2025 Toyota Crown Signia up close: Toyota made a sweet station wagon
Well, Toyota is messing with us. The crossover-style SUV you see before it goes on sale will be sold everywhere but the U.S. as the 2025 Toyota Crown Estate, and “estate” is European speak for “station wagon,” folks; Here in the US, it will be called the Crown Signia. This is a brand-new, hybrid-powered midsize Toyota station wagon that looks good — and that’s a great thing. I had the opportunity to check out the new 2025 Crown Signia in person ahead of the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show.
Related: More coverage of the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show
You see, the world doesn’t need more crossovers – our streets and showrooms are packed with them. But Toyota still sells cars, and despite what the automaker tells us about the Crown Signia, this thing is a Jen-Yoo-Wine station wagon. You can put it up against a Volvo V90, V60, or Subaru Outback (which is… no SUV, thank you very much), and the similarities in size, shape, stance and height will have everyone in the room nodding their heads in agreement: yes, this is a wagon, and yes, it looks good.
Style and space
The reasons we prefer the Crown Signia over the other version of the Crown we’re looking at here (which Toyota calls a “sedan” but is actually a long-riding crossover coupe) are pretty clear. There’s much better space inside the Crown Signia, useful luggage and utility room, and no weird two-tone paint or constant ‘what the heck’ answers. Which Something?” Questions at gas pumps.
The design of the Crown Signia is modern without being outlandish. It’s sleek and muscular, with wide fenders covering the Limited model’s 21-inch wheels, giving it an almost intimidating appearance. The “Hammerhead” grille is Toyota’s best new design gimmick Yearsand replacing the fish mouth look on all newer models (including the new Camry and the latest Prius) is a huge improvement.
Related video:
Inside, there’s plenty of space in both rows and a more comfortable experience thanks to the Crown sedan’s longer roofline. Visibility out of the car is still a bit wonky due to the high beltline and long dashboard, but the interior materials are very nice and carry the same look and bronze trim seen in the crown. The rest of the interior looks similar too, with a large 12.3-inch screen in front of the driver and another used as a central touchscreen. But unlike many other cars these days, the interior doesn’t stop at putting in a few tablets – there are actual curves and buttons to match, and it all feels luxurious.
Venza Plus?
The 2025 Crown Signia gave me pause when I saw news of its arrival; There’s already a five-passenger hybrid crossover in the Toyota showroom, called the Venza. That’s nothing to sneeze at, either, since the Venza is also attractive, spacious, efficient and affordable. But the interior design, amenities, appearance, lowered stance and overall mission of the Crown Signia immediately feel different. It will likely be much more expensive than the Venza despite not having more power or space simply because it is a more premium product. We’ll see if that’s enough to pique the interest of crossover-happy shoppers and expand the appeal of the Crown nameplate beyond a wonky design exercise.
More from Cars.com:
The Cars.com Editorial Department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In keeping with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers do not accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The editorial department is independent of the advertising, sales and sponsored content departments of Cars.com.
