Attractive design of the new generation Crown

I had the opportunity to test drive a Toyota Crown Sport that was purchased by a car enthusiast friend of mine.
This car is a new model that has been attracting attention for its innovative design, which sets it apart from conventional Crowns.

From a distance, I was struck by its alluring appearance.

Very cool."That was my first impression, frankly speaking. This was not a social commentary, but rather the sensation that a genuinely wonderful car had appeared in front of me.

As for the design, some say it resembles Ferrari's Prosangue, but I personally feel that Crown has a more cohesive design. The Prosangue looks a bit stretched out, whereas the Crown Sport has a more massive and condensed feel to it. If the emblems were switched, it would still be a great Ferrari! I think it would be a great Ferrari.

One in particular caught my eye,Large 21-inch wheelsIt is.

This tightens the overall impression of the car and creates a sense of luxury.
Furthermore, the use of Michelin e-primacy tires deserves praise. The fact that Michelin tires are chosen instead of cheap domestic tires for cost reduction, which is rare for a domestic car, is favorable.

The e-Primacy is also used on the Model 3, and while it does not have much grip, it is a very low rolling resistance, quiet, and comfortable tire.

Sophisticated interior and comfort

Turning to the interior, we were first surprised by the quality of the seats.
Not just a soft, flat-like seat, as is common in domestic cars,Firm, three-dimensional shapeThe seat has a The seat also has adequate firmness and hold, and looks comfortable even after long hours of driving.

The design of the instrument panel and steering wheel area combines luxury and novelty without sacrificing operability.
It is a legacy creation and not particularly eccentric. The interface is designed in such a way that anyone can drive it without getting lost, and the design is conservative in the good sense of the word, typical of Toyota.
The shift lever and other controls follow a general pattern and are intuitive to operate.

This area is the exact opposite of Tesla.
The approach is completely different between Crown, whose interface was created by listening to users, and Tesla, which lets users use the interface they think is best. This will be a matter of taste.

Amazing suspension and ride comfort

The most impressive aspect of the Crown Sport's driving performance was its suspension.

Compared to previous crowns,a world of differenceIt is no exaggeration to say.
Conventional Crowns lacked a sense of rigidity, and when steering a little sporty on the highway, the rear end seemed to lag behind completely. At the time, I remember being astonished that domestic cars were still at this level. At the time, I remember being astonished that a domestic car was still at this level.
The new Crown Sport, however, is quite different. It has a very solid suspension, if not as solid as the German cars. In terms of stiffness, it is similar to the Tesla Model 3 Highland.

While the suspension is appropriately soft,Solid core........ It could be described as a so-called "Sanuki Udon type foot.
It has just the right amount of rigidity without being squishy or yawty like the old Crowns of the past. This will feel just the right level for those accustomed to European cars.

However, to scratch the corner of a heavy box, the 21-inch wheels may have had an effect, and the "kotokotoko" sound when going over bumps was a bit annoying.
For this car.If it didn't have the name "Crown" attached to it, it would be perfectly fine.However, since we are talking about "Crown", I would like to see a little better sound control. On this matter, I think a quieter and smoother ride could have been achieved if the car had been equipped with slightly smaller wheels, 20 inches or smaller.
However, doing so could compromise the present admirable design features. It is a difficult choice.

It is supremely comfortable at town speeds in the city, with no particular complaints about ride quality.
It is less slippery, rolling and smooth than the Tesla Model 3, but it isI think it's more to do with the large tires than the car.. When speeding up a little and going around a medium-speed curve, the driver feels a little high-waisted and the amount of movement of the upper cabin from side to side is a little large.
I would like to see a more flat attitude like European cars, but I feel that making the car any stiffer would cause a backlash from the car's user base, so perhaps this is just about right.

Feeling issues rather than dynamic performance

The Crown Sport is equipped with a 2.5-liter hybrid system. Since the car starts with an electric motor, it moves quietly and smoothly. However, the torque of the motor felt a bit lacking. Even though we cannot expect it to be as powerful as a pure electric car, we would like to see a more direct and energetic start, similar to Mercedes' mild hybrids.

During the drive, the most interesting thing was the feeling of the power unit. The engine starts as soon as you step on the gas pedal. The problem is that the engine noise does not match the increase in speed. Even when the engine speed increased, the speed did not increase in proportion,Accelerate after a delay of about 2 tempo.感覚がある。私などは、思った通りに加速しないので、必要以上にアクセルを踏んでしまい、逆に燃費に悪そうな運転になってしまった。

正直、以前のプリウスのパワーユニットとフィーリングは同じような感じで、とにかくエンジンやモーターとタイヤの直結感がない。ここはテスラとは真逆で、テスラのように右足の僅かな動きだけで、自由自在にコントロールできる爽快感、運転の気持ちよさのようなものは残念ながら無かった。

これはCVT（無段変速機）の特性によるものと思われるが、「スポーツ」を名乗るクルマとしては改善の余地がある。
速さやパワーではなくドライバーの意思に忠実に反応する、よりダイレクトな加速感が欲しいところだ。

また、エンジン音については、クラウンという高級車のネームバリューを考えると、もう少しエンジン始動時や回転上昇時の静粛性を高めても良いかもしれない。もしかしたらスポーティーさを演出しようとあえて音を聞かせているのかもしれないが、スピードと比例しないので、逆効果に感じる。昔のウィンダムのように、エンジンが動いているのかどうかわからないほどの静けさがあれば、より高級感が増すだろう。

Driver Assistance Systems and General Comments

クラウン スポーツには、プロアクティブドライビングアシスト［PDA］という運転支援システムが搭載されている。

前方のクルマの速度に合わせて自動的にブレーキをかけるなど、運転をアシストしてくれる機能だ。これは、ポルシェ・タイカンの回生ブレーキをAUTOにした時と同じような制御だ。
運転に自信がない人や、快適性を重視する人にとっては非常に有用な機能だろう。他にも、車線逸脱警報や前方衝突警報など、さまざまな安全機能が搭載されている。

総評として、クラウン スポーツは街中での走行や通勤用途には非常に適したクルマだと言える。オーナーさん曰く、燃費も20km/L以上と優秀で、経済性も高い。
しかし、「スポーツ」の名を冠するモデルとしては、唯一、特にパワーユニットの性能ではなく、そのフィーリングに改善の余地があると感じた。

600万円クラスのクルマとしては、十分に魅力的な一台だが、スポーティーな走りのフィーリングを求める人にとっては、他の車種も検討する価値があるだろう。
私はこのクルマで気になった部分はこのパワーユニットのフィーリングだけで、それ以外の部分、特に足回りや乗り心地、デザインについては十分に合格点をつけられる優れたクルマI felt it was a good idea.