The Toyota Century SUV Is a Budget Rolls-Royce Cullinan With Sliding Rear Doors

For many years, the Toyota Century has held a significant position among the top-tier luxury vehicles in Japan. However, Toyota now aims to challenge the Rolls-Royce Cullinan by introducing a remarkable new addition to their lineup: the Century SUV. This extravagant vehicle offers seating for up to four individuals, boasts a sumptuous interior, and even offers the option of sleek sliding doors.

Using Toyota's flexible TNGA framework as a base, the Century SUV bears a striking resemblance to the Cullinan. Its angular design, upright frontal appearance, and robust rear pillar reminiscently evoke Rolls' sole SUV. If I were presented solely with the outline of the Century SUV, my immediate assumption would be that it is a Cullinan.

When the Century SUV is released, it will be available in two different models: a regular one and a more stylish GR-badged version. Both models only come with four seats, so a five-seat option is not available. If you are not a fan of the rear captain's chairs, then the Century SUV is not the right choice for you. However, once you step inside, you won't have any complaints because both rear seats can slide and recline just like the luxurious seats in first-class airplanes. Additionally, they come with large armrests that have dual Windows-based tablets and entertainment screens, ensuring a comfortable and entertaining experience for anyone inside.

The occupants at the front will also experience delight. The Century SUV showcases Toyota's finest interior design thus far, excluding the luxurious Lexus models. It boasts a dashboard with multiple tiers, stylish trimmings, and a sizable touchscreen infotainment system. However, the driver will experience greater satisfaction compared to the front passenger. They will have access to a powerful 406-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 plug-in hybrid engine. Toyota asserts that it can even travel a distance of 33 miles solely on electricity.

But what really stands out about the Century SUV is not its luxurious rear seats or its powerful hybrid V6 engine. The most captivating feature of Toyota's rival to the Cullinan is the extra choice of sliding rear doors. If you opt for the more dynamic GR model, it includes doors that glide backwards and outwards, reminiscent of a high-end minivan. Rolls-Royce may have thought their rear-hinged doors were extravagant, but they'll be truly amazed by these sliding doors.

Minivans come equipped with sliding doors for a specific purpose: to facilitate human entry unlike any other design. Opting for the regular model grants the convenience of rear doors that open in a conventional manner, but with an impressive 75-degree range. This wide opening eases the process for passengers in the back, ensuring they can smoothly enter and exit without causing any disruption to their impeccably fitted formal attire.

In order to ensure maximum comfort for the passengers in the back seat, the Century SUV includes a laminated glass divider which separates the rear cabin from the storage space, similar to the Cullinan. This means that even in inclement weather, when the chauffeur retrieves luggage from the trunk, the rear passengers are protected from the elements. Additionally, the driver has the option to choose the "Rear Comfort" driving mode, which adjusts the acceleration, braking, and suspension to prioritize the comfort of the rear passengers.

The sedan will not be replaced by the Century SUV; instead, both will be available for purchase. Only specific Toyota dealers will have the SUV in their inventory, and customers will have the opportunity to customize it, just like its British rivals. In Japan, the SUV will be priced at roughly $170,000 when it becomes available for sale. It is important to note that there are currently no plans to sell it in the United States, at least not at the moment. Consequently, the starting price of the SUV is less than half that of a Cullinan, while offering similar luxurious rear-seat experience, and of course, much more stylish rear doors.

Do you have suggestions? Share them with us at [email protected]