Compare the2023 Lexus ISVS 2023 Toyota Crown

The IS’ optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Crown doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the IS and the Crown have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the IS its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 127 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Crown has not been tested, yet.

The IS comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Crown’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the IS 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Crown. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Crown ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The IS’ corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Crown’s (6 vs. 5 years).

J.D. Power and Associates rated the IS first among compact premium cars in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Crown isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated lower.

The IS has more powerful engines than the Crown:

The IS has 2.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Crown (17.4 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Lexus IS, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Crown.

For better stopping power the IS’ front brake rotors are larger than those on the Crown:

The IS’ standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Crown are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the IS has larger standard tires than the Crown (235/45R18 vs. 225/55R19). The IS Performance’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Crown (F:235/40R19 & R:265/35R19 vs. 225/55R19).

The IS 300’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Crown’s standard 55 series tires. The F Sport Design’s tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Crown’s optional 45 series tires.

For better maneuverability, the IS’ turning circle is 4.6 feet tighter than the Crown’s (34.2 feet vs. 38.8 feet). The IS AWD’s turning circle is 3.4 feet tighter than the Crown’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.8 feet).

The Lexus IS may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 550 pounds less than the Toyota Crown.

The IS is 10.7 inches shorter than the Crown, making the IS easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The IS has 2.7 inches more front legroom and .9 inches more rear hip room than the Crown.

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the IS’ trunk lid uses concealed beam hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. Its intrusive beam hinge reduces the Crown’s useful trunk space.

The IS uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Crown uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the IS is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Crown. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Toyota. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 49% lower rating, Toyota is ranked 20th.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors optional in the Crown, the IS offers an optional driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The IS’ standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the Crown.

The IS’ instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Crown does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the IS offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Crown doesn’t offer cornering lights.

A power rear sunshade is optional in the IS to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Crown doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The IS’ optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Crown has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The IS is available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The Crown doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Lexus IS, based on reliability, safety and performance.