If the newest Toyota Crown nameplate sounds familiar, that’s because it should. Replacing its former flagship, the Avalon, Toyota resurrected the Crown for 2023 after it has been absent from U.S. showrooms for a little more than half a century. For context, the Crown and the Landcruiser were the first two models Toyota sold in the States. Fast forward a bit, and the Japanese company has decided to add a new crossover hybrid SUV, known as the Crown Signia, to the Crown subdivision.
The Toyota Crown Signia comes in XLE or Limited trim
Built on Toyota’s TNGA-K platform, the Crown Signia promises to keep noise, vibration, and harshness to a minimum thanks to acoustic glass on the front and side windows, a dash silencer, and a sound-absorbant engine cover. The comfort continues with lounge-level bolstered front seats that can be had in either double-stitched leather trim on the Limited trim or the company’s SofTex material available on XLE models.
Sitting front and center of the driver is a 12.3-inch digital Multi-Information Display, which can be personalized and configured to the owner’s preferences; another 12.3-inch color touchscreen is located mid-dashboard and controls all things infotainment. As expected, Wireless Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto come standard on both trims. The base XLE offers a six-speaker sound system, while the Limited comes with a better 11-speaker JBL Premium stereo, complete with subwoofer and amp.
The Limited, the higher of the two trims, offers an optional (and expansive) fixed glass Panoramic Roof, allowing sky views to the front and rear passengers alike. In the back, rear occupants are not the long-forgotten second-class citizens of yesteryear, with two dedicated HVAC vents, twin USB-C ports, and separate cupholders.
The rear seats are split in a traditional 60/40 configuration and, when folded down, allow for six-and-a-half feet of cargo space. Rear seat release buttons can be reached from the back of the SUV once the hands-free power liftgate is opened.
The Toyota Crown Signia will be a hybrid
Despite the proliferation of EVs popping up like zits on a teenager’s face, Toyota has taken a more conservative (and practical at the moment) hybrid-powertrain approach with the Crown Signia. Power comes from a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter DOHC inline-four-cylinder engine and two electric motors, which all combine for 243 net horsepower. While no official torque specs are available as of this writing, Toyota does tell us that the Crown Signia comes standard with its Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel Drive, which allows its newest SUV to tow up to 2,700 pounds.
The Crown Signia also comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0. This umbrella package incorporates such tech as:
- Pre-Collision System w/Pedestrian Detection
- Land Departure w/Steering Assist
- Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
- Lane-Tracing Assist
- Road Sign Assist
- Automatic High Beams
- Proactive Driving Assist
The Limited Tech Package offers Panoramic View Monitoring, Traffic Jam Assist, Front Cross Traffic Alert, and Lane Change Assist as an optional grouping over and above the standard Safety Sense 3.0.
The Crown Signia will initially be available in five colors: Storm Cloud (grey), Finish Line Red, Oxygen White, Black, and Bronze Age, while interior colors are either Saddle Tan or Black. These are available on both the XLE and Limited trims. So, while you may not have remembered the Crown until recently, the addition of the Crown Signia will surely make this crossover SUV one Toyota you won’t forget.
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