I remember when I drove the Toyota Crown back in – holy crap, over a year ago – I thought it was a sort of novel car because it was a sedan/fastback body on a sort of SUV-like big tires/higher ride height platform. You know, like an AMC Eagle!
Also, Toyota sells it with a novel two-tone paint scheme. And now, just today, Toyota announced that there would be a wagon version of the Crown, called the Crown Signia, something which we had been clued in about for a while, and now I’m in the strange position of encountering a car where, somehow the wagon version is the less interesting version! How did this happen? What does this mean? Well, let’s dig into this thing and see.
First, let me refresh your memory about what the sedan version of the Crown looks like:
See, it’s a bit unusual, with that fastback/3-box body on those big wheels and the two-tone color scheme. Now, let’s look at the Crown Signia – a dumb name, I’d like to note, sounding a bit like a Sith lord name, the kind that is a word minus a starting -in, like Darth Vader (invavder), Darth Sidious (insidious), Darth Continent (incontinent), and now Darth Signia (insignia)– and I think you’ll see that it now just feels like, well, any SUV:
See? It’s not bad looking, but it definitely just feels like any premium-ish SUV, especially in profile. Here it is stacked with the sedan to really make the difference apparent. The front end has a Corporate Face that we first saw on the handsome new Prius, with its horseshoe-shaped headlamps and “monochromatic” grille and an overall look that Toyota calls their
“Toyota Hammerhead front end, which consists of a signature DRL and compact headlight unit and geometric lower grille.”
Plus, look at those smug bastards with their yoga mats and presumably intact teeth: I bet they came right off the Crown Signia’s mood board.
It’s handsome enough, I suppose, but is it actually interesting, like the Crown sedan sort of is? I don’t really think so.
The interior is kind of interesting in how aggressively divided it is. Look at that center-stack bar, how it bisects that interior and separates the driver and passenger. If anti-canoodling methods are your primary motivation when seeking a new car, then I think you’d be hard-pressed to find something better than the Signia.
I’m not sure if I like this; what if I’m driving and I want to enjoy a nice, enthusiastically-consented-to grope? I’d have to really contort my arm there, wouldn’t I?
Beyond that, it looks pretty comfortable in there, with leather in a color Toyota calls “Saddle Tan.” The rear seat folds flat, and when it does so, you have a 6.5-foot-long cargo area, so that means you tall weirdos can sleep back there, if you need to.
Oh good, more yoga mats.
Technically, the Crown Signia is able to move at car-like speeds thanks to a hybrid drivetrain composed of a 2.5-liter inline-four and two motor/generators, producing a combined 243 horsepower and manages 36 mpg. Those are decent, if not shocking numbers, and there’s a rear-mounted motor for the rear wheels to provide all-wheel drive capability as well.
Oh, and Toyota says it’ll tow 2,700 pounds, enough to pull a middling-sized rhinoceros.
The Crown Signa is built on the TNGA-K platform, the same as the Highlander and the Rav4, among many other cars. This seems like it’ll be pushed a bit upmarket of the Highlander, though no official pricing has been revealed just yet.
As expected, the Crown Signa comes with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, which is Toyota’s foray into some driving automation, and includes:
• Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection
• Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist
• Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
• Lane Tracing Assist
• Road Sign Assist
• Automatic High Beams
• Proactive Driving Assist
Is any of this unexpected on a modern car? Not really. Toyota also seems to be offering a limited-speed Level 3 semi-automated driving system, specifically for traffic jams:
It also has the available advanced functionality of Traffic Jam Assist when equipped with the Limited Tech Package. Traffic Jam Assist (TJA) is a driver-assistance feature that helps ease the burden of the stressful stop-and-go of a traffic jam. With an active Drive Connect subscription or trial, this system provides hands-free control of the vehicle steering, braking and acceleration at speeds under 25 mph under certain conditions. TJA is designed for limited access roadways, and the driver monitor camera must confirm the driver’s eyes are on the road for hands-free operation.
I’m very curious about how these sort of L3 systems will be implemented, especially regarding handoffs between car and driver, so I guess I need to see how these play out.
