The Toyota that feels more luxurious than a Lexus

Regular cars these days are getting closer to luxury cars when it comes to perceived interior quality. Unfortunately, this has caused some mainstream cars to increase in price to a point where these mainstream cars sometimes come closer to or even exceed true luxury cars.

That is the case for the current Toyota model. Price-wise it’s already close to an equivalent Lexus, but I’d say in some ways it has even more luxurious interior quality than a Lexus NX. Sales-wise, this Toyota model isn’t a big seller, and we’ll get into the reasons why that may be the case, but focusing solely on interior quality, this Toyota model should be on your short list if you’re looking to buy a Lexus while you’re pinching.

Toyota’s ‘crown jewel’

The model we show here is the 2026 Toyota Crown or Crown signia. These two models feature an interior whose quality even exceeds what an equivalently priced Lexus NX offers.

Opulent interior quality

The 2026 Toyota Crown and Crown Signiadepending on the variant you choose, it can have a pure black, black and white or black and saddle brown interior, which simply exudes elegance and quality when you see it in photos, let alone in real life. What Toyota has done well with the Crown’s interior is that it has kept the use of glossy black plastic to a minimum. There’s a glossy gray plastic panel around the gear lever and some drive mode controls, but it’s certainly more durable than the easily scratched, glossy black stuff.

For example, a similarly priced Lexus NX has far too many gloss black panels compared to the Crown and Crown Signia, which somewhat diminishes the NX’s premium appeal. Don’t get us wrong, that doesn’t mean the interior of the NX is cheap, but the interior of the Toyota Crown and Crown Signia is just so luxurious and premium that it begs the question of why you would choose an NX.

Furthermore, the Crown’s interior layout is spacious, comfortable and pleasing to the eye… This is Toyota’s top sedan, so the materials chosen for the interior upholstery have a premium feel.

– Lyndon Conrad Bell, TopSpeed ​​journalist

Combined with refined driving dynamics

What’s even more impressive is the sumptuous sophistication of the way the Crown series performs. Whether it’s the Crown crossover sedan or the Crown Signia crossover wagon, both models exhibit a high level of refinement and, hey, why bother going for a Lexus NX or even the Lexus ES? The Crown models are equipped with extensive sound insulation, which keeps the cabin quiet even at high speeds. Ditto the smooth hybrid drivetrain with electronic all-wheel drive (AWD) and the well-tuned suspension, whose smooth driving behavior simply eats away the stress.

Toyota’s genre-bending cars

Whichever of the two flavors of the Toyota Crown you choose, you are sure to have a wonderful driving experience. While there are many similarities between the Crown sedan and Crown Signia, the two versions target different customer bases.

Signia is a refined outback

Do you find the new Subaru Outback too polarizing and a bit too cool? That’s where the Crown Signia comes into the picture. We’d even argue that the Crown Signia looks more like a wagon than the new Outback, thanks to the just-right ride height and true-to-form wagon shape. At least in my eyes, I also prefer the Crown Signia over the sedan. The body-colored grille at the front, which integrates neatly with the rest of the front fascia, looks futuristic, while the sleek LED daytime running lights and separate LED headlights give the Crown Signia a somewhat sleek design.

Looking to the sides, you’ll appreciate the car’s silhouette here, combining the long and low enough roof with less black cladding for a neater look than that of the sedan. There are also slim, full-width LED taillights, which help distinguish the Crown Signia from the sedan version.

Crown is a modern Outback sedan

Going back to the Subaru Outback reference, did you know that the Outback was offered in a sedan body style until the 2008 model year? So yeah, it wasn’t the Crown that started the crossover sedan body style. Nevertheless, the Crown sedan is the version to go for if you want something that looks more distinctive, albeit a little more polarizing. The front features a large grille that contrasts with a gloss black body, and this visually complements the sleek LED headlights.

The side profile comes with a black trim piece under the doors, which in my opinion adds more visual clutter to the design than the Crown Signia. A black contrast roof is also available on select Crown sedan variants. Towards the rear there is a sloping roofline that runs to the boot lid, while the full-width LED taillights meet off-centre as this is where the Toyota logo is placed. Whether you prefer the Crown or Crown Signia design-wise is up to you, but personally I favor the Crown Signia’s design.

Hybridization in two flavors

The Crown and Crown Signia represent the flagships of Toyota’s genre-bending model range. They also happen to contain two hybrids that are interpreted in different ways and for different purposes.

A smooth hybrid on all versions

All variants and body styles of the Toyota Crown come with two types of hybrid powertrains. The fourth-generation Toyota Hybrid System (THS IV) is fitted to almost every variant, meaning it doesn’t yet use the THS V found in the Prius, Camry and RAV4. Anyway, THS IV in the Crown and Crown Signia uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder and an electric motor in the front and rear axles, hence the e-AWD configuration. Total system power is 236 horsepower, and all that power is routed through a planetary gear-type e-CVT.

Based on our Crown Signia drive, this hybrid system is very serene and quiet. Its 236 horsepower may not be the most powerful of any car today, but it’s enough to get the Crown Signia up to speed with ease. This driving feeling almost also applies to the Crown sedan. Decent steering response and body control mean the handling is good enough, but not what you’d call athletic. Treat the Crown and Crown Signia as they were intended to be driven, namely cruising, and you will enjoy the delicate hybrid system and ride comfort of these two vehicles.

Sedan’s available turbo hybrid

Unique to the Crown sedan in Platinum version is the Hybrid Max powertrain. Unlike the parallel fourth-generation THS IV fitted to every other Crown variant, the Hybrid Max is a parallel hybrid system. As a parallel hybrid, the electric motor is sandwiched between the 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder and the six-speed automatic transmission. A K0 coupling simply connects and disconnects the motor from the entire system. With a strong power of 340 hp and 400 Nm of torque, the Crown Platinum can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.7 seconds.

Toyota Crown performance specifications

Matching the strong performance is the Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) which improves both ride and handling, although it is still not a sports sedan. The high ride height does affect maneuverability somewhat, but… our friends from AutoBuzz I can agree that the 6-speed automatic transmission and high torque from the turbo four-cylinder keep the engine from droning. With six gears to play with, it also delivers power in a linear fashion and with the engaging feel of a multi-speed transmission. Go for the Crown Platinum Hybrid Max if you want a degree of athleticism. Of course, this comes at a price, and not only does it reach the $60,000 mark, but it’s also thirstier – although considering the performance, a combined EPA rating of 30 MPG is excellent.

Sources: The EPAToyota, Lexus