It's not an SUV—a completely new style of Century finally debuts

Toyota Century | The Toyota Century

A New Generation Century Unveiled, Looking Towards the Next 100 Years

Toyota has announced a new Century model with an SUV look and begun accepting orders. The Century (sedan) will continue to be sold.

Text by YANAKA Tomomi

A Chauffeured Car Meeting Diverse Needs

The first-generation Century was born in 1967 as Toyota's premium chauffeured car. In addition to its dignified design incorporating "traditional Japanese beauty," it was developed with a "people-first" design philosophy that achieved quietness and comfort, embodying the pinnacle of Japanese technology to serve the role of comfortably transporting passengers to their destinations.

It's Not an SUV—A Completely New Style of Century Finally Debuts | TOYOTA

Previous generations of the Century were also displayed at the venue.

When introducing the new model, the development team adopted the concept of "The Chauffer," recognizing the diversification of needs for chauffeured cars in recent years, with people utilizing travel time more effectively for breaks or online meetings. This led to the evolution into a new model with an SUV-like appearance.

The body dimensions are 5,205 mm in length, 1,990 mm in width, and 1,805 mm in height. Compared to the sedan's 5,335 x 1,930 x 1,505 mm, the width is 60 mm wider and the height is 300 mm taller, creating a sense of spaciousness within the cabin.

The body design is characterized by its emphasis on horizontal and vertical lines, and the meticulously sculpted "Phoenix emblem" by artisans remains. Details are finished by "Takumi" (master craftsmen) who have perfected their manufacturing, including "mirror polishing" that achieves a stunning luster on the body through thorough polishing of the paint surface.

A GRMN specification model was also unveiled.

Customization options for body color and interior are also available, making it possible to create a one-of-a-kind Century.

The interior offers a space that combines spaciousness and functionality, suitable for various scenarios.

The rear seats feature a refresh function and can fully recline. In addition to rear doors that open up to 75 degrees, a flush floor ensures excellent ingress and egress. An auto-retracting electric step and a large, easy-to-grip assist grip on the center pillar are also provided.

A notable feature is the attention to sound. The refined auditory sense and exceptional skills of artisans with long experience in instrument making have been infused into the audio development, creating a pleasant listening space reminiscent of a live performance.

The powertrain is a 3.5-liter V6 plug-in hybrid system, balancing the quietness and power befitting a Century. It functions as a BEV for daily use and an HEV for long-distance travel or when needed.

Support is also enhanced for the driver, not just for rear-seat passengers, with an improved cockpit for ease of use and the newly introduced "REAR COMFORT" mode, which enables smooth lane changes that rear-seat passengers may not even notice.

Furthermore, it is equipped with powerful acceleration performance from the motor and engine, allowing for an enjoyable driving experience as a driver's car at times.

Contributing to the comfortable and quiet ride of this Century is the newly developed "Luggage Room Separate Structure."

By reinforcing the structure of the front sections and connecting the "luggage room separator frame" to the rear suspension mounting points, body torsional rigidity and ride comfort have been significantly improved.

"Sound-insulating clear laminated glass" is used on the interior side, realizing a private space and quietness separated from the luggage compartment.