CarBrandLogos archive · Toyota Century · 2023

Toyota CenturyChauffeur model

A plug-in-hybrid companion to the sedan, designed around how rear passengers travel now.

Photo: Tokumeigakarinoaoshima · CC BY-SA 4.0

The story

A defining chapter in Toyota Century history.

Explore the ideas, engineering and context that shaped the Toyota Century Chauffeur model, then continue into its specifications and place in the marque's lineage.

Origins

Toyota revealed this second Century model in September 2023 and introduced it alongside, rather than in place of, the established sedan. Although its tall profile is commonly described as an SUV, Toyota's launch material called it a new chauffeur-driven model. That wording reflects the design priority: the body shape was chosen to create a more flexible and accessible rear compartment, not to turn Century into an off-road range.

1GZ-FE

Design and engineering

A 3.5-liter V6 plug-in-hybrid system drives through Toyota's E-Four Advanced all-wheel-drive system. Electric running is intended to keep many chauffeur journeys quiet, while the gasoline engine allows longer travel without depending entirely on charging. Wide rear doors, a flat floor and fully reclining rear seating make the passenger space the center of the vehicle.

1997 Toyota Century 03 · Mytho88 · CC BY-SA 3.0

In production

Toyota also offered extensive customization through its Century Tailor Made program and said the model would be available to selected customers globally, a broader ambition than the Japan-focused sedan had traditionally carried. Two years later, when Toyota launched Century as a distinct brand, this model and the sedan formed its established production range.

1967 Toyota Century 01 · Mytho88 · CC BY-SA 3.0

At a glance