Toyota Crown Signia | The opportunity was probably too good

The Crown Signia has a rather offbeat style, like the Crown sedan – with which it shares engines and platform – and glances at the Chevrolet Blazer EV and other Honda Prologues. It's a shame that Toyota didn't have the audacity to compete head-on with the latter by adding a fully electric powertrain. The bet wouldn't have been so risky. Toyota already crisscrosses the SUV market with a plethora of models.

To avoid disappearing in the crowd, the Crown Signia had to tell a different story and also contribute to diversifying a range that closely follows market trends. Although asked to forget its high-end aspirations – a mission entrusted to the Lexus brand – Toyota still seeks to satisfy a clientele who wants to travel in style, but who does not want to spend all their savings. .

The Crown Signia takes over from the Venza, but without completely turning the page. There is no question of neglecting fans of a model which had its heyday between 2008 and 2015 (see our boxes).

Family or SUV?

The Crown Signia adopts a very high hood, a raised beltline, a horizontal roofline and two-part headlights. Everything is done to visually shorten this car which is in reality not so small (it is almost five meters long) and not to confuse it with these SUVs which clog our streets.

A family car on the outside, but (almost) a limousine on the inside, this model adopts a very particular morphology, reflecting the “more serene and more modern relationship with the automobile” that Toyota wishes to embody.

Pleasant and generously equipped, the interior is deliberately sober, but this is to better generate an effect of space. It places the occupants in an elevated position and the panoramic roof contributes to this illusion of grandeur. This Toyota aims to free up maximum space, especially in the rear seats. SUV buyers, often disappointed by the rarely exceptional roominess of these vehicles, will not feel frustrated. Very commendable efforts have been made in terms of modularity and trunk volume (deep, but limited in height), easily accessible. The aim is, incidentally, to attract customers who remained loyal to the first generation of the Venza to the Crown Signia.

Hybrid as a business card

With its somewhat lymphatic silhouette, the Crown Signia puts forward a fairly original proposition. Four-wheel drive is standard, and the only powertrain offered is a four-cylinder hybrid paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (e-CVT).

The Crown Signia cannot yet play the role of model car, ecologically pure (CO emissions₂ equivalent to 143 g/km). On the other hand, this modern-day “family” wants to highlight an in-house product: hybrid technology. The advanced consumption seems astonishing (6.2 L/100 km), but it was impossible for us to achieve it during this test. Our best result: 6.8 L/100 km. And, please believe us, we've tried everything. Even when pressing the accelerator pedal, the thermal engine triggers unexpectedly. And contrary to the manufacturer's assertions, it appears almost impossible to drive in all-electric mode for a hundred meters without waking the naturally aspirated 2.4-liter four-cylinder from its sleep. He has no shame in expressing his dissatisfaction to you. He growls, grumbles, but hides his bad mood as soon as he reaches cruising speed. Considering the price and status of this vehicle, there are other more efficient hybrid combinations from Toyota.

On the road, the flexibility of the suspension and the weight muffle the driving sensations, but without making this car what we commonly call a slipper. The most damaged sections of our roads highlight the rigidity of the chassis, but shake the passengers. The steering offers very little feel, but the braking is effective and above all easy to modulate.

With this new model that we will find practical and chic, Toyota is taking a welcome risk, if not entirely calculated. Contrary to the essence of a brand which has long sinned through conservatism, this choice makes sense to allow the Crown Signia to gain a foothold and play its own little music. It’s a shame all the same that it’s not entirely electric. Obviously, Toyota preferred cotton wool before watts.