Toyota’s Crown Signia Is About to Get an Unexpected Rival from Land Rover

The current Range Rover Velar might be on its way out, but its saga isn’t entirely over yet. New reports confirm Land Rover’s ambitious plans to make the most road-going Range Rover ever into a nearly full-fledged sedan or fastback.

Yep, you read that correctly. Previously heralded as hearsay, it appears those rumors are holding water. And Land Rover is on track to build its first-ever regular four-door.

Or, what will likely be its most sedan/wagon-like, road-friendly model ever.

The next Velar will be the most car-like Land Rover in history

When Land Rover originally introduced the Range Rover Velar, it received mixed reactions. The Velar was specifically for people who wanted all of the Range Rover’s distinctive design, refinement and luxury, without any of the serious off-roading tech and gear.

For purists, that was blasphemous. For those who wanted all that the Range Rover has to offer, except without all the excessive off-roading tech and for more urban and suburban environments, it was perfect. All the more so if the Range Rover Sport was still a little too rugged.

Land Rover

Now, Land Rover appears to be leaning into the urban Velar idea even more. Autocar got the scoop, learning that the next-gen model will not only shrink in size. It’ll also take on its most car-like form ever.

What does that really mean? Speculation and details point to a semi-lifted sedan/crossover, à la Toyota Crown Signia.

An affordable multi-energy Range Rover

Land Rover

Word has it that the new Velar will be reengineered and repositioned in the Range Rover lineup to take on the likes of the BMW X3/iX3, Mercedes-Benz GLC and the Audi Q5.

Similar to other automakers, Jaguar-Land Rover quietly pivoted away from its aggressive all-electric strategy to implement a more “multi-energy approach.” In that sense, the next Velar will reportedly come in EV, plug-in hybrid and gas-hybrid form.

Land Rover

This comes thanks to JLR reworking its EMA modular platform, which was originally supposed to be all-electric. But thanks to the ingenuity and contingency preparation from its engineers, Jaguar-Land Rover designed its EMA platform to be flexible for both electric and internal combustion powertrains.

Lifted sedans and wagons may be the new craze

Cadillac

Recent spy photos of the next-gen Velar show a very low-riding, fastback-sedan-like vehicle in the works. Its silhouette is very similar to the Cadillac Lyriq and even the Toyota Crown Signia.

Neither the Lyriq nor the Crown Signia are crossover SUVs in the conventional sense, as they’re not as high-riding. But as one can see from their elevated ground clearance, high shoulder lines and low-slung roofs, they’re not full-fledged wagons or sedans, either.

Toyota

Land Rover seeks to replicate that formula. Additionally, other telling details point to J-LR’s intent to hit this segment specifically. The current Range Rover Velar currently stickers for around $60,000.

Both the Lyriq and the Crown Signia both have similar price ranges, with the Toyota starting closer to $45,000. When optioned out, it easily surpasses the $55,000 mark and comes within swinging distance of the Velar.

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