Compare the2024 Toyota CrownVS 2023 Kia Stinger

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 Stinger 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 Stinger doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

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 Stinger 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Crown Limited/Platinum has a standard Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Stinger doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

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

Both the Crown and the Stinger 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 Crown’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Stinger 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 Stinger.

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.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Crown’s reliability 20 points higher than the Stinger.

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 Platinum’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 24 lbs.-ft. more torque (400 vs. 376) than the Stinger GT2’s standard 3.3 turbo V6.

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

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

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Crown higher (7 out of 10) than the Kia Stinger (3). This means the Crown produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Stinger 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 Stinger doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Crown has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Stinger GT-Line. The Crown’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Stinger GT2.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Crown Platinum is quieter than the Stinger GT2:

The Crown has 4.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Stinger (98 vs. 93.8).

The Crown has .7 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 2.5 inches more rear legroom and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Stinger.

With its sedan body style, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Crown offers cargo security. The Stinger’s hatchback body style, non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

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 Stinger’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

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 Stinger can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Consumer Reports rated the Crown’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Stinger’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

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

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