Toyota Crown Signia: a new large family SUV

At Toyota, the Crown name has been used for the most high-end models since 1955! This large statutory sedan has been available in no less than 16 generations, initially reserved for the Japanese market. The latest, launched in 2022 shook up the hitherto very conservative codes of the model: exit the three-box and low silhouette, the new Crown is now a lifted sedan, or a “Cross Sedan” according to the manufacturer’s official terms. For the first time in its history, it is now sold on the American market, where it replaced the large Avallon sedan, which had reigned there since 1994. Another major novelty in the history of the model: it is now available as a family SUV, which has just been unveiled at the Los Angeles Motor Show: here is the Toyota Crown Brands.

Raised station wagon with a sporty look

Toyota’s new family SUV offers a more habitable and roomy alternative to the Crown sedan. It is for this reason that it is very close stylistically and mechanically to the “trunk” model, of which it becomes the station wagon/station wagon variant. At first glance, the Crown Signia looks more like a slender station wagon than a large body-built family SUV. Its sporty and relatively low silhouette would bring it closer to raised station wagons, like the Subaru Outback or Volvo V90 Cross Country. It is, however, larger than these models, because with its more than 4.90m in length, it is positioned in the segment of Mid-size, against the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Ford Explorer and Chevrolet Traverse notably. It is even more premium oriented, which could position it against brands like Buick, Acura or even…Lexus!

A unique rechargeable auto hybrid engine

On board, the presentation is neat and gives pride of place to opulent materials: full leather, foamed plastics, aluminum strips. Two 12.3-inch screens cover the dashboard, one for the driver’s instrument cluster, the other for the infotainment. With its wheelbase of 2.80m, it offers above all great space for rear passengers, and a great trunk volume thanks to the 60/40 bench seat which, once folded, provides a loading length of 1.98m! To take this “rolling lounge” to its destination, Toyota has chosen a unique plug-in hybrid architecture.

The 2.5L gasoline unit drives two electric motors (including one on the rear axle), which develops combined power 243 horsepower and claims a average consumption of 6.5 L/100 km. The brand has not yet communicated on prices, nor announced if it would be launched in Europe. Its style and its services would make it a wise model for us, to replace the much less suitable Highlander SUV too “Americanized” to really be able to find a place in the sun.

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