By Otsile Kadiege

The Century nameplate debuted back in 1967 as Toyota’s premium chauffeur-driven car. Until then, the Japanese chauffeur car market had been dominated by Western luxury brands. Aiming for a breakthrough, Toyota set out to create a completely new luxury Japanese vehicle that could stand its ground on the world stage. The first-generation Century was built with the best technology Japan had to offer at the time. It was based on the concept of a dignified design incorporating traditional Japanese aesthetics combined with a human-centered approach to achieve outstanding quietness and comfort.

In a bid to capitalize on a rather lucrative SUV segment, Toyota has released the all-new and first-ever Century SUV which sports a perfect blend of modernity and classic looks of the Century sedan, a highly luxurious cabin with new technologies and a hybridised V6 powerplant to list a few.

Stately grandeur

The newcomer is unmistakably Century thanks the classic box-shape design with numerous modernised touches. Highlights up front include an upright design with four set-back LED headlights which flank the octagon patterned chrome grille with a Century badge nested on the centre.

It has prominent contrasting front and rear bumpers as well as side skirts. Elegant touches include chrome detailing all-round massive alloy wheels with a chrome-like finish and Century lettering on the tailgate. Like the front, the rear sports four set-back LED taillights and a rear spoiler with an integrated brake light.

The Century’s exterior dimensions are as follows: 5,205 mm length, 1,990 mm width, 1,805 mm height and has a wheelbase of 2,950 mm.

Luxurious interior

Inside, the new Century has a posh interior that seats up to four passengers. The cockpit is dominated by premium appointments and new tech like a large touchscreen for media display, a digital instrument cluster with graphics we’ve seen on the facelifted Corolla Xr range, a three-spoke multifunctional steering wheel, two USB-C slots and a wireless charging pad.

The second row seats are fully reclining with functions that allow rear-seat passengers to truly relax, including a refreshment function. Rear doors that open to a wide 75-degree angle and a sweeping cabin floor provide excellent ease of entry and exit. In addition, convenient automatic retractable power steps and easy-to-grab C-pillar grips also support natural and elegant entry and exit for rear-seat passengers.

Plug-in hybrid V6

Powering the Toyota Century SUV is a newly developed 3.5-litre plug-in hybrid V6 engine. The exact power and torque figures as well as transmission are yet to be confirmed by Toyota. It will be fitted with a four-wheel steering system, known in-house as “Dynamic Rear Steering”. It’s said to provide easy handling at low speeds and seamless, natural handling at medium to high speeds.

The 2,570kg Toyota Century will be built at Toyota Motor Corporation’s Tahara Plant. The automaker has a base sales volume target of 30 units per month.