Toyota Century SUV offers untold backseat luxury

Developed under the concept of “the chauffeur”, the Century SUV isn’t likely to serve up many driving thrills, although it does get a 3.5-litre hybrid V6. It is said to operate like an electric car in town with good old combustion to fall back on at higher speeds: four-wheel steering and a Rear Comfort mode, which provides butter-smooth braking, round off the technical highlights. 

Much like the Century saloon, back-seat luxury is the SUV’s raison d'etre. The two cars share the same DNA, with the SUV getting a bodyline that mirrors the shape of its saloon-car namesake.

Up front, you get a Chevrolet Escalade-style grille, stacked headlights similar to those on the Genesis GV80 and an overall bluff shape like a Rolls Royce Cullinan, an imposing design language that carries through to the rest of the car ending with its generously proportioned rear-end. Highlights include the mirror-finished chrome and hand-engraved Phoenix emblem. 

The magic happens inside, starting with a laminated glass window that completely separates the back seat from the luggage compartment to “achieve the privacy and astounding quietness associated with chauffeur-driven vehicles”.

Back seats that fully recline make full use of the cabin’s relaxing ambience, and the Century gets a minibar and separate touchscreen controls for the back seat – all but mandatory in the world of the super-luxurious SUV. 

The stereo, meanwhile, is said to have incorporated the “finely-honed auditory sensibilities and exemplary techniques of a musical instrument manufacturing master” into its design.

Even getting in is a luxurious experience helped by doors that open 75 degrees, retractable steps, the car’s flat floor, and C-pillar grab handles. 

The Crown’s projected sales figures arguably make it the most luxurious of all – Toyota expects to build just 30 a month, a mere handful in the context of its Rolls Royce Cullinan and Bentley Bentayaga rivals.