Compare the2025 Toyota CrownVS 2025 Tesla Model 3

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Crown are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Crown has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Crown. But it costs extra on the Model 3.

The Crown (except XLE/Nightshade) offers an optional Bird’s Eye View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model 3 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Toyota Crown offers an optional Bird’s Eye View Camera and it also offers an optional rear camera washer to make backing always safe, regardless of road dirt or grime, while the Tesla Model 3 doesn’t offer a camera washer, requiring manual cleaning.

The Crown has standard Safety Connect™, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Crown and the Model 3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Crown is safer than the Tesla Model 3:

	Crown	Model 3
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	179	235
Neck Injury Risk	26.1%	33%
Neck Stress	174 lbs.	190 lbs.
Neck Compression	31 lbs.	101 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Crown is safer than the Tesla Model 3:

	Crown	Model 3
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	32	67
Abdominal Force	130 lbs.	158 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	157	206
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	293	384
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	41 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

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. Tesla doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Model 3.

There are almost 6 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Crown’s warranty.

Reliability

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 28 points higher than the Model 3.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 74 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 105 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is ranked 26th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota third in overall reliability. Tesla is ranked 17th.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Crown’s standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the Model 3:

	Crown	Model 3
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	12.6 inches

The Crown stops shorter than the Model 3:

	Crown	Model 3
60 to 0 MPH	127 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Crown has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Model 3. The Crown’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Model 3 Performance.

The Crown has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Model 3; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The Crown has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Crown flat and controlled during cornering. The Model 3’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Crown is .7 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Model 3.

For better maneuverability, the Crown Platinum’s turning circle is 3 feet tighter than the Model 3’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.4 feet). The Crown’s turning circle is .4 feet tighter than the Model 3’s (38 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

Passenger Space

The Crown has 2.2 inches more front hip room, .4 inches more front shoulder room, 4.4 inches more rear legroom, .8 inches more rear hip room and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model 3.

Cargo Capacity

With its sedan body style, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Crown offers cargo security. The Model 3’s non-lockable folding seat defeats cargo security.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Crown’s trunk can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The Crown Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Crown’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Model 3’s passenger power window switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Crown’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model 3 doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Crown has standard extendable sun visors. The Model 3 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Crown is equipped with both FM and AM stereo radios, offering access to more content and better coverage than the Model 3, which solely provides FM radio. With AM radio, you can enjoy a wider variety of stations featuring news, talk shows, sports commentary, native language programing, automated traffic guidance, and emergency broadcasts. AM waves travel further and penetrate buildings and obstacles more effectively than FM signals, especially at night. Having both FM and AM stereo radios the Crown offers a more comprehensive listening experience compared to only FM in the Model 3.

HD Radio boasts several benefits over conventional radio: superior sound quality with clearer and consistent FM broadcasts, CD-quality audio, and Multicast Channels offering up to four streams from a single station, adding programming choices. Cars like the Crown equipped with HD Radio provide an improved in-car entertainment experience. The Model 3, devoid of this technology, foregoes these benefits. Selecting the Toyota Crown empowers drivers to enjoy a more immersive and enjoyable listening experience while on the go.

Compared to the Tesla Model 3’s traditional radio, the Toyota Crown equipped with standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Crown and the Tesla Model 3, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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