The Toyota Century SUV is just around the corner and while it was initially expected to launch with a four-cylinder, a new report out of Japan suggests that it will hit the market with a 3.5-liter PHEV V6.
Toyota’s chief branding officer Simon Humphries announced the Century SUV during a presentation for the new Alphard and Vellfire back in June. While those attending the event were only shown a darkened teaser image of the vehicle, they were able to quickly notice the new model will have similar dimensions to the Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
The new version of the Century is widely anticipated to be built on Toyota’s TNHGA-K architecture used by the likes of the Toyota Alphard / Vellfire, Lexus LM, and both the Toyota Highlander and Lexus TX. Unfortunately, the V8 of the Century sedan will not be retained and Bestcarweb suggests the SUV will receive the same powertrain as the flagship TX 550h+. That means a 3.5-liter plug-in hybrid V6 that produces 406 hp and comes coupled with an 8-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels.
Read: New Toyota Century SUV Confirmed To Debut Later This Year
Beyond its engine, we know that the Century SUV will be sold exclusively with two rows of seats and that its wheelbase will be 50 mm (1.9 inches) longer than the Lexus TX, measuring 3,000 mm (118 inches). This long wheelbase, as well as the high roof line, will give the Century SUV a much more spacious cabin than the sedan and should prove particularly popular with customers.
As for pricing, CarScoops understands the Century SUV could start at around ¥15 million (~$105,000) which will make it cheaper than the Century sedan which starts at ¥20 million (~$140,000). It is expected to be unveiled before the end of this year and will likely be offered in various markets outside of Japan.
