Toyota Century SUV breaks cover

Toyota has revealed details and images of the all-new Century flagship SUV. This is just the second model in the Century luxury line-up that also comprises the popular Century sedan that's only on sale in Japan. The SUV, however, could be a global model.

1. Century SUV gets 3.5-litre V6 with plug-in hybrid
2. Will go on sale in Japan initially
3. Rear seats fold almost as flat as a bed

Toyota Century SUV exterior design, dimensions

The four-seat Century SUV measures 5,205mm long, 1,990mm wide and 1,805mm tall, with a 2,950mm wheelbase. This means it is 130mm shorter, 60mm wider, and 300mm taller than the five-seat Century sedan. The Toyota Century SUV gets two door setups for the rear – a conventional option and a sliding door option (available with the GR Sport) like you get in an MPV.

As for the design, the Century SUV has an upright nose and boxy stance with rounded edges, and a prominent shoulder line that smoothly tapers off at the rear. The headlamps are similar in shape to the Century sedan and get two separate housings replete with LED elements. The grille inserts differ as per the variant, but what stays constant is the Century “Phoenix emblem” – seen on all Toyota Century models since 1967 – that takes centre stage on the grille.

Wheel choices include 20 inchers as standard, and 22-inch alloy wheels, with a design similar to the sedan, is available as an option. At the back, the Century SUV gets a raked rear glass that blends with the upright tailgate design. There are LED tail-lamps with 3D elements and prominent Century badging right at the centre. It retains the iconic two-tone paint job from the sedan, and is available in a total of seven different exterior paint colour combinations.

Toyota Century SUV interior and features

Aimed at luxury SUV customers, the Century SUV features a long list of creature comforts. The SUV gets powered side steps on both sides, the rear doors open 75 degrees, and there’s a large grab handle provided in order to facilitate ingress and egress. The electrically adjustable seats can fold flat, which, according to Toyota, is a world first. It also gets rotating picnic tables, two 11.6-inch TVs, two removable 5.5-inch touchscreen control panels and even a refrigerator.

At the front, the dashboard is upright and quite slab-sided, but it features soft-touch materials all around with woodgrain and brushed aluminum finish. It gets two 12.3-inch displays – one for the infotainment and another for instrumentation. The multi-function steering wheel gets a unique design that's shared only with the Century sedan. The SUV also gets an 18-speaker sound system, wireless phone charger, digital rear-view mirror and heated steering wheel among other creature comforts.

Toyota Century SUV powertrain

The Century SUV, unlike the sedan, does not get a V12, and Toyota has instead opted for a 3.5-litre, V6 petrol engine with a plug-in hybrid setup that's good for 406hp. This is paired to an 8-speed automatic gearbox that sends power to all four wheels. Toyota claims the Century SUV has an all-electric range of up to 69km, according to the Japanese WLTC. When the battery is depleted, it has an average hybrid fuel consumption of 7 litres per 100km.

It gets a range of drive modes that include Normal, Eco and Sport, but the highlight is a ‘Rear Comfort’ mode that distributes the driving and braking force in a way that doesn't disturb rear passengers, according to Toyota. It also gets four-wheel steering that’s claimed to provide “easy handling” at low speeds, and “seamless, natural handling” at medium-to-higher speeds.

Toyota Century SUV: India launch timeline

Toyota and Lexus have been proactively introducing their global models in India within weeks of their international debuts; examples include the Vellfire and upcoming Lexus LM MPV. The Century SUV, however, will only be sold in Japan initially, and could launch in other regions in the coming months. Toyota could introduce the Century SUV in India to lure potential luxury SUV customers from brands like Bentley, Range Rover and Mercedes-Maybach, among others.