I, finally, got to see a Toyota Crown the other day at my dealership. I have to confess, I like it much better after seeing one than just looking at videos and pictures. It's not a sedan but it's not an SUV....kinda both. I do like the high clearance and how much easier it is to get in and out of compared to the Prius and Corolla...both are low to the ground. It's, probably, closer to a Lexus...quality work everywhere. I liked it much more than a Cross.
Are you talking about the Crown Signia SUV? That is a highly rated SUV: Overall/road-test score 85/88 vs. Camry’s 82/91 and Crown sedan’s 81/85 and Gen 5 Prius HEV’s 77/76 and Gen 5 Prius PHEV’s 75/79. I also see that the owner satisfaction for Gen 5 Prius PHEV is 5/5 whereas Gen 5 Prius HEV is 3/5, the latter of which is the same as for Corolla. Crown Signia SUV has 4/5 and Crown sedan has 3/5. If I replace my Gen 4 Prius PHEV, it will be another PHEV or a BEV. People who can plug shouldn’t get an HEV or an engine-only car.
I would not call driving a ZR-1 wasting fuel. I would say that it is more like sensory therapy. Worth every drop of fuel. Prius has a different purpose. Be as efficient as possible and use every drop of fuel for vehicle motivation.
The way I see it, a conventional vehicle is only about 25-35% fuel efficient, and of that useable power, 75% is squandered on air resistance. Not to mention that kinetic energy is wasted as heat, to burn off brake pads. The Prius is considerably more efficient.