Toyota Unveils a New Century-based SUV: A Luxury Game Changer?

A new Toyota SUV was announced via YouTube streaming recently, but it was presented without a name, but it could be a new Century-based SUV.

Toyota recently confirmed a new SUV will arrive wearing the Century name, which could suggest a sub-brand for Toyota or offer evidence of a top-level SUV that could be nearly as large as the Chevrolet Tahoe. In fact, the front photos of the new SUV show split LED headlights that are loosely reminiscent of an older version of the Tahoe. Could this new Toyota SUV sit at the top of the lineup and be a global product?

A previous teaser for excitement

Toyota teased a sleek, elegant, and sophisticated SUV with bright black paint and a door handle being held by a chauffeur to allow entry to some well-dressed passengers. This teaser image sparks the imagination that this new SUV could reach luxury levels of driving. Could the new Toyota Century SUV compete with high-end models made by Mercedes-Benz and Rolls-Royce? Speaking of the latter, some of the elements teased in the original image remind us of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, which could signal this new Toyota model as a truly luxurious vehicle.

This wasn’t supposed to be an SUV

Toyota announced the expansion of the Century lineup last year during when presenting the Alphard and Vellfire minivans, but nothing was mentioned about this new Century model being an SUV. The original expectation was that it could be a new full-size executive sedan with a taller body. As things evolved from that point, the new Century transitioned into an SUV, and the result is a new vehicle that could easily sit atop the Toyota lineup to be an excellent choice for anyone looking for a high-class drive in a Toyota.

What platform is used?

The new Toyota Century SUV could utilize the same TNGA-K platform that’s shared with many of the largest Toyota vehicles. These include the Highlander and Grand Highlander SUVs, along with the Avalon and Camry sedans. Typically, the Century sedan is only sold with a V8 powertrain, but Toyota and Lexus have been moving away from these powertrains to utilize more hybrid systems in larger SUVs and trucks. This new SUV could use a Lexus-sourced PHEV powertrain, which is the direction Toyota is going with most of its vehicles.

Will the new Century SUV be exported?

The world is familiar with the Toyota Century, but it’s not a nameplate that’s sent out of Japan. This newly released information hints that the Century SUV could be exported to other markets and sold outside of Japan. The sedan is completely focused on its home market, but offering a YouTube release of the new SUV, we can guess this new SUV just might make it to various markets to be part of the luxury lineup.

Why doesn’t the SUV wear a Lexus badge?

Lexus is the luxury arm of Toyota, which brings the question of why the new Century SUV doesn’t wear a Lexus badge. For generations, the Toyota Century name has been synonymous with chauffeur-driven vehicles that take executives around Japan. This historic and classic name has enough gravitas to be respected as a luxury SUV that could be exciting and useful if it’s offered in various markets. Slapping a Lexus badge on this nameplate wouldn’t do much more than confuse the market.

The new Century SUV is stunning

This new Century SUV won’t supplant the current sedan, but it does add a bit of a more traditional feeling for this new and incredible four-door SUV that looks more like automotive wallpaper. The new SUV shares boxy headlights, the same grille, and impressive overall styling. These items combine to bring us a luxury-lade sedan wearing the Toyota badge. This could be another entry in the new wave to offer high-end SUVs that are part of mainstream brands.

Will the new Century compete in America?

Currently, we don’t know whether or not this new Toyota SUV will arrive in the United States. If it does, this new model could be positioned to compete against the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, which don’t wear any Jeep badges at all. This new Toyota SUV should sit at the top of the market as a model that’s close to luxury and even surpasses some luxury expectations. If it arrives in America, the SUV might supplant some other luxury models that have become popular in the market.

We’ll learn more as we work our way closer to the new Toyota Century SUV becoming a reality. For now, we know this is a stunning SUV, made to be a top-end executive-level SUV.