Toyota has begun transforming Century from a standalone model into an independent luxury brand. The company officially announced this back in 2025, and is now considering expanding the brand's presence beyond Japan.
The first global product was the Century SUV. It appeared in Japan in 2023 with a price of 25 million yen, and in China it is offered for approximately 1.98 million yuan (24.6 million rubles). The car is equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 plug-in hybrid powertrain, all-wheel drive, and a four-wheel steering system.
The main feature of the strategy is an extremely small production volume. Initially, Toyota planned to produce about 30 Century SUV vehicles per month, which emphasizes a focus not on mass sales, but on exclusivity.
Now Toyota is exploring new markets. In late September, Chairman of the Board Akio Toyoda arrived at an event in Detroit in a Century SUV. Toyota Chief Technology Officer Hiroki Nakajima confirmed the company's interest in feedback from the American market.
Century is positioned above Lexus. Toyota expects to gradually expand the family: the company previously showed a Century coupe concept, which should become part of the new model strategy.