Name: 2025 Toyota Crown Signia
Brand: Toyota

Toyota Crown Signia First Drive

Summary

Introduction

2025 Toyota Crown Signia Hybrid SUV Shines

This crowning achievement improves on the sedan in several significant ways

Overview

Toyota expands its sport/utility portfolio by reimagining the Crown sedan into a new version dubbed Crown Signia. This fresh model rides on the same TNGA-K platform as the Crown, and many other current Toyota models, and it shares the hybrid four-cylinder powertrain and dashboard design. Where it differs from the Crown sedan is in its more mainstream appearance and functional shape; Its raised roof and conventional hatchback split the difference between a car and an SUV, creating what could be considered a station wagon.

In short: It’s the solution for shoppers drawn to the Crown’s promise but wish it were a bit more accommodating and practical. Or approached from a different angle, it’s a stylish alternative to a midsized SUV, like the Toyota Highlander, for those buyers who don’t need a third-row seat.

The Crown moniker dates back almost 70 years, making it the automaker’s longest-running model name. While absent from the U.S. market for about half a century, it has been applied to a series of regal sedans overseas for decades. Now the automaker is redefining “Crown” by applying it to a growing line of models that combine elevated ground clearance, standard hybrid powertrain, and all-wheel drive.

The result is a unique mashup of vehicles and concepts, reminding us a bit of the original, genre-twisting Venza. Consequently, it’s hard to position the Crown Signia against direct rivals. There isn’t anything quite like it.

The main competition may well be other Toyotas and two-row midsized SUVs, like the Nissan Murano, Subaru Outback, and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

The Crown Signia is available in XLE ($43,590) and Limited ($47,990) trims. Options include a single Technology package ($1,865) and three premium paint colors ($425).

The Toyota Crown Signia is built at the Tsutsumi Plant in Aichi, Japan.

Based on our initial impressions, it makes some notable improvements over the Crown, while sharing some criticisms. In our review below, many facets are positioned in the “What We’ll Keep an Eye On” section because the feedback on those attributes is mixed and therefore doesn’t neatly fall into the “We Like” or “We Don’t Like” buckets.

Impressions

What We Like

Access

Entry into the Crown Signia is a breeze. The front doors are larger than on the sedan, thanks to the taller roof, creating a sizable portal. The seat base is elevated compared with a regular car, but not high like a traditional SUV, so most adults will slide right in without having to step up. Access to the second-row is likewise easy, aided by a roofline that remains fairly flat, rather than sloping and impacting the door cutout as with some SUVs.

Driving position

Even though the cockpit is a clone of the Crown sedan, it feels roomier in the Crown Signia thanks to the taller glass all around and increased headroom. This masks that the driver sits in a rather narrow well. Compared with a traditional SUV, the windshield is a bit short. Wide, steep raked pillars flanking the windshield, thick pillars to the rear, and relatively short side glass contribute to the snug feel. We do appreciate that the door-mounted side mirrors are positioned so you can see around them. Visibility is better than the Crown overall, and the interior is more inviting.

Front seats

The seats are wide, soft, and quite comfy. Frankly, they stand out as a highlight. Daresay, they feel luxurious. The seatbelt is easy to access in front, aided by a raised receptacle.

Rear seat

There is a dramatic improvement in the back seat compared with the Crown. Headroom is better, but still not generous. Toe space under the front seats is a bit limited, and the seatback doesn’t tilt. However, there is plenty of legroom and the seat itself is well-padded. The rear seatbelt receptacles are rather flush with the seat base and the head restraints are a bit far back, eliciting some passenger complaints.

Handling

The Crown Signia is fairly agile and never feels like a bulky SUV. The steering has a pleasing weight, perhaps more heft than anticipated. It is well-controlled in regular driving, with a bit of body roll in more aggressive maneuvers, as one would expect. We think the target buyers will like how it takes turns.

Ride

The ride is cushier than most SUVs and a little better than our tested Crown sedan. (Toyota confirmed to CR that the suspension is tuned differently.) The suspension is compliant making it quite comfortable for all onboard, but the massive, 21-inch wheels do allow some impacts to the short-sidewall tires to punch through. While the ride is quite comfortable most of the time, our testers are interested in experiencing the 19-inch tires on the XLE.

