2025 Toyota Crown Signia hybrid SUV boasts 36 mpg, AWD

Toyota on Tuesday night introduced yet another new crossover SUV, and it appears to test just how many ways the automaker can divvy up what’s become the heart of the American vehicle market. 

The 2025 Toyota Crown Signia is a five-seater that’s hybrid-only, with all-wheel drive across its lineup. The interior looks very roomy, and Toyota notes that the second-row seating folds flat to allow a 6.5-foot-long cargo area. Back there, the Signia includes a tonneau cover and aluminum scuff plate as part of a rear deck “made for an active lifestyle.”

2025 Toyota Crown Signia

Specs haven’t been released yet for the Signia, but it will likely measure around the same length as the Toyota Crown sedan—196 inches, or about the same as the Toyota Highlander, albeit with a more carlike profile and presentation. That would make it around the same size as the Nissan Murano or Ford Edge, or a growing group of electric SUVs including the Chevrolet Blazer EV and upcoming Honda Prologue. 

Under the hood of all Crown Signia versions is a 2.5-liter inline-4, as part of Toyota’s well-established, planetary-gear-based hybrid system that employs two motors up front and, for all-wheel drive, adds a third motor at the rear wheels that’s used exclusively for powering them. The total output of the system is 243 hp, and Toyota claims that it will achieve 36 mpg combined on the EPA cycle.

Toyota says that it preemptively sends up to 80% of drive force to the rear wheels of the Signia for off-the-line launches or when needed for traction; it also aids cornering stability. 

It can tow up to 2,700 pounds. And as in other Toyota hybrids, the Signia will offer Normal, Eco, and Sport modes that bring different calibrations for the powertrain.

2025 Toyota Crown Signia

There’s no mention of the Hybrid Max system that’s available on the Crown sedan, but that’s fine. That other hybrid system, based around a conventional six-speed automatic transmission, trades off some fuel efficiency, smoothness, and drivability for somewhat quicker acceleration. 

The 2025 Toyota Crown Signia hybrid is built on the same TNGA-K platform underpinning the Crown sedan, and it stacks a somewhat taller SUV-like body atop what likely promises the same level of handling and ride comfort. Toyota claims it’s aimed to optimize noise, vibration, and harshness, although the Crown sedan’s predecessor, the Avalon, was a tough act to follow. The Signia includes acoustic front side glass, a dash cover, and extra underhood sound padding. 

Set to be offered in XLE and Limited trims, the Toyota Crown Signia will get a power liftgate with kick sensor as standard, as well as a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, as well as a full suite of active-safety items including automatic emergency braking. XLE models include heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and six-speaker audio, and the Limited steps up from that to a fixed-glass panoramic roof, leather seats with piping and a quilted texture, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, rain-sensing wipers, a digital key system, and front and rear parking sensors. 

Roof aside, wheel designs are likely to distinguish the two versions from the outset. XLE models get 19-inch machine-finished alloy wheels, while Limited versions get big 21-inch dark gray alloys. 

2025 Toyota Crown Signia

All Crown Signias come with a 12.3-inch reconfigurable gauge cluster plus a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus wireless device charging and five USB ports. Several layers of cloud and wifi connectivity can be added with subscriptions.

Toyota says that with the Crown Signia’s debut it will have 19 electrified models offered for sale in the U.S. It also at Los Angeles rolled out a refreshed, all-hybrid 2025 Toyota Camry lineup. 

The Crown Signia will be made in Japan for the U.S. and arrives in summer 2024.