Toyota already sells the 2024 Crown for $40,050 as a funky electrified sedan with crossover DNA, but starting next year, the Crown Signia SUV arrives to take away the practicality crown. Oh, I couldn't help but take a jab at the nameplate, although I had promised myself not to. Sheesh.
When the Japanese automaker started teasing its roster for the upcoming 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show (November 17-26), we were worried that its snippets of information pertained to the same model. Luckily, Toyota stepped in to clarify the situation, and now we are prepared to witness a double premiere in front of the Californian audience.
The company is preparing to wrap the automotive fall season with two significant premieres after it worked hard to present its goodies during the first-ever Japan Mobility Show (formerly known as the Tokyo Motor Show for almost seven decades) at home and then the 2023 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The LA Auto Show will feature not just the ninth iteration of the global Camry, a best-selling mid-size sedan, but also the introduction of the second body style for the latest Crown series.
Toyota indeed marks the Crown's return to the United States with all the positive aspects of a flagship – it stands out in any crowd with the quirky crossover-sedan and now also has a 'traditional' crossover in the first-ever Crown Signia SUV. The new model will arrive a little later across nationwide dealerships, though – Camry comes first during the spring of 2024, followed by the Crown Signia over the summer.
The Crown nameplate is long-running, as it has almost seven decades of Toyota history behind it, but this is the first time it has joined the SUV club. The 2025 Toyota Crown Signia "takes all of the exceptional attributes of the Toyota Crown name and shapes them into a functional, sophisticated package that customers will adore," said TMNA Group Vice President David Christ at the product debut. "It's the first-ever entry into the crossover SUV category for Toyota's longest-running nameplate, and it showcases how we continue to elevate our designs, deliver premium quality, and take Hybrid efficiency in versatile new directions."
Naturally, the all-new Crown Signia will feature just one powertrain option – the Toyota Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) system with standard On-Demand All Wheel Drive (AWD) and will become available to customers in XLE and Limited grades. The stylish exterior design is very close to the regular Crown and also features the distinctive monochromatic grille treatment, plus stuff like optional 21-inch alloy wheels. Now, there are three Toyota models with the new signature 'Hammerhead' design – Crown, Camry, and Crown Signia.
The CUV also features five "fashion-forward" colors outside - Storm Cloud, Finish Line Red, Oxygen White, Black, and Bronze Age, plus a choice of Saddle Tan or Black on both grades inside. The cockpit has bronze-finished trim touches, a center console with a vertical wireless charger, a big full-color driver's display, and a floating 12.3-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen. The standard powertrain for the 2025 Toyota Crown Signia has the 2.5-liter inline-four mated to a couple of electric motors with a total system output of 243 horsepower.
The rating is slightly higher than on the regular Crown (236 hp) or all-new Camry (225 or 232 for FWD or AWD versions, respectively). It also brings with it a preliminary manufacturer-estimated 36 combined MPG rating. The Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel Drive is standard, and the max towing rating is up to 2,700 pounds. Speaking of practicality, according to the Japanese carmaker, there's a "roomy second-row seating that folds flat to reveal a 6.5-foot-long cargo area."
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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