedans like the Avalon.
- Focus on SUVs and hybrids: Toyota is prioritizing its resources on expanding its SUV lineup and developing more hybrid and electric vehicles to meet market trends.
- Declining sales: The Avalon's sales were falling, struggling to compete with other large sedans and even being outsold by the Camry, which was continuously improving.
- Replacement with the Toyota Crown: The Avalon was replaced by the high-riding, hybrid Toyota Crown, which is intended to appeal to a new generation of car buyers and fill the role of a premium sedan in the lineup.
- Market segmentation: The Avalon's role was also seen as overlapping with the more luxurious Lexus ES, and its design was sometimes seen as being difficult for taller drivers to get in and out of, a common complaint from some older buyers.
Why is the Toyota Crown not selling?
The Toyota Crown is not selling well due to its awkward market position between a sedan and an SUV, a high price point for a mainstream-badged vehicle, and a lack of consumer familiarity with the model in the North American market. The vehicle replaced the larger, traditional Avalon, but its lifted, crossover-like sedan style doesn't fit neatly into buyer preferences, which have shifted heavily towards conventional SUVs.
Key reasons for low sales
- Confusing market segment: The Crown has a unique design that combines sedan proportions with a higher, crossover-like stance, which creates an identity crisis in a market that is largely divided between traditional sedans and SUVs.
- High price point: The 2024 model starts at over $40,000$ 40 comma 000$40,000, and some consumers are hesitant to spend this much on a car with a Toyota badge, especially when compared to more established luxury brands or more familiar Toyota models.
- Replaced a declining segment: The Crown took the place of the Avalon, a large sedan that was already experiencing declining sales due to the market's shift to SUVs and crossovers.
- Lack of consumer familiarity: The Crown was not sold in the US for decades, so the nameplate lacks the brand recognition and history that might have helped it succeed like some other revived models have.
- Competition: It faces strong competition from both traditional sedans and a vast number of SUVs and crossovers already available in the market.
- Inconsistent branding: Toyota's attempts to position the Crown as a more interesting and unique vehicle may not resonate with mainstream buyers who are more accustomed to the brand's conventional offerings.
Is the Toyota Crown the new Avalon?
Yes, the Toyota Crown officially replaced the discontinued Avalon as Toyota's flagship sedan. While the two are distinct models, the Crown was introduced to fill the spot left by the Avalon in the North American lineup, offering a hybrid powertrain and a higher ride height, according to Paul Miller Toyota, this YouTube video, and MySA.
- Discontinuation: The 2022 model year was the last for the Toyota Avalon.
- Replacement: The 2023 Toyota Crown was introduced as the new flagship vehicle to replace the Avalon.
- Key differences: The Crown is a hybrid-only model with standard all-wheel drive and a higher, more SUV-like driving position compared to the traditional front-wheel-drive Avalon, notes Toyota, this YouTube video, and MySA.
- Performance: The Crown's available HYBRID MAX™ powertrain offers a significant power increase over the Avalon's V6 engine, according to Toyota Chula Vista and this YouTube video.
- Availability: For those seeking a similar SUV experience, Toyota also offers the Crown Signia, a larger SUV version of the Crown, says this YouTube video.