So, overall, the takeaway here? It’s a premium SUV. When I first heard about this I’ll admit I was picturing a more stylish and low station wagon, but it looks like that’s not the case, and the modern car market seems to force everything into SUV form, like what nature does with crabs.
It seems like a nice enough premium SUV, I suppose. I’m sure those people and their yoga mats will be very happy with theirs.
Will it cost more than the Venza it’s replacing?
TJA is level 2. “Level 2: Some automation but requires human attention at all times” driver monitoring achieves this.
That’s a modern station wagon. The 3 row sedan-height wagons are probably never coming back in real numbers, but if you give your 2 row wagon a slight lift and a little performative cladding people will buy them. My parents’ Niro is built just like this but with smaller wheels. Wagons are coming back, but not quite in the way that wagon purists would have hoped.
“Look at that center-stack bar, how it bisects that interior and separates the driver and passenger. If anti-canoodling methods are your primary motivation when seeking a new car, then I think you’d be hard-pressed to find something better than the Signia.”
The backseat is where you go for kisses and PG-13 stuff. Once you’re ready for the vertical tango, you fold the rear seats and have 6 1/2 feet of space to work with. Toyota definitely built this wagon for families who are ready to make more family members.
…vertical tango…
My good sir, not to pry, but is your normal sexual position standing up?
I like to keep my options open.
I originally wanted to say no pants tango, but I’m trying to be a little less crass in case any impressionable kids read this blog. When I see Torch drop an F- bomb though I know everything is fair game.
How many more yoga mats can we put in the Signia versus the normal Crown?
I appreciate that it looks less-over-styled than the RX and Highlander. And more 2-row options isn’t a bad thing, especially for those who schlep adults or older children in the back and leg- and headroom are needed.
Would I buy one? Maybe, but I’d rather wait for the Mazda CX-70 before making a choice.
Face it, standing on a sidewalk and watching traffic go by today is one deja vu moment after another: High belt line, low green house, LED slit headlamps, etc.
It’s not that all cars actually look alike, but the homogeneity of major design elements register as an overall sameness. It takes clever (though not necessarily in a positive direction) design tweaks to make a vehicle that stands out. Most don’t achieve it or even attempt it. A large part of that, of course, has to do with functionality (aerodynamics, packaging, safety requirements), which doesn’t leave a lot of room for distinction.
Cars are not alone in this respect. A Boeing 707 built in the late 50s and a contemporary Dreamliner are remarkably similar appearing despite nearly 70 years and literally thousands of airframe innovations separating them. Sure, we get the occasional Concorde, but most commercial aircraft “look the same” because the design works so well.
As car design has matured, this “sameness” has gradually crept in over the years, too, to the extent that designers work more heavily from the function over form ethos, than the reverse. Makes it harder, though not impossible, to build cars that visually stand apart. That’s one reason why interior design and features have begun to get so much more attention in reviews than the appearance of a car. Sign of the times.
Given all this, the Toyota Crown Signia is exactly what I’d expect them to produce: safe, sort of boring and, ultimately, inoffensive. Doesn’t inspire much adoration, but if it performs like a Toyota, it’ll still be on the road 20 years from now with a loyal following.
Regular cars have always looked very similar. I daily a ’65 Rambler (when it cooperates) and I can’t tell you how many old guys have shared with me that they too used to drive a Falcon or a Valiant.
True enough, though I think it’s more pronounced today because of the greater emphasis across the board on function and efficiency over style. Still, though old, I’d never confuse a Rambler with a Falcon or Valiant. Must be the cataracts.
While I do think that safety requirements and whatnot have contributed hugely to regular cars looking very similar, I also believe that it’s a lot of confirmation bias. We remember the cool, weird cars of the past – not the average commuter. Also, the regular cars of old that you do see stick out now. If you only see 1 or 2 Valiants or Falcons a year, it’s easy enough to spot the differences. I bet in 20 years, it’ll be easy enough to differentiate between a Chevy Trax and a Ford Escape.
You forgot to mention the ‘floating roof’ trend. Ugh.
Which of the Six Sigmas do you think would drive the Signia?
