The Toyota Venza is dead. It wasn’t long ago that Toyota revived the Venza for a second generation, but it didn’t quite attain the same level of success it did the first time around. This time, Toyota knew what they had to do, wasting no time in coming up with a replacement and looking to its Crown flagship for inspiration. Long live the 2025 Toyota Crown Signia.
Like the Venza, the Crown Signia is a two-row hybrid crossover that falls between the RAV4 and Highlander/Grand Highlander models. It shares the same platform, hybrid powertrains, and Lexus-like interior quality as the sedan wrapped up in a much more distinctive design. Toyota got it right here: unlike the Venza, the Crown Signia is modern, sleek, and clean.
The front grille takes some getting used-to, but thin LED lighting front and back add a nice touch, and the sweeping roofline and two-tone roof make the Crown Signia look sleeker and longer than it is. Unlike the Crown sedan, which comes standard with 19-inch wheels on the base model, all Signias roll on fantastic-looking 21-inch wheels. The Crown Signia manages something not many other Toyota models can do: turn heads and make people stare.
Inside, the Crown Signia welcomes you with a cleanly laid-out interior. Like the sedan, expect a much more upscale environment than the Toyota badges suggest. Fit-and-finish is very good, there’s a good mix of leather, soft-touch plastic, and metallic accents, and there’s not much scratchy, cheap-feeling plastic unless you really go looking for it. The digital gauge cluster is crisp and sharp, the 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen is responsive and easy to use, and wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and wireless charging are all standard. Our tester brightens up the interior with a panoramic sunroof as well as contrasting, copper-coloured trim pieces and piping throughout. Front- and rear-seat space is plentiful, and the hushed interior makes light work of commutes and road trips.
For 2025, Toyota only offers one powertrain (and one trim level) with the Crown Signia. Unlike the Crown sedan, which has a base Limited as well as a top-trim Platinum with the Hybrid Max powertrain, the Signia is Limited-only for now. It uses a 2.5-litre normally aspirated four-cylinder engine, putting out a combined 243 horspower. Don’t expect a rocketship; the Crown Signia does the zero-to-100 km/h run in about 7.2 seconds. It’s perfectly serviceable and drama-free, but we find it odd that Toyota would omit the Hybrid Max powertrain here—its 340 horsepower puts a real spring in the Crown’s step without sacrificing fuel economy too much.
Further playing into the Crown Signia’s drama-free, easy-to-live-with character is its ride and handling. Don’t look to throw this hybrid sport-ute through a set of twisties or take on-ramps at speed; although it looks sporty, its suspension setup favours comfort. The Crown Signia stays composed over even the harshest of bumps and imperfections, and the interior is well-isolated from wind and road noise. I didn’t match Toyota’s combined fuel economy ratings of 6.2 L/100 kilometres on account of the chilly weather, the 7.2 L/100 km I achieved is still impressive.
Unlike the Venza, which showed its age in more ways than one, Toyota got a lot right with the all-new Crown Signia. It would be nice to see the upgraded 340-horsepower Hybrid Max powertrain here, but it hits a sweet spot among buyers who are curious about going electric, yet aren’t ready to make the jump into a full EV just yet. It’s roomy, comfortable, fuel-efficient, good-looking, and at $60,335 as-tested, feels like a Lexus without costing like one.
The Venza is dead—long live the 2025 Toyota Crown Signia.