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LA Auto Show: Toyota debuts stylish, hybrid-only Camry sedan and Crown Signia SUV
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 17, 2023
Los Angeles — Toyota is bringing something old, something new, something borrowed and something green to the LA Auto Show this year.
Japan’s biggest auto manufacturer is also California’s biggest selling automaker and it is one of a handful of automakers making a splash with vehicle debuts this year. Ahead of Media Day on Thursday, Toyota unveiled the latest version of an old favorite, the 2025 Camry sedan, while also introducing the all-new 2025 Crown Signia SUV.
Though the sedan and SUV are dramatically different in overall design, they both borrow the so-called Hammerhead fascia design made popular by the 2024 Toyota Prius. Camry and Crown SUV also will be powered exclusively by hybrid engines in a nod to green fashion in California and harsh mandates in Sacramento and Washington, DC.
America’s perennially best-selling sedan, the Camry for its ninth generation shares the TNGA platform of other Toyota models, making for roomy interior and firm handling. The sedan’s dimensions are similar to the outgoing model, but Toyota’s California design team penned a more conservative look this go ‘round with sleeker, simpler design cues. Chief among those is a simplified facia similar to the Prius (and Crown models).
Significantly, Camry bucks the trend of narrow greenhouses, opening up window space for better driver visibility. The mirrors are located on the doors and the glass around the A-pillar curves down — think Ford F-150 — for better outward visibility.
In a nod to green fashion, the Camry ditches its V-6 engine and options only a gas-electric hybrid powered by a 2.5-liter four-banger that promises a whopping 50-plus mpg. The drivetrain can be had in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive in all trims.
Following the exterior’s lead, the interior eschews the Z-shaped console of the eighth-generation model for a simpler, more linear design — though customers can jazz it up with red leather. The 12.3-inch digital display (shared with Signia) contains the latest wireless charging and smartphone connectivity, and the Toyota is loaded with standard features like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot assist and auto high beams.
The Crown Signia joins the Crown sedan as a stylish Toyota sub-brand in the United States. Crown is an iconic model in Japan that finally made its way to the U.S. to replace the Venza crossover and add an upscale look to the mainstream brand. It comes with luxury options like a panoramic roof and rear camera mirror made popular by Cadillac. Given Americans’ obsession with SUVs, it’s hard to see a path where Crown SUV doesn’t steal sales from Crown sedan’s already modest numbers.
The Crown Signia has useful SUV features like a 6.5-foot-long cargo bed with the rear seats folded, elevated ride height, and standard AWD.
The two-row Crown SUV appears to go after more premium mainstream vehicles like the Nissan Murano and Ford Edge as well as more upscale models like the Acura RDX. Its interior is sumptuous with plenty of legroom for passengers.
While Crown customers will welcome the SUV entry, Toyota is determined to continue its sedan offerings. Though its sales have declined, the Camry provides a stylish alternative to upright SUVs and dominates a market segment with other Asian brands that Detroit automakers have largely abandoned in the U.S.
The Camry is also the brand’s official entry in NASCAR. The made-in-the-USA Camry goes on sale in the spring of 2024 with the Japan-sourced Crown Signia coming later in the year.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.