What Toyota model did the Crown replace?
The Crown was introduced in 1955 as Toyota’s premium flagship sedan, replacing the then-standout Toyopet Masterline in the domestic lineup.
Origins and replacement
In the mid-1950s, Toyota sought a modern, upscale sedan to lead its passenger-car lineup. The Crown emerged as the successor to the previous flagship, the Toyopet Masterline, and began life in Japan as the Toyopet Crown before the Crown branding took hold domestically.
Below are the key points about how the Crown related to its predecessor and how the branding evolved over time:
- 1955: The Crown debuts as the Toyopet Crown, effectively replacing the Toyopet Masterline sedan in Toyota’s domestic lineup.
- Mid-to-late 1950s: Export markets often used the Toyopet badge for Crown-branded cars, while Japan began adopting the Crown name for the flagship sedan.
- Late 1950s onward: The Crown solidifies its role as Toyota’s domestic flagship, with the Crown branding becoming the standard in Japan as the Masterline name fades from prominence.
In summary, the Crown’s inception marked the transition from the Toyopet Masterline as Toyota’s top sedan to a dedicated Crown lineage that would endure as the brand’s flagship for decades.
Legacy and branding
Branding across markets
During the 1950s, Toyota’s export strategy sometimes kept the Toyopet name on Crown models sold overseas, reflecting branding practices of the era before the Crown name was universally adopted in markets outside Japan.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the Toyota Crown replaced the Toyopet Masterline sedan as Toyota’s domestic flagship when it debuted in 1955, launching with the Toyopet Crown designation and evolving into the Crown we recognize today.
Summary
The Crown replaced Toyota’s earlier flagship sedan, the Toyopet Masterline, when it launched in 1955 as the Toyopet Crown. Over time, the Crown became Toyota’s enduring premium sedan line, with branding evolving from Toyopet in export markets to Crown in Japan and beyond.
Why was Avalon discontinued?
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.
What did the Toyota Crown replace?
The Toyota Crown replaced the Toyota Avalon as Toyota's flagship full-size sedan in the United States, with the new model debuting for the 2023 model year. The Avalon was discontinued after the 2022 model year.
- The Avalon had served as Toyota's top-of-the-line sedan for many years before being discontinued.
- The new Crown is a high-riding, all-wheel-drive hybrid sedan that offers a unique position in the market.
- The change in model allowed Toyota to reintroduce the Crown nameplate to the U.S. market, which had not been sold there since 1972.
Is Toyota Crown the same as Avalon?
With the discontinuation of the similar Toyota Avalon, it makes sense to wonder: “is the Toyota Crown the same as the Toyota Avalon?” The Toyota Crown is not a renamed or reworked version of the Avalon – they are two distinct models – though the Crown does act as a spiritual successor to the former flagship 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.
