After the Crown received the SUV treatment, Toyota is putting stilts on an even more prestigious model. Simply known as the Century, the new luxobarge is Japan's Rolls-Royce Cullinan and might end up being even more exclusive since the sales projection is of only 30 units per month. It's far more luxurious than any Toyota/Lexus SUV before it but it's also the most expensive. It costs 25,000,000 JPY, which works out to approximately $170,000.
The boxy SUV with split horizontal lights à la Genesis is imposingly large, measuring 197.8 inches (5205 millimeters) long, 78.3 in (1990 mm) wide, and 1805 mm (71 in) tall. It's shorter but wider than the Century sedan and only seats four instead of five. It boasts a generous wheelbase of 116.1 in (2950 mm) and tips the scales at a hefty 5,665 pounds (2,570 kilograms).
Getting in and out of those posh rear seats should be a breeze since there are grab handles on the C-pillars, electrically deployable side steps, and rear doors that open to a 75-degree angle. Alternatively, there are minivan-like electric sliding rear doors – as shown during the presentation on a rather interesting GR-badged variant.
Just like the stately sedan, it eschews the Toyota badge in favor of the more prestigious phoenix emblem found at the front and rear as well as on the elegant multi-spoke wheels.
Underpinning the Century SUV is the ubiquitous TNGA platform but with upgrades made to the body's torsional rigidity and other improvements to boost ride comfort. Toyota installs clear laminated glass on the cabin side of the cargo space separator so that people relaxing on the fully reclining seats don't hear any noises coming from the cargo area. In addition, there's a Rear Comfort mode that once enabled, distributes the driving and braking force in such a way as not to disturb rear occupants.
At the heart of the new Century is a plug-in hybrid powertrain based around a 3.5-liter V6 engine with a CVT and all-wheel drive thanks to a rear-mounted electric motor. Featuring a combined output of 406 horsepower (303 kilowatts), it matches that of the Lexus TX 550h+ but we’re fairly certain some would’ve wanted the 5.0-liter V8 of the sedan. By the way, the second generation of the sedan was Toyota's only V12 production model ever.
The model will be sold at select dealers in Japan, and Toyota plans to expand the model's customizability to truly one-of-a-kind builds. Don't worry, the Century sedan will remain on sale.