Toyota Century SUV Revealed As Cullinan-Rivaling Luxury SUV

• First-ever Toyota Century SUV
• 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 with plug-in hybrid system (406 horsepower combined)
• Extreme-reclining rear seats
• Complete customization extends to every aspect, including door-opening mechanisms

Toyota has finally unveiled the Century SUV, the latest luxury vehicle in its chauffeur-driven vehicle lineup that competes, in Japan at least, in the same space as the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Bentley Bentayga. This marks the first time in the Century nameplate's 56-year history that it has not been a sedan, representing the most significant ideological departure for the model line in its history.

Based on the TNGA-K architecture shared with the Lexus TX and RX, the imposing Century SUV sports bold styling, including split headlights and unique rear doors. While the likes of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Ferrari Purosangue sport suicide doors, Toyota lets you choose either a traditional door aperture or a sliding-type door that has unmatched presence in this segment. But unlike those, that both utilize V12 engines, the Century halves the cylinder count. Under the hood is a 3.5-liter V6 with a plug-in hybrid system comprising two electric motors.

The combined output is rated at 406 horsepower, and the Century SUV has an estimated 43-mile all-electric range on the WLTP cycle.

Power is channeled to all four wheels via an E-CVT system to blend electric and combustion power, and the torque can be distributed between the front and rear axles from 100:0 to 20:80. Four-wheel steering is included, too, which should make it easier to manage the 204.9-inch SUV's size (5.1 inches shorter than the Century Sedan, for the record) and 5,665 lbs mass.

Unlike most high-end SUVs, the Century doesn't have a hint of sportiness. This one is all about comfort. Based on the TNGA architecture, Toyota has worked on improving ride comfort and torsional rigidity. Additionally, spring mass damping control helps mitigate vertical shaking of the body to minimize disruption to those being chauffeured around.

The occupants are separated from the luggage compartment by clear laminated glass with sound insulative properties to mitigate noise from the rear wheels and suspension, while the bulkhead between these two areas also aids structural rigidity. Beyond this, active noise control filters out unwanted stimuli further.

Toyota has even tuned the braking and suspension systems in such a fashion that they reduce the lateral G specifically for the occupants of the rear seats, prioritizing the comfort of the VIPs in the back.

Speaking of those in the rear, the interior is where much of the magic happens. The Century SUV adopts a four-seat layout with individual rear seats with reclining functionality that allows those in the back to lie almost completely flat (77 degrees), on both sides. When upright, a retractable, heated ottoman lets you put your feet up and relax. A refreshment function utilizes air bladders within the seats to prevent fatigue by making constant micro-adjustments.

And, as if the experience wasn't first-class enough, retractable tray tables can be found in the center console between the two rear thrones, which also contains smartphone docks, USB charging ports, headphone jacks (to link to the 11.6-inch screens mounted on the front seats), and an optional refrigerator. This may be the closest we've come to anyone rivaling the Airline Seat Specification from Bentley.

An 18-speaker, eight-channel sound system has been optimized specifically for the acoustic properties of the Century SUV's cabin.

On the outside, the Century SUV resembles the Rolls-Royce Cullinan in profile, but sports unique aesthetic elements of its own. The front end wears a bold grille with the Century logo, flanked by two C-shaped headlights.

At the rear, the same C-shaped cluster design has been applied to the fascia, with the Century name taking pride of place on the tailgate. There's more than a hint of Genesis GV70 rear, particularly in the rear window shape. It's an understated vehicle with minimal chrome trim and frivolous design features.

By default, the Century SUV's rear doors are front-hinged items that open at a 75-degree angle, but Toyota says buyers can customize every element of the car, showcasing rear doors that slide rearwards on a new hinge system (18:55 in the video below) for added theater.

Priced from 25,000,000 yen (approx. $170,000), the Century SUV is not cheap, but when the Cullinan costs double that, we can see well-to-do Japanese businesspeople flocking to the Century to embrace the heritage of its name.