2025 Toyota Crown Signia adds yet another two-row hybrid SUV to Toyota's lineup
As promised, the 2025 Toyota Crown Signia expands the flagship model line beyond just a sedan. It promises much more practicality along with standard all-wheel drive. However, it’s not available with the Crown sedan’s top powertrain, and it finds itself in a tight niche among Toyota’s many SUVs.
The Crown Signia arrives looking nearly identical to the Crown Estate Type concept from 2022. It doesn’t really even have any noticeable adjustments for production. It’s just that concept (or more like “concept”) come to life. We of course get to see inside the production Signia, though, and the interior is basically the same as the Crown sedan’s with flowing dash panels, bronze accents and dual 12.3-inch screens for instruments and infotainment. Of course, there’s also the larger hatch area, though Toyota hasn’t given dimensions for it.
The powertrain is familiar, too. It’s the same naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid powertrain from the base Crown sedan. It makes 243 horsepower and has standard all-wheel drive thanks to a rear-mounted electric motor. But unlike the Crown, it’s the only available powertrain, meaning you can’t get the Signia with the 340-horsepower Hybrid Max of the sedan. That’s a bit of a bummer, as the base powertrain is simply adequate, while the Hybrid Max adds refinement and character. It will still be rather efficient with an estimated 36 mpg combined, splitting the difference between the standard Crown sedan’s 41 mpg, and the Hybrid Max version’s 30. Toyota also claims a towing rating of up to 2,600 pounds.
This all puts the Crown Signia in an odd place, because Toyota already has a sort of premium two-row hybrid SUV in the Venza. The Crown Signia will be a bit bigger, though not to the same extent as a Highlander. It’s more powerful than the 219-horsepower Venza, which isn’t rated for towing. Signia isn’t as efficient, either, with the Venza getting 39 mpg. Signia will likely be more expensive than the $34,000 Venza, too, probably coming in above $40,000.
Perhaps that actually leaves the Venza in the odd place. Its size is extremely close to its mechanical twin, the RAV4 Hybrid, despite marketing proclamations of it being a “midsize” SUV. By contrast, the Crown Signia fits more comfortably between the RAV4 and Highlander. They may be able to coexist, but it does seem that the space between Toyota SUVs is getting sliced a bit thin in this area. And this is without considering the offerings from Lexus: the NX and RX.
Two trims are on offer: XLE and Limited. The XLE comes standard with 19-inch alloy wheels, power-adjustable front seats, cloth and leatherette upholstery, six-speaker sound system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital rearview mirror. The Limited adds 21-inch wheels, a glass roof, leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, heated outboard rear seats, an 11-speaker JBL sound system and compatibility with a digital phone key. And all Crown Signias will come standard with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, automatic headlights and Proactive Driving Assist. That last feature can apply light braking and steering at corner entry and to maintain space between the vehicle and other road users.
The Crown Signia will be available next summer. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but with the sedan starting around $40,000, we would expect the Signia to start a little above that.
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