2025 Toyota Crown Nightshade Gets A Moody Makeover And New Tech Upgrade

Toyota has announced a new stylish edition to its Crown sedan lineup — the Nightshade. It's an appropriately moody name, as the 2025 Toyota Crown Nightshade will pair black handles and dark badging with 21-inch, 10-spoke wheels sporting a matte-black finish. The sedan sits high enough to make it comfortable to get in and out of, as comfort and luxury are what define the design of the 2025 Crown. Its body style includes rounded, sweeping character lines, with a standard fixed panoramic moonroof and Toyota's familiar hammerhead front facia.

The Nightshade's spacious cabin will also match the luxury of the vehicle's exterior. A heated steering wheel comes standard, as well as heated, leather-trimmed front seats that are also ventilated and eight-way power adjustable. LED lights are placed throughout the cabin for premium illumination, while a minimalist control panel running along the dashboard provides dual-zone climate control. A customizable 12.3-inch color digital gauge cluster and multimedia screen with piano key controls is also included, alongside an optional 11-speaker audio system by JBL, as well as vertically-oriented wireless Qi charging, USB-C, and 12V charging options for front and rear passengers.

The edition is built off the Crown's Limited grade, and has a starting list price of $48,765. It will be available in two color options: Black and Storm Cloud. In addition to this bold, moody new look, the Nightshade will provide a luxurious ride that matches its aesthetic, thanks to upgrades to its suspension and drive performance.

Toyota is equipping the Platinum edition of the 2025 Crown with its powerful Hybrid MAX system, but the Nightshade and other Crown grades will still have plenty of oomph with the all-wheel drive Toyota Hybrid System (THS). The THS pairs front and rear electric motors with a 2.5-liter engine, and offers an EPA-estimated 41 miles per gallon combined. Toyota is using Electronic On-Demand AWD to keep the car stable even in very slippery conditions — the front and rear wheel driving force distribution is controlled to the front and rear wheels between 100:0 and 20:80 ratios, providing more fuel efficiency in addition to a smoother ride.

The Nightshade will also be equipped with an electronically controlled brake system with Active Cornering Assist (ACA) that can add stability control and reduce understeering in certain cornering situations. A combination of the placement of the steering gearbox adjacent to the suspension, swing-valve shock absorbers, and the overall design and materials implemented in the frame and body of the Crown all contribute to steadier drive controls, as well.

In addition to the premium Platinum grade, the Nightshade is joined by the XLE and Limited models of the 2025 Toyota Crown. If you're looking to sport a sunnier style than the moody aesthetic offered by the Nightshade, the Crown will also be available in Oxygen White, Bronze Age, Heavy Metal, and Supersonic Red color schemes.