Top-of-the-line SUV from Toyota gets two passenger door options; aimed at chauffeur-driven customers.
Toyota has released first set of details and images of the all-new Century flagship SUV. The new Toyota Century SUV is the second model in the Century luxury line-up that also comprises of the popular Century sedan which is primarily on sale in Japan only.
- Century SUV gets 3.5-liter V6 with plug-in hybrid
- Will go on sale in Japan initially
- Gets a unique lie-flat passenger seat
Toyota Century SUV: exterior design, dimensions
The four-seat Century SUV measures in at 5205mm long, 1990mm wide, and 1805mm tall, with a 2950mm 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 its passenger doors which include the conventional version that opens sideways and also a unique sliding door option, like an MPV.
As far as design goes, the Toyota Century SUV features an upright and angular stance with rounded edges. It has a prominent shoulder line that smoothly tapers off at the back. The nose is upright and the headlamps are similar in shape as the Century sedan but have two separate compartments, both replete with LED elements. The grille inserts differ from variant but what stays constant is the Century “Phoenix emblem” that takes center stage on the grille. This emblem is seen on all Toyota Century models since its inception in 1967.
Wheel choice includes standard 20-inchers or optional 22-inch alloy wheels which get similar design as the Century sedan. At the back, the Century SUV gets a slant rear glass that blends with a straight tailgate design. It gets signature LED taillamps with 3D elements with prominent Century badging right at the center. It retains the iconic two-tone paint job from the sedan. It’s available in a total of seven different exterior paint colour combinations.
Toyota Century SUV: interior and features
Aimed at the top tier luxury SUV customers, the Century SUV features a long list of creature comforts in its four seat cabin. The SUV gets power reclining side steps at both sides, its rear doors open 75 degrees and there’s a large grab handle provided in order to facilitate passenger ingress and egress. The electrically adjustable seats can fold fully flat, which Toyota claims as a world’s first. In order to make this work, the front passenger seat moves all the way forward close to the dashboard. It also gets rotating picnic tables, two 11.6inch TVs, two removable 5.5-inch touchscreen control panels and even a refrigerator.
For the front row, the dashboard is again upright and quite slab sided but features soft-touch materials all around with woodgrain and brushed aluminum finish. It gets two 12.3 inch displays upfront, one for infotainment and the second one for instrumentation. The multifunction steering wheel gets unique design and will be shared only with the Century sedan. It 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
Unlike the Century sedan, the Century SUV will not come with a V12, instead Toyota has chosen the 3.5-liter V6 petrol engine with plug-in hybrid setup which is good for 406hp. Toyota claims the Century SUV has an all-electric range of up to 69km according to Japanese WLTC testing. When the battery is depleted it has an average hybrid fuel consumption of 7.0L/100km.
It gets a range of drive modes, including the typical Normal, Eco, and Sport, but the headline is a ‘Rear Comfort’ mode that distributes the driving and braking force in a way designed not to 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” and medium-to-higher speeds.
Toyota claims the Century SUV has an all-electric range of up to 69km according to Japanese WLTC testing. When the battery is depleted it has an average hybrid fuel consumption of 7.0L/100km.
Toyota Century SUV: India launch timeline
Toyota and Lexus have been proactively introducing its global models in India within weeks of their international debuts. Examples include the Vellfire and upcoming Lexus LM MPV. The Century SUV however, will be Japan only for starters and could see its market entry in other regions in the coming months. Toyota could introduce the Century SUV in India in order to lure potential luxury SUV customers from brands like Bentley, Range Rover and Mercedes-Maybach, among others.