29 - 42
236 - 340
1 speed, CVT w/OD, 6 speed, Automatic w/OD
Gas/Electric I-4, Intercooled Turbo Gas/Electric I-4
All Wheel Drive
Does Toyota need another crossover SUV priced between $40,000 and $50,000? Probably not, but the new 2025 Crown Signia is compelling anyway. First, though Toyota will market the Crown Sig as a crossover, it's actually a wagon. That's why it doesn't have dark-tinted rear privacy glass. Second, it comes only as a hybrid with all-wheel drive (AWD), making it a fuel-efficient choice. Third, it boasts upscale design and amenities in a tidy midsize two-row package.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
There is a market for the 2025 Toyota Crown Signia. Empty-nesters will love it. It sits higher off the ground than a car, making it easier to enter and exit and kinder to aging hips and knees. The Crown Sig is all about cushy cruising combined with comfy rear seats for another couple to join the fun. It offers SUV utility, added capability in foul weather, and the fuel economy of a small car. And it's a Toyota, promising a decade or more of faithful service.
To find out if people fitting that description would like the Crown Signia, I took my gray hair, creaky knees, and tight hips to San Diego to spend a couple of hours with Toyota's good-looking crossover wagon thingamabob. Indeed, I liked it. So there you go.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Toyota got the Crown Signia's styling precisely right. Every line and nearly every detail is appealing and will age well over time. I'm not a fan of the dark metallic finish on the Limited's attractive 21-inch Y-spoke wheels, but at least it glints in the sunlight, so it's not a deal-breaker.
Inside, leather upholstery is standard in Black or Saddle Tan. The latter gives the Crown Sig's interior an upscale and sophisticated two-tone appearance, which I recommend. Toyota employs soft-touch surfaces in all the right places and thoughtfully places a volume knob where both the driver and passenger can easily reach it. The climate controls are separate from the center touchscreen.
You can access different data panels on the 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display using the steering wheel controls. I find their operation somewhat confusing at first, but experience tells me that, over time, that issue resolves itself. The electronic shifter is simple and intuitive to use.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Seat comfort is excellent. The driver and passenger enjoy standard power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated seats, and the steering wheel is heated.
Rear passengers will be comfortable except for the missing dark tinted glass and lack of side window shades. I rode in the Crown Sig's back seat for 30 minutes, baking in the sunlight streaming into the window despite the rear air conditioning vents. Both trim levels include heated rear seats, while the Limited trim adds a panoramic sunroof for even more natural light. This version also has ambient cabin lighting after dark.
Toyota deftly balances practical storage space with style, so the Crown Signia's interior avoids a utilitarian appearance without sacrificing the nooks and crannies most people want for smaller items and smartphones.
A hands-free power liftgate is standard, rising to reveal 25.8 cubic feet of cargo space (24.8 with Limited trim due to the panoramic sunroof). Fold the 60/40-split back seats down, and the Crown Signia XLE carries 68.8 cu-ft while the Limited tops out at 66.1 cubes. Toyota says the load floor is 6.5 feet long with the back seats folded down.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
In addition to the 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel, the Crown Signia has a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It includes Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and complimentary subscriptions to five connected services plans.
Wi-Fi Connect offers the shortest access, at 30 days or three gigabytes of data, whichever comes first. Remote Connect and Drive Connect are free for one year, and Toyota includes Service Connect and Safety Connect for up to 10 years. Safety Connect is the most important one, as it equips the Crown Sig with automatic collision notification, SOS emergency assistance, quick access to roadside assistance, and a stolen vehicle locator.
Drive Connect provides access to Toyota's cloud-based native navigation system with Google point-of-interest data and a conversational digital voice assistant. Simply say, "Hey, Toyota," and then you can give voice commands. It works well, as does Siri or Google Assistant when running Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. So, the value of paying for Drive Connect after the free trial subscription expires is questionable.
With Limited trim, an active Remote Connect subscription provides access to digital key technology, allowing you to use your smartphone to unlock, start, and drive the Crown Signia. In addition, the crossover has wireless smartphone charging and multiple USB-C ports for front and rear passengers. The XLE offers a six-speaker stereo, while the Limited includes an adequate 11-speaker JBL premium sound system.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0) is standard. It includes all the advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) you expect to find on a modern vehicle, including adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assistance. These two features worked well during my evaluation, even on winding two-lane country roads.
Proactive Driving Assist (PDA) is part of TSS 3.0. Drivers can turn PDA on or off, and it adds subtle steering and braking input during everyday driving to add an extra layer of safety. In the Crown Signia, the PDA system is less intrusive than I've experienced in some Toyota and Lexus vehicles, but I still prefer driving without it.
Add the Advanced Technology Package to the Crown Signia Limited, and you'll get a hands-free ADAS called Traffic Jam Assist. At speeds under 25 mph, it takes care of acceleration, braking, and steering, allowing you to let go of the steering wheel. I did not get a chance to use it, but I assume it could be helpful in heavy traffic during a typical commute.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The Crown Signia has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine, front and rear electric assist motors creating an electronic AWD system, a nickel-metal hydride battery pack recharged via brake and electric motor regeneration, and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). These components produce a combined 240 horsepower, return an estimated 38 mpg in combined driving, and scoot the Crown Sig to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds.
I drove the SUV east from the shore of the Pacific Ocean to a ranch tucked into the mountains near the Mexican border. The route included city streets, San Diego freeways, suburban boulevards, and winding two-lane country roads, offering a range of driving environments. My observed fuel economy was 34.3 mpg. Based on that result and the Crown Sig's 14.5-gallon fuel tank, the crossover has nearly a 500-mile driving range.
Quiet and compliant, the Crown Signia is agreeable to drive. Accelerate hard, and the CVT emits a characteristic but muted drone. The regenerative brakes feel good underfoot, proving easy to modulate with a natural pedal response. The steering is appropriately weighted for its role and is accurate, if not quick and sharp. Likely due to the Limited's 21-inch wheels, you'll feel sharper bumps in the road, but the Crown Sig never feels stiff or brittle. Handling is predictable and secure.
There isn't much excitement baked into the Crown Signia's driving dynamics, and considering the crossover's mission, that's OK.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Toyota might not need another SUV priced between $40,000 and $50,000, but the new 2025 Crown Signia is my favorite. Granted, I'm in my mid-50s and have no plans to head farther off-road than the dirt shoulder of the Pacific Coast Highway, which gives you some insight as to why I like it. But I also think the Crown Sig is the most attractive of the company's SUVs.
Another good-looking new SUV in the premium midsize two-row segment is the 2025 Mazda CX-70. And don't forget about the Buick Envision, Chevrolet Blazer, Honda Passport, Nissan Murano, Subaru Outback, and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. They're all alternatives to the Crown Signia, even though they haven't a chance of competing with the Toyota regarding fuel economy.
Christian Wardlaw is a veteran automotive journalist with 30 years of experience in the field and has held automotive editorial leadership positions at Edmunds, JD Power, and The New York Daily News. Today, Chris owns a content agency called Speedy Daddy Media, and in addition to JDPower.com, his work appears on Capital One Auto Navigator, CarGurus, and Edmunds.
