Toyota Century SUV Unveiled in Japan as Rolls-Royce, Bentley Challenger

Toyota leads all mainstream automakers on the planet, but now it also targets ultra-luxury SUV customers with the all-new Century that was unveiled today for the Japanese market.

The name might ring a bell. After all, it’s been used for more than 55 years on a range of premium automobiles sold in the land of the rising sun. For the first time, it is stamped across the liftgate of an SUV.

The new Toyota Century aims to challenger renowned symbols of opulence including the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Bentley Bentayga. It rides on the same TNGA-K architecture that underpins a number of Toyota and Lexus models including the freshly introduced 2024 TX. A commanding silhouette and front grille, two-tone body, quad headlights in a two-tier arrangement and optional sliding rear doors are some of the exterior highlights. Save for the large wheels, chrome is eerily subtle.  

The interior is even more impressive. The four-seat layout maximizes rear passenger comfort, as you can imagine. Both individual rear seats recline up to 77 degrees and offer a retractable, heated ottoman. That’s not all: a unique refreshment function utilizes adaptive air bladders within the seats to prevent soreness by constantly making micro-adjustments.

Top-notch materials can be found throughout, while the list of premium amenities include folding tables with dual smartphone docks in the rear centre console, an available mini refrigerator, 11.6-inch entertainment displays mounted on the back of the front seats, as well as an 18-speaker audio system that was specifically designed for the interior of the Century SUV.

As for the engine, forget a V8 or V12/W12 like in the aforementioned British SUVs. Instead, a plug-in hybrid system combines a 3.5-litre V6 with a pair of electric motors, delivering a total of 406 horsepower and about 70 km of zero-emission range based on the WLTP test cycle.