Scoop! Biggest Hint the Toyota Century is Coming to Australia

Could the Toyota Century ever be sold in Australia? One fresh piece of evidence suggests it may be on the cards.

CarSauce has uncovered a trademark filing in Australia for the Century name, applied for by Toyota in recent days.

While it’s common for carmakers to trademark model names to protect the badge from being used by competitors, the Toyota Century sedan has been on sale in Japan since 1967 – so, why now?

In late 2023, Toyota introduced the Century SUV – an ultra-luxury plug-in hybrid SUV based on the same vehicle architecture as the Toyota Kluger and Lexus RX, and powered by a 3.5-litre petrol V6 engine and dual electric motors.

The Century SUV is said to have 69 kilometres of electric driving range, with a combined powertrain output of 303kW.

Weighing almost 2600kg and measuring roughly the same size as the BMW X7, the Century offers two fully reclinable heated and ventilated Business Class-style Captain’s Chairs in the second row.

The interior also features sitched leather on most surfaces, the option for ultra-wide hinged or sliding rear doors, and retractable side steps.

Toyota has also added special features to reduce cabin noise and smooth out braking.

The Century SUV is sold alongside the Century sedan – a large square-body sedan powered by a 5.0-litre hybrid V8, with previous generations using a V12 engine.

The Century has traditionally been limited to the Japanese market – a halo model sitting above the Lexus brand – however the Century SUV was conceived to be exported, with the model now on sale in China.

In 2024, Rolls-Royce sold 25 Cullinans, Bentley sold 84 Bentaygas, and Aston Martin sold 63 DBXs – all ultra-luxury SUVs.

All of which leaves the door open for Australia to potentially offer the Toyota Century SUV to Australia’s affluent buyers.

Priced at approximately AU$262,000 in its native Japan, the Toyota Century SUV could cost as much as $400,000 by the time it reaches Australian roads – a relative bargain compared to the likes of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, which is priced locally from $705,000 before options and on-road costs.

It’s expected about 20 per cent of Australia’s population will be millionaires by 2028 – however, affluent Australians have a reputation for often not wanting to show off their wealth, potentially making the Toyota Century an attractive option for many.

With production limited to just 30 vehicles per month, each Toyota Century SUV has been built specifically for each customer.