Forget LandCruiser 300 Series! Is Toyota going to go Bentley Bentayga or Rolls Royce Cullinan hunting with this new SUV?

Toyota has refreshed its luxurious Crown range with a divisive set of lifted sedans and SUVs as part of a realignment of its Japanese domestic luxury division, as well as a renewed export push for the nameplate, but the brand has even loftier expectations for its next SUV.

This is according to Japanese publication BestCarWeb, which claims Toyota will reveal an SUV version of the Century in mid-2023.

The Century, for the uninitiated, is Toyota’s Japanese flagship limousine, most famous for once sporting the brand’s only V12 engine, and being the choice mode of transport for the Imperial family of Japan.

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It sits above the Lexus or Crown brands in Toyota’s domestic lineup, currently costs from the equivalent of $225,000 AUD, and sports a hybrid 5.0-litre V8 producing 280kW/510Nm. 

BestCar is reporting that like the Crown before it, the Century must evolve for the modern era, as high-end business customers and the like are now expecting to be driven around in SUVs. It also suggests Toyota needs to start preparing Crown buyers for a more practical shape in the EV era to allow for batteries to be placed under the floor for a future fully electric version.

The publication goes on to state that it expects the new Crown model will share its underpinnings with the incoming Lexus TX - a yet-to-arrive 5.2-meter long seven-seat model for the American market which Lexus needs to replace the RX L, placing the TX between the Kluger-based RX and LandCruiser-based LX. A so-called seven-seat ‘Grand Kluger’ is also said to be on the way, to debut early in 2023.

The Century is Toyota’s Japanese flagship limousine.

This would place the new Century SUV on the primarily front-drive-based TNGA-K platform on which the current Camry, Kluger, Lexus RX, and incoming Crown Crossover. This suggests engine options including a 2.5-litre four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle hybrid, 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, or a 3.5-litre V6 as are equipped to other cars on this platform. BestCar suggests the six-cylinder with hybrid assistance would be in keeping with the Century nameplate’s history.

Will there be substance to these rumours? Toyota is in the midst of big changes to both its mainstream line-up and its most historic nameplates, while the current third-generation Century is unlikely to be replaced so early into its lifecycle, it would be unsurprising to see the brand add a second vehicle, particularly an SUV to its line-up. 

The current version of the Century entered service in 2018.

One thing we do know is Toyota has trademarked the Crown Insignia nameplate for Australia, and while the Australian division has denied immediate plans to introduce the range, it did say it is “studying the market for new opportunities”. 

For reference, the Crown nameplate used to be a sedan and wagon, but the new range of vehicles includes a crossover, ‘estate’ SUV, as well as a sedan to be released in 2023 and ‘sport’ EV model, which is yet to be revealed in production form.

Even if we do see Crown, though, don’t expect to see new versions of the Century in Australia, which has mostly been a Japanese-market exclusive.