Toyota Motor Corp. plans to launch a sport utility vehicle version of its Crown sedan for Japan, China and North America, three people said, revamping a car that has been a showpiece of Japan's market for nearly seven decades.
The SUV — which will come in hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full-electric models — marks an attempt to bring the 67-year-old Crown more in line with market trends as consumers shy away from sedans, the people said, declining to be identified because the information has not been made public.
Sales of the hybrid are expected from the summer of 2023 and will include exports to China and North America, while the plug-in hybrid is intended for the domestic market, they said.