What We Don't Like

Noise

A common complaint among the drivers was about the engine noise. The Crown Signia is generally quiet overall, until the engine is pushed. The engine sounds taxed whenever asked to do anything beyond idle or steady-state cruising.

Nitpicks

As you see below in What We’ll Keep an Eye On, this vehicle is rich in virtues, but there are areas for some improvement. Ultimately, they won’t deter buyers, but these things will bring small compromises for owners.

What We'll Keep An Eye On

Powertrain

Unlike the Crown, the Crown Signia has a single powertrain: a 240-horsepower, 2.5-liter hybrid four-cylinder engine with two electric motors and Toyota’s ubiquitous hybrid system with an electronic continuously variable transmission (eCVT). All-wheel drive is standard and is enabled by a separate electric motor on the rear axle. Toyota estimates that its EPA rating will be 38 mpg combined.

Like in our tested Crown, we found that the Crown Signia was good at transitioning from electric to gasoline power, but the engine has to work hard when accelerating, a sensation no doubt magnified by the eCVT. As with other recent Toyotas, the engine feels a bit coarse and weak. Acceleration is adequate, nothing more. There are three driver-selectable modes to configure the powertrain’s response: Normal, Eco, and Sport. We have found that Sport does bring a bit more verve to the Crown.

Generally, the powertrain is most at home in modest around-town driving, with the noise and revving drama becoming more intrusive when pushed, as the engine, hybrid motor, and transmission execute a complicated dance to balance performance demands and efficiency goals.

The Crown Signia can tow up to 2,700 pounds: More than some small SUVs, but less than what a traditional non-hybrid midsized SUV can pull.

Controls

The combination of physical buttons and a touchscreen is a win in some regards. The driver can easily adjust the various assistance features and the media system by using the steering-wheel controls. However, we found that some of the Crown’s controls and infotainment system require too much focus when interacting with them, making it a struggle when switching back and forth between multiple menus on the touchscreen, accessing information within the huge driver’s instrument screen, or even using the gear selector. The Crown’s stubby electronic gear selector (basically the same setup used in other recent Toyota and Lexus models) is annoying to use, and we found that it’s easy to end up in Neutral by mistake. The button to activate the emergency flashers is small and hidden under the deep ledge of the touchscreen above it; we prefer that this seldom-used feature be easier to find and activate in an emergency.

Overall, the controls are a bit mixed, but we do applaud the easy-to-reach climate toggles and volume knob.

Fit and finish

The interior parts all fit together well. The variety of shapes and textures gives the cabin some personality, but for a top trim, it does come up short of conveying a premium impression. Frankly, this isn’t surprising given that the latest Lexus models we have tested have been a bit plain for their segments. The bronze-plastic trim used on select accent pieces provides a welcomed contrast. The interior is available with contrasting upholstery and door liners, which really spice up the cabin. Our Crown Signia was a basic black, no doubt sapping some enthusiasm for the cosmetics among drivers.

Cargo space

As stated above, having a more SUV-like cargo area than the Crown sedan gives the Crown Signia added functionality. Yet the angled liftgate does compromise space for large, boxy items for the sake of fashion. Plus, the vertical space is limited compared with an SUV due to the high floor and low roof.

At least the rear seats fold flat. There is a hinged panel on the seat backs that flips up to fill the gap between the folded seats and the front seatbacks, thereby extending the load floor to accommodate items up to 6.5-feet long and prevent small objects from tumbling into the rear footwells. This is an interesting, thoughtful touch.

Rear climate

The second-row passengers have a rear vent on the back of the front row’s center armrest console, but no controls. One driver noted that on a warm day, traveling with family, that the fan needed to be cranked up to push enough cool air to the back for comfort—a downside of the larger cabin and increased glass area.

How much better it is

Beyond the benefits of the physical configuration, there may be more reasons to skip the sedan for the SUV: The pre-production model rented from Toyota struck our testers as being quieter and riding better than the Crown we bought and tested. We’ll see if these impressions hold true with the one we buy for testing.

Safety and Driver Assistance Systems

The Crown Signia comes with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, featuring automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. In addition, it has standard blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, and a safe exit assist system, which monitors for passing vehicles before it allows passengers to open the doors.

The Limited trim can be had with an Advanced Technology package ($1,865) that adds various other features, including front cross traffic alert, lane change assistance, traffic jam assistance, and front and rear parking collision warning with automatic braking.