Compare the2024 Toyota CrownVS 2024 Kia K5

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Crown have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Kia K5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Toyota Crown has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The K5 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Crown has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The K5 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Crown has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The K5 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Crown. But it costs extra on the K5.

Both the Crown and the K5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The Toyota Crown weighs 446 to 1195 pounds more than the Kia K5. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Crown’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the K5 runs out after 100,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Crown for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the K5.

There are over 59 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Crown’s warranty.

The battery on the Crown is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Crown’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The K5’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 9th.

The Crown’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 56 more horsepower (236 vs. 180) than the K5 1.6T’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder. The Crown Platinum’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 50 more horsepower (340 vs. 290) and 89 lbs.-ft. more torque (400 vs. 311) than the K5 GT 2.5T’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Crown Platinum 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the K5 1.6T 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder:

On the EPA test cycle the Crown gets better mileage than the K5:

Regenerative brakes improve the Crown’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The K5 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Regardless of its engine, the Crown’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. Kia only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the K5 LX.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Crown higher (7 out of 10) than the Kia K5 (5). This means the Crown produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the K5 every 15,000 miles.

The Crown has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The K5 doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the Crown’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the K5:

For better traction, the Crown has larger tires than the K5 (225/55R19 vs. 205/65R16).

The Crown’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the K5 LXS’ standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Crown has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the K5 LXS. The Crown’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the K5 GT.

The Crown offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The K5’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Crown Platinum is quieter than the K5 EX (66 vs. 67 dB).

With its sedan body style, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Crown offers cargo security. The K5’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the Crown. The K5 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Crown’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The K5’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Crown the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the K5 can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Crown’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The K5’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Crown Limited/Platinum’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

When the Crown is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The K5’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Crown has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats are only available on the K5 GT-Line/EX/GT. The Crown Limited/Platinum also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the K5.

Both the Crown and the K5 offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Crown has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The K5 doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Crown has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the K5 GT-Line/EX/GT offers wireless charging.

The Crown Platinum’s Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The K5 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Crown and the Kia K5, based on reliability, safety and performance.