Deming definitely would’ve driven something Japanese…
So to summarize, it’s a Sign o’ the Times, but not Lovesexy.
I’m one of those sickos who appreciates the regular Crown sedan because of how unapologetically weird it is. It’s a unique and interesting car and the fact that it’s hybrid/AWD in all trims is pretty cool. Really my only beefs with it are the fact that it isn’t a liftback (are buyers so insecure about anything hatch related that we need to make the design worse and less functional?) and the price.
Base Crowns are already being pretty heavily discounted around me, and in the mid to high 30s they’re an interesting buy if you just want an appliance. But the one you really want is the Hybrid Max, and those things are too damn expensive. I’m not paying M340i/S4/Integra Type S money for a Toyota barge. It’s out of the question.
I don’t hate this as much as everyone else seems to. At least it’s a hatch. Unfortunately these aren’t really intended to be for enthusiasts but I’m definitely a proponent of buying top trim regular cars over base luxury cars to save some money. This should make for a nice and daily stylish appliance.
I didn’t really understand the Crown until I sat in one at the auto show this year. It had the most comfortable seats I’ve sat in for anything in this price range. If I needed something to just soak up highway miles on a long commute, it would be on my short list. It feels like a modern twist on the old definition of a luxury car (a super comfortable way to do a lot of miles. )
This is what sold my wife on a Crown recently. The seats, ride, and even the shape of the steering wheel turned an “I don’t like to drive” person into a “looking forward to a solo road trip in two weeks” person. That’s not all bad.
That side profile gives off huge “European rental” vibes
So, Citroen DS 21?
The second-to-last picture (in front of a picture of the shore) caught my eye: I find it at least inoffensive, if not reasonably pleasant-looking. I’d like to see a shot of it in, say, BRG. Without that old gaping maw of a grill, this might actually look decent.
Toyota, please let go of several shades of grey—many of us are over that—and give us some honest colors. Mind, I’m a cheap bastard, so won’t be buying it new regardless
Don’t they already have the Venza for this?
This is replacing the Venza
No, this is a size bigger.
In other terms: Venza is a fancier-looking RAV4 Hybrid (“compact”), this is a fancier-looking 2-row Highlander Hybrid (“mid-size”). So closer in intent to the original Camry-based Venza, but with a wagon body. So a Toyota version of the Lexus RX Hybrid but maybe with more cargo room? Haven’t gotten all the dimensions compared yet.
According to this article the Crown Estate/Signia has 6.5′ of cargo length aft of the front seats, which gives it 6″ over my first-generation Volvo XC90. Yikes.
Thanks, TIL. The sedan is pretty hot.
Extending the roof makes it obvious how the Crown’s greenhouse is proportionally too small for the body.
As for being more boring, I think the problem here is 90% just the color.
Not a hatchback
And fuck autoplay videos..
If you use chrome, you can manage to eliminate the auto-play videos using ublock origin.
Not on the phone sadly
I don’t have an issue with autoplay videos on Edge.
Also, autoplay’s not my favorite, but at least they don’t play with sound. I think that’s a reasonable concession, considering that these folks are out here trying to make the business work.
Some people like to lock things in a separate compartment from the passengers. It’s a thing.
Toyota inSignificant ?
“I’m not sure if I like this; what if I’m driving and I want to enjoy a nice, enthusiastically-consented-to grope? I’d have to really contort my arm there, wouldn’t I?”
Which is why I expect the main customers to be passive aggressive wives trying to give yet another hint. Sure she had to do what she had to do to land a husband but now that the ring is on her finger she’s $&#@%$ DONE with that nonsense!
I mean weren’t the separate beds enough of a hint? Does she need to move down the hall too?
Uh what? It’s not 1957 anymore, bub.
Exactly. Wives dont need to put up with that anymore.
I guess I’ve crossed over to the dark side, this is much better looking than the sedan. The canoodling option is for the back seat only.
this could not be more boring
I kept trying to find something interesting here. 404 interest not found.
