Mainstream cars are stepping up, and some interiors are starting to feel downright luxurious. Prices are creeping higher too, sometimes rivaling actual luxury rides.
Today’s Toyota proves it. On paper, it’s close to a Lexus in price, but inside, it can feel even fancier than a Lexus NX.
It’s not the biggest seller, but if interior quality matters, and you want that Lexus vibe without the full price tag, this Toyota should be on your shortlist.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Toyota and Lexus, as well as other authoritative sources, including the EPA and TopSpeed.
The Toyota That Has More Luxury Than An Acura (And It’s Not a Lexus)
This Toyota packs more luxury than an Acura, with premium features, a refined ride, and upscale tech—all without the Lexus badge.
Toyota’s Crown shines brightest
Plush inside, poised on the road
The 2026 Toyota Crown and Crown Signia pack interiors that can feel even fancier than a similarly priced Lexus NX.
The Crown and Crown Signia offer interiors in pure black, black-and-white, or black-and-saddle-brown, and they just scream elegance in photos—let alone in person.
What Toyota nailed with the Crown is keeping gloss black plastic to a minimum. There’s a grey panel around the gear lever and some drive mode controls, but it feels tougher and less scratch-prone than the typical glossy stuff.
Take a similarly priced Lexus NX, for example—it’s loaded with gloss black panels, which kinda hurts its premium feel.
Not saying the NX feels cheap, but the Crown and Crown Signia interiors are so plush and luxe, you start wondering why anyone would pick the NX instead.
Luxury that handles as well as it looks
What really stands out is just how refined the Crown lineup feels on the road. Whether it’s the Crown crossover sedan or the Crown Signia wagon, both deliver a level of polish that makes you wonder why you’d pick a Lexus NX—or even an ES.
The cabins are super quiet thanks to heavy sound insulation, and the hybrid drivetrain with electronic AWD glides along smoothly. Add the well-tuned suspension, and the ride soaks up bumps and stress like it’s nothing.
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Cars that don’t fit in a box
Sleek, stylish, and built for every kind of driver
No matter which flavor of the Toyota Crown you pick, you’re in for a seriously indulgent drive. The sedan and Signia share plenty of traits, but each one is built with a different type of driver in mind.
If the new Subaru Outback feels a bit too rugged or polarizing for you, the Crown Signia is here to change the game. With a just-right ride height and classic wagon shape, it actually feels more wagon-like than the Outback.
Personally, I’m a bigger fan of the Signia over the sedan. The front end looks futuristic with its body-colored grille, slim LED daytime running lights, and separate main LEDs, giving it a sleek, modern vibe.
Where research meets the right deal
Move around to the sides, and the Crown Signia’s wagon silhouette really shines. The roof sits long and low, with less black cladding than the sedan for a cleaner, sleeker look.
Thin, full-width LED taillights add a modern touch and help set the Signia apart from its sedan sibling.
A sleek take on the classic Outback
Fun fact: the Subaru Outback actually came in a sedan body style until 2008, so the Crown didn’t invent the crossover-sedan look. Still, the Crown sedan is the one to pick if you want something that stands out—though it’s a bit more polarizing.
Up front, a large grille framed in glossy black ties into the slim LED headlights, giving the sedan a bold, distinctive face.
Where research meets the right deal
The side profile of the Crown sedan gets a black trim piece below the doors, which adds a bit of visual clutter compared with the Signia. Some sedan variants also offer a contrasting black roof.
At the rear, the sloping roofline flows nicely into the trunk, while the full-width LED taillights stop short at the center to make room for the Toyota logo.
Design-wise, it’s a matter of taste, but my wagon-loving heart clearly leans toward the Crown Signia.
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These are the Toyota and Lexus models that take on the world’s most luxurious automakers, delivering unmatched style, performance, and comfort.
Hybrid power, two ways
Efficiency meets indulgence
The Crown and Crown Signia are the flagships of Toyota’s genre-blending lineup. Both offer hybrid power, but each interprets it in its own way for different purposes.
Every Crown, no matter the variant or body style, comes with one of two hybrid drivetrains. Most models get the fourth-generation Toyota Hybrid System (THS IV), not the newer THS V found in the Prius, Camry, or RAV4.
THS IV pairs a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with electric motors on both the front and rear axles, giving you full e-AWD. Total system output is 236 horsepower, all sent through a smooth planetary gear–type e-CVT.
On the road, the Crown Signia’s hybrid system is impressively serene and quiet. Its 236 horsepower isn’t headline-grabbing, but it’s plenty to get the car moving effortlessly.
The Crown sedan delivers a similar calm driving experience. Steering and body control are solid—good, just not sporty.
Treat either model the way they were meant to be driven—cruising—and you’ll really appreciate the smooth hybrid system and plush ride comfort.
Turbocharged hybrid power for the sedan
The Crown sedan in Platinum trim gets something special: the Hybrid Max powertrain. Unlike the standard THS IV found in other Crowns, Hybrid Max is a parallel hybrid system.
Here, the electric motor sits between the 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder and the six-speed automatic, with a K0 clutch connecting or disconnecting the engine as needed.
It packs a serious punch—340 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque—launching the Platinum from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds.
Toyota Crown performance specs
|
Crown Hybrid |
Crown Hybrid Max |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Powertrain |
2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid |
2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder hybrid |
|
Power |
236 hp |
340 hp |
|
Torque |
N/A |
400 lb-ft |
|
Transmission |
e-CVT |
Six-speed automatic |
|
Driveline |
AWD |
AWD |
|
0–60 mph |
TBA |
5.7 seconds |
|
Fuel economy (city) |
42 mpg |
29 mpg |
|
Fuel economy (highway) |
41 mpg |
32 mpg |
|
Fuel economy (combined) |
41 mpg |
30 mpg |
Backing up the Crown Platinum Hybrid Max’s punchy performance is its Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), which smooths the ride and sharpens handling—though don’t expect a sports sedan. The slightly taller ride height affects agility a bit, but the six-speed automatic and turbo four-cylinder torque keep the engine humming smoothly.
With six gears, power comes on linearly, giving the feel of a well-tuned multi-speed transmission. If you want a taste of athleticism in a Crown, this is the trim to go for.
It does come at a cost—both in price and fuel. Approaching $60,000 and slightly thirstier, the Platinum still manages a solid combined EPA rating of 30 mpg considering its performance.
