It costs 150,000 € and it’s not a Lexus: Toyota’s handcrafted SUV that threatens Rolls-Royce

10/10/2026 11:00

Updated to

10/10/2026 12:55

It’s no secret: Toyota has been manufacturing in Japan for 60 years—since 1967—and produces its own “Rolls Royces” that cost up to 152,000 €. These are the Toyota Century models, which until 2023 consisted of just one version; since then, a hybrid SUV has been added. They are far more luxurious than any Lexus—we tested their latest hybrid sedan.

Not surprisingly, these “Toyota Rolls Royces” are handcrafted and so exclusive that in 2025 only 500 units were produced; one of them was made for Japan’s Prime Minister.

Toyota Builds Two Handcrafted ‘Rolls Royces’, Both with Hybrid Engines

Toyota sells two “Rolls Royce”-like vehicles under its Toyota Century brand — which features a phoenix emblem instead of Toyota’s logo: the original Toyota Century, produced since 1967, and its third generation launched in 2018, which is equipped with a 5.0 L V8 hybrid engine producing 381 horsepower. There’s also the Toyota Century SUV.

This is a 5.2-meter-long SUV that comes with a more powerful 3.5 L V6 hybrid engine delivering 406 horsepower, along with up to 69 km of all-electric range. Ah, this SUV costs 27 million yen, equivalent to 152,000 €.

Just a few days ago, Toyota President Akio Toyoda arrived at the ceremony marking his induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame in Detroit with a Toyota Century SUV Coupé—a prototype of this SUV that is set to go into production. And keep in mind, since this hybrid SUV, which is far more exclusive than any Lexus, is not yet available for sale in the United States.

However, the final touch was added by Toyota’s technology director, Hiroki Nakajima, who told Bloomberg that this hybrid SUV from the Century series is now a “global model” and that Toyota sought “the opinions of industry professionals” in Detroit.

Toyota Wants to Launch Them in Other Markets: Will They Reach Europe?

These statements represent a public declaration of intent that Toyota is seeking to position the Toyota Century — especially the SUV version, which is partially hand-built and sold in Japan as well as China and other Asian markets — above Lexus in its luxury lineup; additionally, it aims to expand exports to more countries.

Given Toyota’s president’s statement of intent in Detroit, the United States appears to be the most obvious market... not without reason, as it is Toyota’s largest global market.

But be careful, because in Europe, Toyota might introduce the Toyota Century SUV — perhaps not on par with Rolls Royce’s Cullinan SUV, but possibly as a direct rival to the Bentley Bentayga or Aston Martin DBX. What’s its price in Europe? Those 152,000 € at current exchange rates would likely increase significantly.

That said, it’s still too early to know when this hybrid Toyota SUV will arrive in Europe, if at all. And even if it does come, whether it will eventually be available in Spain remains uncertain.