2025 Toyota Crown Signia Limited - Review by Bruce Hotchkiss +VIDEO

When Is A Crossover A Station Wagon?

Bruce Hotchkiss

By Bruce Hotchkiss
Special Correspondent, Western Bureau
THE AUTO CHANNEL

From time to time my mom, like many moms in the 1950s, drove a station wagon. It started with a '56 Ford Ranch Wagon that my dad "bought" for her (he made the down payment and she paid off the note). The Ranch Wagon lasted to '62 when rust did it in. For a year or two she drove a '58 Ford 2-door wagon.

I've owned a few wagons myself. I've always liked the utility of them.

I don't know why but it seems that "station wagon" has become a dirty word. This Toyota Crown, despite looking like a station wagon, is a crossover. But I'm old and I claim geezer rights to call it a station wagon.

Surprisingly the Crown Signia is about the same size as mom's '56! The Crown is 194.1" long on a wheelbase of 112.2". It stands 64", and is 74" wide. It weighs around 4,200 lbs.

Under the hood is where the difference is. Our '56 had a 292 "Thunderbird" V8 that was rated around 200 hp. The Crown has a 188 hp, 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder, and an electric motor for a combined output of 240 hp. A CVT transmits the power to all four wheels.

The Crown puts the Ranch Wagon to shame in a drag race. Toyota says 0-60 takes 7.1 seconds. Specs I found for the Ranch Wagon showed a time of just under 10.0 seconds.

Perhaps the most outstanding spec for the Crown is the fuel economy of 39-mpg city and 37-mpg on the highway. That's the benefit of a hybrid.

There is nothing fancy in the interior, just attention to detail. The front seats were comfortable and looked like they would be easy to keep clean. The only argument I have with the rear seat is the same I have for so many cars - it isn't really designed for three people. No one in their right mind wants to sit in the center of what passes for a bench seat.

I used the smart cruise control buttons on the right side of the steering wheel a fair bit without a problem. I couldn't quite master those on the left side though. I'm not sure I, or anyone, needs such a large screen but there it is. On the plus side the center console controls and cubbies were fine.

The benefit of a station wagon is storage. There is 25.8 cu.ft. behind the rear seat, and 68.8 cu.ft. with the seat folded down. It will hold a huge bunch of sports or vacation gear back there.

Driving the 2025 Toyota Crown Signia Limited was nice; it didn't feel big at all. This isn't a sports wagon but it would hold its own.

Toyota has a crowded field of SUVs and Crossovers. The Crown stands out to me because it isn't like the others, it's more car-like. Hence a station wagon.

There are two trims available, both have the same powertrain. The XLE is the "base" model and starts at $$43,790. The test car was a Limited and it starts at $48,190. Prices are from toyota.com as of 5/2/2025.

So when is crossover a station wagon? When I say so.