New Toyota Century Is NOT An SUV, Says Its Makers

Toyota argues that the new Century SUV is NOT an SUV.

It’s been roughly a month since Toyota officially unwrapped its most luxurious SUV yet, which carries its flagship Century model nameplate too. Widely lauded to be the Japanese marque’s answer to the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, it also plans to build just 30 units of which monthly.

Recently, details of the Century SUV’s development were revealed and published through the Toyota Times corporate newsletter, and one argument by its project leader Yoshikazu Tanaka stands out – he claims that the new creation is NOT an SUV.

Project leader for the Century SUV said that the team never set out to build an SUV, arriving at this profile instead through its focus on backseat passenger experience.

“We arrived at this profile by focusing on the backseat passenger, pursuing a car that inherits the unique Century character while catering to the diversifying values of the times. From that perspective too, we never set out to build an SUV,” explained Tanaka in his feature interview for the Toyota Times.

Instead, Tanaka described the car as a “new concept for chauffeur-driven mobility.” However, given the new Century’s high beltline, massive wheel arches, and contrast-coloured body cladding it wears, many prospects would argue otherwise.

Adding further debate was chairman Akio Toyoda's recent statement suggesting that the new Century SUV will suit younger audiences too.

Moreover, what stirred further debate was chairman Akio Toyoda’s recent statement saying that the new Century “will also suit younger people” besides those “who previously felt the Century (sedan) was not for them.”

This is a surprising statement indeed given that in Japan, the new Century commands a starting price figure of JPY25 million (approx. RM792,356). It also marks a sizeable increase over the traditional Century sedan’s JPY19 million (approx. RM602,501) starting price.

Unveiled last month, the new Toyota Century SUV packs a 3.5-litre V6 hybrid powertrain setup paired with a CVT box and AWD. No word yet on a possible V8 or signature V12 option.

Questionable status as an SUV status and target market aside, what’s certain is that the new Century SUV now stands as somewhat of an ultimate status symbol of sorts as how its traditional sedan twin does. And that’s despite the fact that neither version no longer pack Toyota’s V12 mill.

Instead, both the Century sedan and new SUV sees half the cylinder count and size through a new package comprised of a hybrid petrol-electric 3.5-litre V6 mill with a rear-mounted electric motor, CVT box, and all-wheel-drive (AWD).