One of these cars is a true Toyota while the other is half a Toyota. The 2025 Toyota Crown Signia replaces the Toyota Venza and slots in between the Rav4 and Highlander. The Mazda CX-50 Hybrid finally differentiates itself from the CX-5 by incorporating a hybrid powertrain… from Toyota.
Performance
Engine – The 2025 Toyota Crown Signia is powered by the 2.5L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine that is found in many other Toyota vehicles. Combined with the electric motors, the Crown Signia produces 240 hp (179 kW). Unfortunately, Toyota does not share combined torque figures but the engine’s peak torque is 178 lb-ft (241 Nm). The Crown Signia is a fairly hefty crossover SUV at 1,909 kg (4,210 lbs) so it’s not a particularly fast vehicle. But on highways, or merging onto one, the Crown Signia gets up to speed without much fuss. However, the engine produces a lot of unpleasant noise as it gets up to speed. I can only imagine how much quicker it would be if it had the i-Force MAX hybrid powertrain of the Crown Sedan. Once the crossover is up to speed, the engine will shut off periodically and allow the car to drive on nothing but electricity. Usually, this is at parking lot or city speeds whereas on highways, it happens far less frequently.
The 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid utilizes the powertrain from the Rav4. Engine, transmission, and e-AWD system. It too has a 2.5L naturally aspirated engine but with the aid of the electric motors, it only produces 219 hp (163 KW). Again, torque is not published but the engine torque is 163 lb-ft (221 Nm). The CX-50 Hybrid is 100 kg (220 lbs) lighter than the Toyota Crown Signia but it doesn’t feel any faster. In fact, this engine displays none of the characteristics of other Mazda 4-cylinder engines. This one doesn’t have the low end grunt of Mazda’s 2.5L engine and it requires a lot of revving to get the car up to speed. Only once the rpm needle edges closer to the redline do you start to feel the torque of the powertrain. But just like in the Crown Signia, the engine shuts off periodically once the car is up to speed.
Both powertrains have EV only modes. These allow you to accelerate a bit more quickly whilst only using the electric motors. However, this mode is automatically disengaged when the speed exceeds 40 km/h (25 mph) or if the throttle pedal is pressed too hard.
Fuel Economy – Despite their weights and power differences, both cars have nearly identical fuel economy figures. The 2025 Toyota Crown Signia is rated for 6 L/100km (39.2 MPG) in a city and 6.3 L/100km (37.3 MPG) on a highway. The 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid is rated for 6.1 L/100km (38.5 MPG) in a city and 6.4 L/100km (36.7 MPG) on a highway. During my time with each, I managed to average 6.1 L/100km (38.5 MPG) in the Mazda and 6.6 L/100km (35.6 MPG) in the Crown Signia. I didn’t reach the rated number in the latter but it’s still pretty close.
Transmission – Both cars utilize an eCVT automatic to distribute the power. In the Toyota Crown Signia, it feels normal. The engine’s rpms are raised to the appropriate amount until the desired speed is reached and then the rpms drop or the engine shuts off.
In the Mazda, it behaves the exact same way. However, it feels odd in the Mazda because the brand does not use a CVT or an eCVT in any of their current vehicles. So at times, you expect to hear a gear shift but it never happens.
Braking – Both crossover SUVs have strong brakes with confidence inspiring brake pedals. It doesn’t take much effort from your right foot to bring either car to a smooth and controlled stop.
Handling – Though the engine in the Mazda CX-50 Hybrid feels a bit odd, it does retain some of the Mazda handling characteristics of which these cars are known for. The CX-50 has slightly stiffer suspension than that of the Crown Signia. This in turn resists more body roll through corners and makes the car feel a bit more planted. Steering is sharp and has a nice heft to it with a fairly communicative feel, that is for an SUV. But because this CX-50 uses a Toyota powertrain, it does not have the same AWD system as other Mazda vehicles. It’s an e-AWD system which does not have a physical driveshaft from the engine to the back wheels. Instead, an electric motor provides power to the back wheels. In everyday driving, it doesn’t make much difference but I would imagine there would be a difference in slippery conditions, such as snow or ice.
The Toyota Crown Signia doesn’t feel as spritely to drive through twisties as the CX-50 Hybrid. The steering is lighter, even in Sport mode, and there’s a bit more body roll through corners. However, just like many other Toyota crossover SUVs, it’s an easy vehicle to drive which I think matters more to potential Toyota customers.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – Thanks to the softer suspension, the Toyota Crown Signia is a more comfortable daily commuter or long distance cruiser. The Mazda CX-50 Hybrid’s ride is not so stiff that it’ll shake your teeth out but it is noticeably firmer than that of the Crown Signia.
Additionally, the seats in the Toyota are a bit more plush than those in the Mazda. It feels like you sink into the seats of the Crown Signia whereas you’re just on top of them in the CX-50 Hybrid.
Interior Space – On paper, the Mazda CX-50 Hybrid has a little bit more legroom, particularly in the rear seats, than the Toyota Crown Signia. However in reality, it’s the Crown Signia that feels more spacious in terms of legroom across both rows of seats. For my 6’4” height, my knees were just barely brushing the back of the front seats behind my tall driving position. Whereas in the CX-50, they were a bit closer to the front seat. The Mazda though does have more headroom in the front row and a little bit less in the 2nd row.
