Fans of certain vehicles have had to wait a long time for them to return to the U.S. market. There were 25 years between the last and current generations of the Ford Bronco. Jeep took more than three decades to bring out a new Grand Wagoneer for the 2022 model year. Stateside Toyota Crown fans had it even worse: The automaker sold the sedan here from 1958 until 1972, but brought it back more than 50 years later as a high-riding, all-wheel-drive hybrid with available two-tone finishes.
As it eventually does with many of its models, Toyota added a Nightshade trim level to the Crown lineup last year. Based on the Limited, the Nightshade model comes standard with quad-LED headlights, a panoramic fixed-glass roof, leather seats with heating and ventilation in the first row and heat in the second row, 12.3-inch gauge and infotainment screens, and an 11-speaker JBL audio system. The Nightshade package consists of dark badging, mirror caps, window trim, and door handles, and matte black 21-inch wheels. The 2026 Crown Nightshade that my colleague Luke Lamendola and I tested separately had a starting price of $48,765 and – thanks to a lack of optional extras – an as-tested price of $49,900.
The word “hybrid” applies to the Crown Nightshade in a couple of major ways. One of the reasons people like crossovers and SUVs more than sedans is that they ride higher and provide a better view of the road ahead. The Crown is officially a sedan, but its Toyota GA-K platform-derived underpinnings make it nearly four inches taller than the Camry.
Of course, the Crown Nightshade is also a hybrid under the hood. Its 2.5-liter I4 joins forces with a pair of electric motors and a nickel-metal hydride battery pack to produce a total of 236 horsepower, which an eCVT and an all-wheel drive system with an on-demand rear electric motor delivers to the road. According to the EPA, the Crown Nightshade is capable of hitting 42 mpg in the city, 41 on the highway, and 41 combined. Acceleration was modest and noisy, but my test vehicle performed as advertised, returning 42.1 mpg across 360.2 miles.
The Crown Nightshade was not what it seemed to be at first glance. Its fast roofline made it appear to be a liftback along the lines of an Audi A7, but its rear glass stayed in place above the conventional rear trunk lid.
It was a similar situation inside. Given the Nightshade’s standard equipment, I wasn’t surprised that the first row was comfortable and convenient. Once again, the roofline was misleading: I thought its dramatic slope would significantly detract from second-row headroom, but I’m 5’10” and I had no issues sitting back there. Legroom was also abundant, giving the Crown Nightshade an unexpected touch of luxury. I felt like a VIP. It’s too bad that nobody in my family was authorized by Toyota to drive me around in it.
Perhaps I should’ve asked Luke to do that. Then again, maybe it’s a good thing that I didn’t. As you’ll learn in Luke’s full video review below, he enjoyed whipping the 2026 Toyota Crown Nightshade around.
Click above and watch our full video review on YouTube!
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