- Toyota has released teaser images showing the tailgate of a new mid-size hybrid SUV wearing a Crown badge.
- Another teaser shows a hybrid badge, suggesting that it will come standard with an all-wheel-drive gas-electric powertrain.
- The automaker previously revealed a Toyota Crown global lineup, and we think it may have included the mysterious mid-sizer.
UPDATE 11/7/23: Toyota has released a second teaser photo, and there’s a U.S. trademark for the nameplate Crown Signia that may be applied to this new model. We’ve updated this story accordingly
The Toyota Crown nameplate is well-known in the Japanese market where it’s been around since 1955. While it was sold on our shores between 1958 and 1972, it only recently returned to U.S. with the debut of the 2023 Toyota Crown that purposely pushed the boundaries of what qualifies as a sedan. Now Toyota looks to expand the Crown family by offering an SUV version in North America, and it has released a few teaser photos of that vehicle before its debut that will take place November 14. There’s also a U.S. trademark for the name “Crown Signia” that may indicate what this new model will be called, as reported by Australian publication CarsGuide.
The first photo showed “HEV” and “AWD” badges, while the more recent photo provides a wider glimpse at the tailgate and the Crown script. Toyota also writes: “With All-Wheel Drive, this hybrid electric mid-size SUV goes beyond what’s expected.” Obviously, that sentence is riddled with hyperbole courtesy of the automaker’s marketing team, especially since we’re not sure who doesn’t expect a mid-size SUV without all-wheel drive, but that’s beside the point. The point is Toyota has clearly confirmed the mysterious SUV will have mid-size dimensions, a hybrid powertrain, and all-wheel drive.
We also think we know what this new SUV will look like. More than a year ago, Toyota revealed a litter of new global Crown models with designs that are more traditional than the high-riding sedan that’s currently on sale in America. Among the three concepts, the yellow one that the company referred to as a wagon, or “Crown Estate,” has proportions similar to a mid-size SUV.
The Crown in question has very short overhangs, a blacked-out roof and forward pillars, large wheels, and a front lighting signature that looks like it was cribbed from the Ferrari Purosangue. If we’re not mistaken, the tailgate in the teaser is very similar to the concept’s, with slim taillights and matching creases around the license-plate holder and bumper section. We’ll just have to hold tight until Toyota pulls the cover back next week at the L.A. auto show.
