Toyota launches new 2024 Century luxury SUV in Japan

Is it possible to out-Rolls a Rolls-Royce? It seems to be Toyota’s intention, with the launch of its all-new Century SUV. Intended solely for Japanese customers (not coming to Canada anytime soon), and primarily intended to be chauffeur-driven, the Toyota Century SUV features a newly-developed plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system with V6 engine and all-wheel-drive.

The plans are to make just 30 vehicles a month, and the starting price is the equivalent of about $231,200 in Canadian loonies, including Japan’s consumption tax. Of course that’s just the beginning, and while customers will initially be able to option the Century to their preference, the plan is to eventually allow them to “create a one-of-a-kind Century that will be crafted by master craftspeople,” similar to the “bespoke” cars that Rolls-Royce buyers can have made-to-order.

The “Century” name has been used on three generations of sedans, starting in 1967, and with the latest update in 2018 — and its hybrid system uses a V8 engine. Toyota said it will launch the SUV in 2023 and sell it alongside the Century — of which a maximum of fifty sedans are made each month, at a Canadian-equivalent price of $181,330.