The Toyota Century is a historical name in Japan as the first premium chauffeur-driven car from a Japanese automaker. Until this car debuted in 1967, Japanese executives relied upon luxury brands from Germany, the UK, and America. Once the Century arrived, Japan had a fantastic vehicle to carry dignitaries, the wealthy, and VIPs wherever they needed to go.

Recently, Toyota announced a new Century model, which uses the traditional name but offers an SUV build instead of the regular luxury-laden sedan. Let’s see what this new Toyota Century SUV has to offer.

Is the styling right for this new Toyota Century SUV?

If you weren’t aware this new SUV was made by Toyota, you might mistake it for a high-end British model wearing the name Bentley or Rolls-Royce. This new Century SUV is a stately model with a grand design and excellent exterior style lines. This Toyota SUV features strong horizontal and vertical lines while standing taller and higher off the ground than the sedan/limousine model bearing the same name.

Looking to the front, we see a woven-patterned grille, bold square shapes, an exquisitely engraved phoenix emblem, and the mirror finish expected of a high-end luxury vehicle. Each headlight has set-back lamps, and the taillights offer a dignified appearance that finishes the overall stately look of this incredible Toyota SUV.

Going inside delivers comfort above traditional Toyota models

This new Toyota Century SUV delivers on the promise of being an executive-level SUV with all the trimmings. This new SUV has fully reclining rear seats, making the area where most VIPs ride more comfortable. There’s a refreshment function to massage the passenger and ready them for their next meeting. The cabin is adorned with high-class materials and finishes, making this SUV a great place to have a one-on-one meeting when required.

The audio system is incredible, allowing passengers to listen to their favorite motivational music or relaxing sounds when the day is over. The rear doors open to 75 degrees to enable easier entry and exit, especially when arriving in designer dresses and suits made to impress crowds.

Up front, the cabin has items that are made to support chauffeurs and make their jobs a little easier. The space allows drivers to focus, and the task at hand and can be a great place for Toyota Century SUV owners to take the wheel when they don’t have a hired driver at the helm.

The new Century SUV has a hybrid powertrain

The hybrid powertrain found in this new Toyota SUV is more than a traditional hybrid; it’s a plug-in model. This means the Century SUV provides some driving using only electric power from the hybrid batteries. For longer drives, the 3.5-liter V6 engine takes over and continues the ride to the destination.

In addition to an excellent hybrid powertrain, the new Century SUV has Dynamic Rear Steering, which makes it easier to handle this SUV at lower speeds. A Rear Comfort mode supports the driver’s controls to ensure the rear passengers have the most comfortable ride on any road.

Are we missing out without the Toyota Century SUV?

Could the Toyota Century SUV make its way to the United States? The Century name has been around since 1967, and it has never made its way to North America to be sold to high-end executives and VIPs in this market. We’re certainly missing out on a comfortable, impressive, and high-class SUV without the Century, but it’s not the first vehicle that won’t make its way to the United States, and it won’t be the last.