Toyota Crown Athlete 2003-2009 used car review

There are almost too many luxury features to count in our review vehicle. The dashboard and centre console are packed with buttons and knobs controlling the high-end audio system, separate temperature controls for the driver, passenger and rear seat, and an air purifier.

The steering wheel is large, with a thick rim making it easy to grip, and features stereo and phone controls mounted in the spokes. No New Zealand maps are available for the touch-screen navigation system, and you will also need a band expander for the radio to receive most local stations. Below the screen is a CD player, and if you like your music 'retro', a cassette tape player.

The Crown Athlete is an excellent car to drive — the steering is well-weighted, and allows you to feel the road and what the car is doing. The ride is firm, but not so much that it is uncomfortable on bumpy roads. What is very impressive is how quiet the car and the 2.5-litre six-cylinder engine are.

At idle, the Crown is almost silent - you'll only really hear the engine under heavy acceleration. The 2.5-litre engine produces 149kW and 243Nm of torque, more than enough for day-to-day driving. There are larger 3-litre and 3.5-litre engines available, which would be nice to have, but not necessary.

The Toyota Crown is reputedly extremely reliable — it is known in the trade as ‘over-engineered’, or built to a higher standard than required. Our research found no specific issues to look out for, but as always, ensure the vehicle has been regularly serviced.

The 2.5-litre V6 engine uses a timing chain rather than a cambelt. This means it is unlikely to ever need replacement, but its tensioners and the water pump should be part of a major service every 90,000km.

The Toyota Crown is a relatively niche model, sold new primarily in Japan. We couldn't find applicable crash testing information.

Our review vehicle has a reasonable level of safety equipment, with driver and passenger airbags, anti-lock braking, electronic stability control and electronic brake-force distribution. A reversing camera is standard on most of these cars.

A small number of Crowns made from 2006 have adaptive cruise control and a radar-based collision warning system, which will sound an alarm if you are at risk of running into the car in front of you.

The back seat features full three-point seatbelts in all three positions, and ISOFIX child seat mounts and tethers in the window seat positions.

The Crown requires servicing every year, or at 15,000km, whichever comes first. A Toyota dealer quoted us between $300 and $400. Every 90,000km there is a major service, which costs around $1,000.

It's not exactly fuel-efficient, even amongst its peers, with a reported average fuel consumption of 11.7-litres per 100km — a BMW 525i of the same year uses just 9.6-litres per 100km. RightCar estimates an annual fuel bill of $2,520 over 14,000km of driving. Its 71-litre fuel tank will cost $142 to fuel from empty at $2 per litre, and will take you up to 680km before the fuel light comes on.

It is cost-effective to insure. Trade Me Insurance estimates insurance for the Crown will cost $48.97* per month, $2 a month less than a Nissan 250GT sedan, and $20 a month less than a BMW 525i.

The 2004 Crown Athlete is in the cheapest band under the ACC levy system, so the annual licensing fee (registration) is just $85.59.

Toyota Crown Athletes on Trade Me range in price from just over $7,000 to $13,000. There are very few low-mileage Crowns available, but considering their reliability and build quality, this shouldn’t deter you from buying.

• Athlete — The standard specification
• Athlete G — Higher specification, including full leather
• Athlete G Four — Same as the Athlete G, but with the addition of all-wheel drive

• 2003 Launched in Japan
• 2004 A larger 3.5-litre six-cylinder engine becomes available
• 2006 Adaptive cruise control and a pre-collision system become available
• 2008 New model enters production