Toyota Crown Crossover RS Expert Review

The Crown That Finally Got Interesting

Toyota spent decades building sensible cars and then apparently woke up one morning and decided to make something rather dramatic.

The Crown Crossover RS is the result.

It has the proportions of a large sedan, the ride height of a crossover and the visual attitude of something that has been told it is considerably more expensive than it actually is. The long bonnet, sloping roofline and short-looking rear deck create a silhouette that is remarkably different from the usual Japanese luxury crossover.

The front end is particularly successful. Slim lighting elements, a broad lower intake and the Crown's distinctive face give it presence without turning it into another enormous-grille German imitation.

Then you notice the wheels.

The RS rides on 21-inch alloys wrapped in 225/45R21 tyres, and they completely change the character of the car.

They look fantastic.

They also look like they would rather not meet a Dhaka pothole.

At 4,930mm long and 1,840mm wide, the Crown is substantial. It has excellent road presence but requires attention in tight parking spaces and narrow roads.

For Bangladesh, the elevated crossover stance is useful, although this is still fundamentally a road car rather than something you should take looking for mud.

The styling succeeds because it doesn't scream “look at me.”

Executive Comfort With A Japanese Accent

Inside, the Crown Crossover RS feels considerably more expensive than the Toyota badge might initially suggest.

The cabin is dominated by a modern horizontal dashboard, digital instrumentation and a large 12.3-inch HD Display Audio Plus screen. Toyota's official equipment list confirms the RS receives the upgraded Display Audio Plus system, leather interior and a heated leather steering wheel with touch sensing and paddle shifters.

The seats are one of the highlights.

The RS offers premium leather upholstery, electric adjustment and, depending on equipment, heating and ventilation. The driving position is comfortable enough for long highway journeys without turning the driver into a badly folded origami project.

Rear passengers aren't forgotten either. There is generous legroom, a centre armrest and rear climate ventilation, making the Crown particularly suitable for Bangladesh buyers who occasionally travel with family or a driver.

The roofline looks dramatic from outside, but Toyota has managed to retain respectable rear-seat usability.

The digital rear-view mirror is another clever touch, improving rear visibility when passengers or luggage obstruct the conventional view. Toyota lists it as standard on the RS and Z.

The biggest criticism is familiar with Japanese imports: connected navigation and some digital services were designed around Japan.

So the hardware can be excellent while some services may not work perfectly in Bangladesh.

Technology Without Losing The Plot

The RS has enough technology to make an older Crown feel like it was assembled during the Stone Age.

The centrepiece is the 12.3-inch HD Display Audio Plus, with connected navigation capability, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth and USB connectivity. Toyota's original equipment documentation also specifies Toyota Premium Sound with ten speakers and an eight-channel amplifier for the RS configuration.

There is wireless phone charging, digital instrumentation, premium audio, power seats, heated and ventilated seating, a head-up display on higher equipment packages, panoramic-view monitoring and extensive driver-assistance technology.

The 360-degree camera deserves particular praise in Bangladesh.

Parking a nearly five-metre Crown between two badly parked SUVs is already a test of character. Having cameras showing what is happening around the vehicle makes the job dramatically easier.

Then there is Toyota Safety Sense, adaptive radar cruise, lane assistance, collision-warning technology and road-sign recognition.

Some equipment is package-dependent, which is important when buying a reconditioned car. Do not assume that two Japanese RS examples have identical specifications.

The connected side is also complicated. T-Connect offers services such as vehicle search, Helpnet and e-Care in Japan, but imported cars can have regional limitations in Bangladesh.

So the Crown has excellent technology.

Plenty Of Electronic Backup

The Crown Crossover RS takes safety seriously.

The basic package includes ABS, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control, multiple airbags, electronic brake-force distribution, tyre-pressure monitoring and ISOFIX child-seat mounting.

Then the electronics start doing the interesting work.

Forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking can help prevent or reduce the severity of frontal crashes. Lane-departure and lane-keeping systems help keep the vehicle where it belongs, while adaptive cruise control makes highway journeys significantly less tiring.

Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic warning are particularly useful in Bangladesh.

Anyone who has driven around Dhaka knows that changing lanes can sometimes feel like entering a multiplayer video game where nobody has read the rules. Having a system watching the blind spot is genuinely useful.

The panoramic-view camera is equally valuable when parking.

However, there is an important distinction between RS and RS Advanced/package-equipped examples. Toyota's original equipment list shows that some functions, including panoramic-view monitoring and blind-spot-related equipment, could be tied to option packages.

That means buyers should inspect the actual vehicle rather than relying only on the badge.

And there is the human element.

A clean auction history, healthy tyres, properly functioning brakes and an undamaged chassis remain more important than any collection of electronic acronyms.

The Crown has excellent safety technology.

This Is Where The RS Earns Its Badge

The RS is not merely a Crown with larger wheels and a slightly aggressive badge.

It is properly quick.

Under the bonnet sits Toyota's 2.4L T24A-FTS turbocharged four-cylinder, producing 272 PS and 460 Nm. It works with electric motors and Toyota's E-Four Advanced AWD system, while power is sent through a Direct Shift six-speed automatic.

The result is approximately 349 hp of combined system output and a claimed 0–100 km/h time in the region of 5.8 seconds.

That is serious performance.

More importantly, it doesn't feel crude. Electric assistance fills the gaps in the turbo engine's delivery, producing strong and immediate acceleration.

In Bangladesh city traffic, the hybrid system makes low-speed movement remarkably smooth. You can crawl through congestion without constantly fighting the gearbox.

Then, when an open stretch appears, press the accelerator and the Crown stops behaving like an executive lounge and starts behaving like something considerably more mischievous.

Highway driving is excellent. The long wheelbase, AWD traction, quiet cabin and adaptive cruise control make long journeys effortless.

The weak point is the 21-inch wheel and tyre combination.

On smooth roads they look magnificent and feel composed. On broken Bangladesh roads, those 225/45R21 tyres don't have much sidewall to absorb punishment.

So the RS is fast, refined and remarkably sophisticated.