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Toyota's new Venza replacement is the Crown Signa wagon. You may look at this car and see a crossover, in which case we agree. However, I look at this vehicle in profile and can clearly see a small wagon. Either way, the crown insignia is an outstanding design. It offers the perfect amount of space in all seats. It has a great cargo capacity configured in a very usable way. and it falls within the family of Toyota hybrids that we at Torque News have tested over and over and always love. There's only one thing missing from this outstanding vehicle, priced at approximately 52,000.
Toyota Crown Signia Signia - What Is It?
The Crown Signia is a 5-passenger hatchback/crossover/wagon that falls into the same size category as Toyota's selling RAV4. The Crown Signia offers standard Hybrid Power and all-wheel drive.
Toyota Crown Signia - How Much Does It Cost
The 2026 Toyota Crown Signia Limited All Wheel Drive that we tested has a price of $51,850, including delivery, processing and handling fee. To this, you would add dealer doc fees to get your out-the-door price. This price positions the Crown Insignia Limited higher than the outgoing Venza Limited, which would have a price point of approximately $45,000.
Check out this comparison of the Crown Signia to the Venza.
Toyota Crown Signia - Powertrain
The Crown Signia uses Toyota's tried and true 2.5-liter hybrid engine system, combined with its geared e-CVT transmission and all-wheel drive. The rear wheels are powered by electric motors. This powertrain has proven to be bulletproof in terms of reliability. It offers outstanding torque and power. In our testing, we observed 37 MPG.
Toyota Crown Signia - Infotainment
We felt that Toyota nailed the infotainment system. The JBL audio is quite nice, the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are wireless, and easy to link. Based on my two decades of evaluating infotainment systems, I would rank this infotainment system among the best in the world.
Toyota Crown Signia - Driving Experience
We found the Crown Signia a joy to drive on the highway and back-country rural roads of New Hampshire. It offers crisp handling and a fun Sport mode for the twisty sections of mountain roads. The all-wheel drive system provided a sure grip over and down steep dirt roads washed out from fall rains. The visibility is excellent, and the driving position is very comfortable.
Toyota Crown Signia - What’s Missing
Unlike all trims of the RAV4, the Crown Sedan, and the now-canceled Venza, Toyota left out the spare tire from the Crown Signia wagon. This would be a deal breaker for us. You may feel otherwise. This wagon would be a utility vehicle and a road trip vehicle in our family. Thus, we would want a spare tire. It's very easy to find popular vehicles with a spare tire in 2025.
Toyota Crown Signia - Conclusion
We are big fans of this type of vehicle from Toyota, and we own one. We would suggest cross-shopping it with the RAV4 line. If you can afford it and live without a spare tire, this may be a great vehicle for you.
Please view our video review of the 2026 Toyota Crown Signia here.
John Goreham is the Vice President of the New England Motor Press Association and an expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE int). In addition to his fourteen years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on LinkedIn and follow his work on his personal X channel or on our X channel. John employs grammar and punctuation software when proofreading, and he sometimes uses image generation tools.
Images by John Goreham
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