Toyota Crown Estate.
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If this new Toyota for the Japanese market looks familiar, that’s because it is. This Toyota wagon has been sold in the US as the Toyota Crown Signia since last year.
For various reasons, it was delayed in Japan and is just coming out today. Or about 3 years after we saw the concept.
As you can see it looks exactly the same as our Toyota Crown Signia, except for some available accessories like a little table and some padded mats for the cargo area. Otherwise, the main difference is the availability of a PHEV powertrain.
The new PHEV version is powered by a 2.5-liter engine that produces 174 hp and has an electric motor that is good for an extra 53 hp. The best part is an EV only range of 55 miles in the local test cycle. Which would probably still be over 40 miles EPA.
Toyota seems to be charging a lot for the PHEV versions of their cars in the US. For instance, the RAV4 PHEV starts at $44,300 in the US for the SE trim. While the SE Hybrid starts at $35,000. An almost $10,000 premium is ridiculous. However, PHEVs still come with rebates and just like a regular EV, their monthly lease payments could actually be lower than regular hybrids.
I think a PHEV version of the Crown Signia in the eUS could be a very nice addition.