Where the CX-50 Hybrid takes a leg up on the Crown Signia is with cargo capacity behind the rear seats. It has 826 L vs 702 L (29.2 cu-ft vs 24.8 cu-ft) for the Toyota. But once the rear seats are folded, the Crown Signia provides more with 1,871 L vs 1,595 L (66.1 cu-ft vs 56.3 cu-ft) of cargo space for the Mazda.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – Overall, the 2025 Toyota Crown Signia has a quieter cabin than that of the 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid. There’s less road noise from the tires, less wind noise on highways, and less engine noise when revved hard. But somehow the Crown Signia seemed to allow more engine noise at lower rpms into the cabin than the CX-50 did.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – Where these two cars really differ is with their prices. The 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid starts at $42,950 CAD ($33,970 USD) with this GT trim costing $48,350 CAD ($40,050 USD). The 2025 Toyota Crown Signia is only available as a Limited trim in Canada. In Toyota’s hierarchy, this means that it’s a top spec trim and comes with a top spec price. It starts at almost $10,000 CAD more than the GT trim of the CX-50 Hybrid. It is $57,450 CAD ($47,990 USD). Add on the Advanced Technology package for an additional $2,075 CAD ($1,865 USD), and this is almost a $60,000 CAD crossover SUV.
Gadgets – Despite the massive difference in pricing, both crossover SUVs come equipped with most of the same convenience features. They’re both equipped with leather upholstery along with heated & ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheels, panoramic sunroofs, power liftgates, dual-zone automatic climate controls, wireless phone charging pads, and surround view cameras.
The Crown Signia does receive a full digital driver display whereas in the CX-50, it’s only partially digital. The Toyota also receives a larger 12.3” touchscreen compared to the 10.25” display of the Mazda. Both allow for wireless CarPlay & wireless Android Auto and although the native system in the Mazda is controlled by the rotary knob on the center console, the display turns into a touchscreen when launching the Apple or Android Apps for easier control.
Interior Design – The interior of the 2025 CX-50 Hybrid looks much like other Mazda vehicles. Lashings of leather across the dashboard and door panels, premium feeling buttons & knobs, infotainment controls on the center console, and an overall aura of a premium vehicle.
The Toyota Crown Signia has a similarly premium feeling cabin with soft leather across the dashboard & door panels, physical buttons & toggle switches for the climate controls, and one of the softest leather lined steering wheels in the auto industry. One little thing that irks me is the volume knob just underneath the infotainment touchscreen. It has a power button symbol but it rotates with the volume adjustment so it’s never upright, always pointing in a different direction. This triggered my OCD.
Exterior Design – The exterior of the 2025 Mazda CX-50 looks like a wider, stanced CX-5. It has more black plastic cladding around the wheels and doors than the CX-5 to make it appear as more of an adventure vehicle. It’s an overall nice design.
The 2025 Toyota Crown Signia is considered a crossover SUV but it looks more like a high-riding wagon, much like the Volvo V60 Cross Country. This is not a bad thing as in recent years, station wagons have become some of the coolest looking vehicles on the roads. The front incorporates the new Toyota Prius design with thin LED daytime running lights and a web design for the grille. Of the two cars, I personally think that the Crown Signia wins the beauty contest.
Safety – In Canada, the 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid has a lot of driver and safety aids as standard but not all of them are available on the base trim. To get features such as surround view cameras, front & rear parking sensors, emergency lane keep with blind spot assist, adaptive front lights, automatic rear emergency braking, and traffic sign assist, you have to move up to the GT trim.
Because the 2025 Crown Signia is only available in one trim in Canada, it is equipped with almost every safety & driver aid that is available on this vehicle. The exceptions are the surround view cameras, lane change assist, traffic jam assist, front cross-traffic alert, and front & rear parking sensors with automatic braking. These are all part of the Advanced Technology package that I mentioned with the pricing of this car.
Warranty – Here in Canada, the 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid is covered by a 3 year / unlimited km basic warranty and a 5 year / unlimited powertrain warranty. Additionally, the Hybrid battery is covered by an 8 year / 160,000 km warranty. But this being a Toyota powertrain, it should last for a lot longer than that. In the United States, the warranty is 3 year / 36,000 mile basic & 5 year / 60,000 mile powertrain. For more info on Canadian warranty, click here. For more info on U.S.A. warranty, click here.
The 2025 Toyota Crown Signia is covered by a 3 year / 60,000 km basic and 5 year / 100,000 km powertrain warranty. The hybrid components are covered by an 8 year / 160,000 km warranty while the hybrid battery is covered for 10 years / 200,000 km. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For information on USA warranty, click here. (Scroll to bottom of page)
Conclusion – I’ll be honest, when I had the idea to compare these two, I thought it would be a closer comparison. But after driving these cars, they feel poles apart. The Toyota Crown Signia is more comfortable, spacious, and is basically one badge away from being a Lexus. The Mazda is better to drive but just lacks the refinement to take it to the next level. However, the biggest difference between these two is obviously the price. $10,000 difference is a lot of money. So it comes down to what you’re looking for. Something that has basically the quality of a Lexus but without the extra Lexus price. Or something that doesn’t cost as much but is better to drive.
Thank you to Mazda Canada for providing the CX-50 Hybrid. www.Mazda.ca
Thank you to Toyota Canada for providing the Crown Signia. www.Toyota.ca
2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Gallery
2025 Toyota Crown Signia Gallery
