2025 Toyota Crown Signia Hands-On Preview: Arrivederci, Venza
Last year, the Toyota Crown showed up on our shores for the first time in half a century.
Toyota apparently wants to make up for lost, Crown-less time, because 12 months later it’s pulled a DJ Khaled and brought us another one. Say hi to the 2025 Crown Signia, which debuted late Tuesday alongside the 2025 Camry.
Stylish long-roof looks
Yep, this is an SUV. An actual SUV this time, not the raised-sedan crossover look of the Crown. It still is very much related to that big sedan though, not just by dint of its shared platform but the styling. Of course there's a hammerhead headlight design, with the LED DRLs up top and the main beams hidden down below. The front bumper features a unique pattern that gradually fades into the lower intake, which has something of a Lexus RX vibe. There are bigger changes out back, with traditional red-and-white taillights, and a redesigned tailgate and bumper which moves the license plate up. In person the Signia has a distinct wagon vibe, and while it looks larger than the sedan, it's an inch shorter, and only around two inches taller.
Why Signia? Well according to the press release, Toyota says this is “a nod to the model’s importance over the years, with this first-ever model standing as an expressive mark of the innovation, creativity, and achievemetns of the lineup as it drives forward into a bold new era.” I put forward another option: this is sweet-looking SUV that nets buyers the look of a Ferrari Purosangue without the crippling price tag or three-year wait list. It’s a bit smaller than the existing Highlander, but usefully larger than the Venza. There are just two trims at launch: the XLE rides on 19-inch alloys, whereas the Limited goes big on 21s. Canada will stick to only the Limited.
Familiar cabin
Pop into the cabin and regardless of trim, you’ll find bronze accents aplenty. In fact, from the B-pillar forward, this is pure Crown sedan, and that's not a problem to us. We're particularly happy the sedan's excellent vertical wireless charger makes the trip. Power-adjustable front seats are standard, and the Limited brings in a memory function plus ventilation. Glitzing the place up is an available fixed glass roof, but don’t expect the one-touch frosting available in the Venza; just a retractable shade.
Why do we keep mentioning the Venza? Well, a Toyota spokesperson confirmed that while there will be some overlap between the two models, the Signia effectively replaces it. The Crown aligns much better with the rest of the larger two-row set, too.
Added practicality
Toyota says the Crown Signia is designed for an active lifestyle—because of course—but there are some clever bits in here for just that. The 60/40 folding seats can lay flat for a 6.5-foot load floor, and the releases are accessible from the liftgate. A fold-out extender attached to the seatbacks ensures a flat load space right up to the front seats too. The liftgate itself is powered and opens with a kick, for either trim.
No matter which trim buyers opt for, they’ll find the same powertrain: the 243-horsepower version of Toyota’s 2.5-liter hybridized four-cylinder, with standard all-wheel drive. This version of the Crown SUV is slated for plug-in hybrid powertrains in other countries, but you won’t find that in North America. Toyota expects a 36 mpg combined rating, and promises 2,700 pounds of towing capacity.
Tech goodies include a standard 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an infotainment touchscreen the same size, plus an available 11-speaker JBL sound system, digital rearview mirror, 360-degree camera, and digital key. The Signia XLE has a two-door smart key; the Limited bumps that up to all doors. Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 is standard, including blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. There are five different subscriptions, the included trial periods ranging from 30 days to 10 years.
When the 2025 Toyota Crown Signia arrives next summer, it will bring Toyota’s hybrid model count to 19. Expect full pricing and more details in the new year.
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Kyle began his automotive obsession before he even started school, courtesy of a remote control Porsche and various LEGO sets. He later studied advertising and graphic design at Humber College, which led him to writing about cars (both real and digital). He is now a proud member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), where he was the Journalist of the Year runner-up for 2021.
More by Kyle Patrick
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