Car "Toyota Crown": specifications, engines and owners reviews

"Toyota Crown" - a whole family of cars, which was produced for forty-five years. In total eight generations of the sedan were created, not including two generations of the improved "Crown of Excavations". Along with the "Camry" and "Corolla" models, this car was a favorite vehicle for many caring drivers, and its latest generation, called "Carina E" in three body styles, still impresses with its comfort and attractive appearance.

History of appearance

"Toyota Crown" is one of several variants of the name of the model of the car that is quite popular in the company "Toyota", which in different versions can be found for a long period, from the end of the Second World War and up to now. The name Corona (lat.) Means the same as the words Crown (English) and Camry - crown.

Production of the rear-wheel drive model began in 1957, and the car itself became the second largest after the notorious "Crown". It was this platform with the drive to the rear wheels that later became the basis for a whole generation of cars "Mark II", originally called "Toyota Crown Mark II". It should be noted that from the very first generation, the "Crown" was one of the main models designed to conquer the world market on a par with the "Crown". In addition, on the platform of the front-drive "Crown", variants with a modified body and other alternative names ("Karina", "Karina E" and others) were created.

First and second generation

The very first "Crown" came off the assembly line in 1957 year. It was a rear-wheel drive sedan on the Crown platform, and it used a significant amount of technology from the "older brother". The car of the first generation was able to develop a top speed of 105 km / h, and the front suspension was independent. The body of the Toyota Crown was a carrier, so that the weight of the car did not exceed one ton.

The second generation of the model, better known in export variations as the "Tiara", almost ended the expansion of the company "Toyota" in North America. The fact is that for a period of one year in the US, less than 350 copies were sold, which caused the carmaker's management to stop deliveries. The reason for this failure was a relatively low dynamics and maximum speed, despite the rear-wheel drive and lightweight bodywork.

Third and fourth generation

The third version of the Toyota Corona, whose engines still lacked power, nevertheless appeared on the US market in 1964, with the range of bodies expanded with two-door hardtops, a three-door minivan and a five-door wagon. The creation of these variations was not without the intervention of the famous Italian designer Battista Farina. At that time, the company decided to focus on the quality of the car, having rigorously tested the model, during which several "Coron" passed more than one hundred thousand kilometers. A more extensive version of the "Crown" with the name "Mark II" was released in 1968 as a separate platform, later used by the automaker to create other rear-wheel drive models.

The fourth generation of the car was marked by the creation of more comfortable conditions for driving. Improvements included changes not only in the cabin, but also in power units, which markedly increased the attractiveness of the model in the markets of North America. It is worth mentioning that the appearance did not change much with respect to the third generation

Fifth and Sixth Generations

With the advent of the fifth generation, the company faced certain difficulties. This time the problem consisted of quite successful competitive cars of other Japanese automakers, in particular, "Subaru DL" and "Honda Accord". Toyota Crown, the price of which was relatively high, plus everything lost in stability on the road thanks to the rear-wheel drive configuration, while the cars of competitors had a front-wheel drive.

The sixth generation marked the end of the export of "Coron" to the US market. Due to the difficult conditions of competing, the company had to develop an entirely new car that could take the palm tree of the championship. Actually, then the well-known "Camry" appeared, which became an icon of the class.

Seventh and Eighth Generation

Finally "Toyota Crown" has changed beyond recognition! In 1987 saw the light of the seventh generation of the sedan, which lasted longer on conveyors and markets. The updated sedan finally got a front-wheel drive, thanks to which the cabin significantly added space. It was this model that became the first car "Crown", which came to the Russian market and won the hearts of many fans. The most common type of body was a five-door liftback, and in the engine line there were economical gasoline "rowers" in volume of 1.6 or 1.8 liters. Also it was possible to meet a two-liter diesel.

The eighth and last generation of the Toyota Crown was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in Europe in 1992 under the modified name "Karina E". This model very quickly became popular in Europe and the Russian Federation due to the excellent interior design and very presentable exterior, successfully competing with Volkswagen, Opel and other European automakers. The car did not change in size, and the engines remained the same, and the main difference from the seventh model was a deeper body restyling. For smooth and pleasant body shapes, the "Crown" of the eighth generation was christened "a barrel".

Toyota Crown Express

In 1985, Toyota decided to expand the circle of potential car buyers by making a youth line in the sedan. It was the platform "Crown" that served as the basis for the creation of such models as "Crown Eksiv" and "Karina ED". In total, two generations were produced, which are popularly called "four-door Celica". Cars possessed excellent dynamics and low fuel consumption due to the small volume of engines. Externally, "ED" and "Eksiv" looked quite sportive and attractive, which gave them the right to live. I would like to add that at that time the company did not skimp on the equipment of cars, so these models were equipped with ABS and 4WS systems.

Despite the great competition and the complexity of implementing some engineering ideas, Toyota Corona proves the practicality and durability of Japanese cars so far. Many copies of the "Coron" in various variations can now be found on the streets not only in the Russian Federation, but also in many European countries. It is worth adding that it was the "Crown" that became an example, to which even today other automakers are equal. And on the platform of the line that has left the assembly line, the well-known Avensis and several other models are now well produced.