2022 Dodge Charger vs 2023 Toyota Crown

The 2022 Dodge Charger had been built on the same platform since 2005, which originated from an older Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Despite its age, Dodge managed to keep the Charger fresh with significant updates in 2011 and a major facelift in 2015. The 2015 design, which carried over to the 2022 model, was modern and menacing, contrasting with the retro muscle-car styling of its Challenger counterpart. However, the interior of the Charger felt dated, with thick bezels and chunky buttons that gave it a small-truck feel. While not cutting-edge, the cabin was user-friendly.

The 2023 Toyota Crown, a full-size sedan with seating for five, stood out with its elevated ride height, reminiscent of the old Honda Accord Crosstour. The Crown featured a massive grille, sporty front-end design, and large wheels that prevented it from looking awkward. The rear was rounded with a bold taillight strip, and the top Platinum trim offered a two-tone color option. Inside, the Crown was modern with a digital instrument panel and a large touchscreen. The cabin had a mix of hard plastics and cushioned touchpoints, giving it a near-luxury feel despite some cost-cutting materials.

The 2022 Dodge Charger offered a range of engines, starting with a 3.6-liter V6 in the SXT and GT models, producing 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. The AWD versions of these trims had a slight power bump to 300 hp and 264 lb-ft. The R/T trim featured a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 with 370 hp and 394 lb-ft of torque. The R/T Scat Pack came with a 6.4-liter Hemi V8, delivering 485 hp and 475 lb-ft. The SRT Hellcat had a supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8, producing 717 hp and 650 lb-ft. The Hellcat Redeye and Jailbreak models pushed the power further to 797 hp and 807 hp, respectively. All engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with RWD standard and AWD available on V6 models. The Hellcat variants offered incredible acceleration, with the Hellcat and Redeye reaching 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 196 mph.

The 2023 Toyota Crown offered two hybrid powertrains. The base powertrain combined a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with a hybrid electric motor, producing 236 horsepower. The top Platinum trim featured the Hybrid Max powertrain, which included a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and a more powerful rear electric motor, delivering 340 horsepower. The base hybrid used a CVT, while the Hybrid Max had a six-speed automatic transmission. The base hybrid accelerated to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds, while the Hybrid Max did it in 5.7 seconds. The Crown's ride quality was tuned for comfort, with the Platinum trim adding an adaptive suspension. Despite some engine noise, the cabin remained quiet, and the Crown handled curves confidently at sensible speeds.

The 2022 Dodge Charger, a large sedan, offered plenty of legroom in both rows, but headroom was limited, especially in the rear seats. The high center console and performance bucket seats created an intimate front-seat experience. Storage space was limited, with a small center console bin and trays around the shifter. The Charger had 16.5 cubic feet of trunk space, but the small trunk lid and high rear bumper made loading large items challenging. However, the Charger provided sports-car performance with four doors and a usable trunk, making it versatile.

The 2023 Toyota Crown's base XLE trim featured fabric seat upholstery with SofTex faux-leather trim, while the Limited and Platinum trims had full leather coverings. The front seats were comfortable for long trips, but the firm cushioning could cause discomfort over time. The driver's view was largely unobstructed, though the rearview was narrow. The taller ride height offered a slightly better road view. The front seats had adequate storage, with large cupholders, door pockets, and a center console armrest bin. The rear seats provided ample legroom and adequate headroom, with a panoramic sunroof in higher trims enhancing the sense of space. The Crown had a traditional trunk with 15.2 cubic feet of space, which was smaller than some competitors but still useful.

The 2022 Dodge Charger came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen running the Uconnect infotainment system, known for its ease of use. The base SXT had an optional 8.4-inch screen, which was standard on higher trims. Both screens included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While not the most advanced, the Charger's technology was user-friendly and well-integrated with conventional controls.

The 2023 Toyota Crown featured a standard 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with sharp graphics and quick responses. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were included, along with a wireless charging pad. The base audio system had six speakers, while higher trims offered an 11-speaker JBL premium system. The infotainment system supported OTA updates and had a voice-recognition system activated by saying "Hey Toyota." A digital key feature was standard on the Platinum trim and optional on the Limited.

The 2022 Dodge Charger lagged in standard safety features, offering only a backup camera and rear parking sensors. Optional features included forward-collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, rain-sensing wipers, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.

The 2023 Toyota Crown had not yet been rated by NHTSA or IIHS. Standard safety features included frontal and cross-traffic collision warning with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, automatic high beams, traffic-sign recognition, and a rear-seat-passenger reminder. The Platinum trim added a semi-automated parallel parking system. The adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist were well-tuned, but some new features were intrusive and could be disabled.