The sedan is at least weird as hell, at least on the outside. This is just another SUV. It’s fine. It’s kind of plain. Inoffensive, even. We have a lot of these already. Hell, Toyota/Lexus can look at its own lineup and go, “but we have nice SUVs at home.”
Bring us the baller, unlifted yakuza sedans, you cowards.
yup, perfect for most of my friends who currently drive (insert 0-3 year old import crossovers) and would be interested in a nicer Japanese crossover.
Yeah. I kinda feel that I get how autopians from 40 years ago (i.e. reading Autopia magazine and maybe writing angry typed letters to Torch about this or that, to be published in the next issue) must have felt about the contemporaneous sea of domestic family sedans, each one a collection of 3 boring square boxes.
Other than the large rims on the top trim, I think it looks neat
The wheels are an included upgrade if you add the 360 camera package to the Limited trim. Not sure why those are linked, but that’s what it is. I’d rather not have to stress about curb rash so much. There is NOT a lot of rubber on the 21″ rims! (Speaking from experience.)
So Subaru is announcing something tomorrow (?) At the LA Auto Show. Could this be a preview of the preview for a new hybrid Outback? I’m personally hoping for the Baja to come back but you’d think a hybrid Outback would be like printing money for Subaru.
That’s supposed to be the new Forester, which is another one that would for sure print money for them as a hybrid.
I had a bit of a soft spot for the current Venza as crossovers go but not surprised at its discontinuation. Curious if they eventually introduce a Signia Platinum with the turbo hybrid powertrain…or if they leave that to their other crossovers that have it, be it Grand Highlander or over at Lexus. Or if they throw it in a Crown Sport if that makes its way too.
Remember how people called the Avalon a Japanese Buick – I’m reminded of the 1998 Buick Signia concept some. No doubt it’s partly the name alone, and the Signia was more a styling preview for the Rendezvous, but the exterior proportions and mission feel similar: a long, tall-greenhouse wagony thing, with premium intentions rather than off-roady like an Outback.
I’m torn here. While I like the quirkiness of the Crown, especially in two-tone guise, the styling of the rear end always seemed off to me. I’m not sure exactly what seems off, but maybe it’s the proportions? Whatever it is, the Signa fixes it, but at the same time removed some of the quirky styling that made the regular Crown stand out. The Signa is nicely styled and completely innocuous, which makes me wonder why it didn’t end up a Lexus?
Toyota seems like they want to follow Mazda up-market, but forgetting that they already have Lexus for that.
I don’t get it either.
We will soon need a eulogy for the Venza, for they were not long for this world for a second time. Electrochromic roofs, we hardly knew ye.
Yeah I really don’t understand why Toyota insisted on calling this a wagon. It’s really not. It has none of the proportions of a wagon, none of the low ground clearance and car-like ride and handling that distinguish wagons from SUVs nowadays.
Toyota, it’s an SUV, just call it what it is, or lower the ride height and then call it a wagon.
And what’s the point of having this in the lineup anyway? My one criticism of Toyota is that they have waaay too many CUVs/SUVs in their lineup. Do they really need that many different SUVs? They’re all so similar! Toyota could be maximizing the versatility of one SUV platform instead, and saving the money and production capacity of superfluous SUVs to build more variety of vehicles, such as a new MR2 or something.
Agreed. The ride height is far too high for my liking. If I’m going to have a vehicle high off the ground, at least give it off-road chops.
However, I definitely have no problem with cars like the EV6 being called an SUV when it’s clearly a hatchback if it helps bring in sales.
I found the 6.5 foot cargo length interesting in that they picked a measurement that others aren’t advertising. We don’t hear cargo volume, just the length with the seats folded. Is it better or worse than others? Prepare to do research beyond googling the published/publicized figures!
Honestly, that’s a much more useful number. I wish every carmaker would list the length of the cargo space.
Yeah, I want the length with seats up and the length with seats down. Height would be great, too. It’s exactly the way I use cargo space. I’m not stacking things to the ceiling and filling the available volume. I’d love cargo dimensions to become the standard instead of volume. Especially width and length.
Totally agreed!
You mean to directly compare two vehicles’ capacity, you want us to do… MATH?