SAN DIEGO – The 2025 Toyota Crown Signia is an all-wheel-drive CUV, but really conjures up memories of the family station wagon. At the same time, it appears to be a straight-up competitor to the upper-trim Subaru Outback, which is ironic considering Toyota’s 20% stake in Subaru.
Shoppers who buy a Crown Signia may wonder why they can’t find a Signia brand on their car. It turns out that Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda holds the “Crown” marque in such high esteem and with such reverence that he forbids any modifying branding on the vehicle. The word “Crown” only is elegantly displayed on the rear hatch.
Of course, that will beg the shorthand reference to the vehicle as the “Crown Wagon.” Not sure the marketing people will love that.
The Signia is the latest Toyota to come only as a hybrid. The company has dragged its feet on launching EVs (for good reason, as it turns out) and is making plenty of hay and fuel economy gains across its lineup by launching new models as hybrid-only, including the new Camry, Land Cruiser, Corolla Cross, Crown sedan and Venza, adding to the Prius lineup.
There is an advantage for those focused on saving some dollars at the pump. The Signia gets a combined 38 mpg (6.2 L/100 km), according to Toyota, nine miles better per gallon than the Subaru Outback. Toyota says the Signia will go 0-60 (97 km/h) mph in 7.1 seconds.
The Signia XLE comes equipped with the 4-cyl. 2.5L Toyota HEV system with two electric motor generators delivering 243 hp. At launch, the Signia is not offered with the Platinum trim that the Crown sedan offers with a more powerful powertrain that gets 340 hp.
Crowning Achievement
Especially while lacking the Platinum powertrain upgrade of the Crown sedan, this wagon is tuned for quiet, relaxing, leisurely driving, not performance.
Indeed, the Signia delivers stress-free driving. Steering is precise with expected responsiveness. Toddling around the gentle hills of California near the Mexico border, we had a moment of thinking Vivaldi’s Four Seasons should be on the stereo.
Signia’s suspension is a MacPherson-type strut in the front paired with a multilink rear suspension. Focusing on reducing vibrations felt by the driver and passengers, Toyota has deployed swing valve shock absorbers, a soft suspension bushing and a dynamic damper on the front suspension. Handling is enhanced by an electronically controlled brake system featuring Toyota’s Active Cornering Assist, which engages stability control to reduce understeer while cornering.
The Limited trim comes equipped with all the standard XLE features and adds dark gray metallic-finished 21-in., 7-spoke alloy wheels, a fixed-glass panoramic moonroof, 11-speaker JBL Premium audio system, Digital Key capability for using a smartphone to access and start the vehicle and rain-sensing windshield wipers.
An available Advanced Technology Package on the Limited includes a panoramic view monitor, lane change assist, traffic jam assist, front cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking assist with automatic braking, and outer mirrors with puddle lights.
Premium Interior
Signia has a comfortable and well-appointed cabin I would stack up against the Volvo X90, for example, with a roomy second-row seat that folds flat for a 6.5-ft. (2 m)-long cargo area.
There are standard leather-trimmed heated and ventilated front seats, and 8-way power adjustable driver and front passenger seats.
A vertical wireless phone charger with charge indicator in the middle console is handy, and three USB-C and a 12V charging port for use in the front seat are standard. For rear-seat passengers, two USB-Type C ports are standard.
The Signia has a 6.7-in. (170-mm) ground clearance, an inch higher than the Crown sedan, 74 ins. (1,880 mm) overall width and a 112.2 in. (2,850 mm) wheelbase. That enhancement, combined with 19- or 21-in. wheels, gives the Signia a comfortable seating position and ingress/egress.
The center infotainment screen is a 12.3-in. (31-cm) digital gauge cluster. Drivers can choose different display layouts, including a hybrid system Indicator we see on other Toyotas that shows system output and regeneration status to encourage eco-driving habits.
In-cabin LED lighting includes overhead and front/rear footwell lighting, cupholders, USB ports, door handle accents and the rear cargo area. Indeed, Toyota has done a terrific job of employing accent lighting on every bit of the cockpit the driver wants in night driving.
The Crown Signia is not a CUV that feels like its off-roading capability would tame a gravelly unpaved road on the way to the summer house. And that’s fine. The rear cargo area will likely see more groceries than skis and boots.
It is a solid addition to the Toyota showroom where its biggest challenge may be standing out in what is already a crowded room of fresh, exceptional and fuel-efficient CUVs and SUVs with all-wheel drive that don’t require an immature public EV charging infrastructure.
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