Toyota debuts new hybrid SUV, But will the Crown shine or fade?

Toyota Motor Corporation is approaching its th year of selling automobiles in the United States Its success is unrivaled The Toyota Corolla compact sedan is the best-selling car in history The Toyota Prius is perennially the country s best-selling hybrid In the Toyota RAV the carmaker s compact sport utility car was the country s third best-selling van It was also the greater part purchased automobile not a pickup truck But not all Toyotas have fared well The Echo - Paseo - and Sera were flops But the Japanese manufacturer also knows well how to capitalize on success Since about percent of all vehicles sold in the U S last year were SUVs Toyota now sells makes and models The Toyota Crown Signia is its latest The model is the first SUV offered in the Crown nameplate the carmaker s oldest name The Toyopet Crown debuted as the carmaker s entry into the U S commuter van sphere in It also failed The Signia SUV replaces the Venza another disappointment It debuted in and was discontinued six years later With the Crown Signia Toyota is seeking to improve its SUV hybrid sales The crossover sibling to the Signia sedan the SUV is only available as a hybrid It s offered with a -liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder gasoline engine and three electric motors producing horsepower It comes standard with all-wheel drive Performance is adequate the Signia is rated at -to- miles per hour in seconds It s satisfactory for the segment At highway speeds the SUV has no difficulty passing vehicles or negotiating its way around obstacles Its gas mileage averages miles per gallon in city driving mpg on the highway The Signia s signature is a Toyota familiarity Interior material quality is strong The XLE trim features cloth and vinyl on door panels and seats The Limited offers leather seating and trim Like multiple two-row SUVs seating is rated for five passengers But the second row is best for two adults or three children With the second row of seats folded the cargo area is without design limitations There are cubic feet of trunk room behind the second row and cubic feet of space with the seats folded A -inch touchscreen and a -inch digital gauge cluster are standard The central touchscreen offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and other connectivity features including Wi-Fi over-the-air updates and a voice assistant The Limited trim has a chunk of options The Advanced Instrument Package features front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking It also includes a surround-view camera puddle lamps front cross-traffic alert and lane-change assistance A hands-free traffic-jam assistance system operates at speeds under mph Auto-leveling LED headlights a panoramic glass roof rain-sensing windshield wipers and digital key capability using a smartphone as a key are further upgrades Premium paint colors include Bronze Age Finish Line Red or Oxygen Blue Black and Storm Cloud exterior paint options are free The Bronze Age option gives the Crown Signia an added look of elegance The debuting Toyota Crown Signia SUV has a manufacturer s suggested retail price of about less than the average price of a new car in the United States Its total price is How the Crown Signia SUV will fare is unknown Its toughest competition may be several of Toyota s well-heeled SUV options notably the Toyota RAV The RAV was purchased times in It s unlikely the Crown Signia will sell as well But its debut has been impressive and it should represent well the carmaker s successes not its failures James Raia a syndicated automotive columnist in Sacramento also contributes business lifestyle and sports content to several print and online publications E-mail james jamesraia com