Toyota Century 2nd Gen V12 (1997-2017) Expert Review

The second-generation Century is one of those cars that refuses to shout, which is rather the point. While almost every luxury manufacturer spent the 2000s making its flagship increasingly aggressive, Toyota made the Century look like an exceptionally expensive piece of furniture. It is tall, square, enormous and almost completely uninterested in fashion.

At 5.27 metres long, it has the physical presence of a limousine without the visual theatre of a German executive car. The upright grille, formal roofline, long rear doors and Phoenix emblem communicate authority rather than sportiness. In Bangladesh, where large Japanese luxury cars usually arrive wearing oversized wheels and questionable body kits, an original Century has a rather magnificent sense of restraint.

The details are where the craftsmanship becomes apparent. Chrome is used carefully, the body lines are deliberately conservative and later cars gained LED rear lighting without ruining the traditional design.

The obvious problem is size. This is not a car for squeezing through narrow Dhaka lanes with confidence. Parking requires space, and the low-ish ground clearance means speed breakers need respect.

But that is also why it has such presence. A clean GZG50 does not look like an old Toyota. It looks like a Japanese state vehicle that has somehow escaped into civilian life.

The interior is where the Century makes almost every mainstream luxury sedan look rather vulgar.

Forget giant screens and carbon-fibre trim. The Century's cabin is about quietness, material quality and passenger comfort. Wool upholstery, wood trim, thick carpeting, enormous rear seats and beautifully considered controls create an atmosphere closer to a private sitting room than a conventional car interior.

The rear compartment is the star. Depending on specification, passengers could receive powered reclining seats, seat heating, massage, ventilation, footrests, independent climate controls, reading lamps, vanity mirrors, rear entertainment and navigation controls.

There are wonderful old-fashioned details too. The rear console, dedicated controls and exceptionally comfortable seating make it obvious that Toyota designed this car for people who are expected to be driven rather than people who desperately need to drive themselves.

The weakness is technology. Even the impressive Dual EMV system now looks ancient. Modern smartphone integration is absent, and USB connectivity was never designed into the car.

Yet replacing the screen is easy. Recreating this level of quiet, comfort and craftsmanship is not.

Features & Everyday Technology

The Century's equipment list is fascinating because it prioritises things that actually improve long-distance passenger comfort rather than simply filling a brochure.

Air suspension, automatic climate control, power seats, rear climate controls, premium audio, navigation, television, DVD, powered curtains and elaborate rear-seat controls were available. Later cars went considerably further, adding ventilated seats, curtain airbags, rear cameras and improved electronics.

The standout feature is arguably not an individual gadget but the philosophy behind the equipment. Toyota was trying to make the passenger's journey effortless. Even the rear reading lamps and armrest controls feel designed by someone who actually imagined spending hours in the back seat.

Bangladesh owners will eventually want modern additions such as Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and USB charging. Fortunately, these can be added without destroying the car's character if done properly.

The temptation, however, should be resisted to install a giant aftermarket Android tablet and LED lighting everywhere. A Century is one of the few cars where originality genuinely adds value.

Safety & Driver Assistance

For a luxury flagship of its era, the Century offered respectable safety equipment, but modern expectations need to be separated from historical capability.

ABS, airbags, strong four-wheel disc brakes, electronic chassis systems on later versions and eventually curtain airbags gave the GZG50 a substantial passive-safety package. Toyota also continued improving the safety equipment throughout its unusually long production run.

Later examples are particularly desirable because of the additional curtain airbags and rear camera.

But there is no modern Toyota Safety Sense system hiding underneath the bonnet. Automatic emergency braking, lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and traffic-sign recognition simply weren't part of the GZG50's technological era.

That matters in Bangladesh because modern traffic is unpredictable. The Century gives you a huge, substantial body and good braking hardware, but not the electronic safety net of a modern Camry.

For a used example, condition is critical. Air suspension, brakes, tyres, steering components and structural integrity matter far more than whether the infotainment screen looks impressive.

Driving Experience

Driving a Century is an unusual experience because the engineering priorities are almost completely opposite to those of a sports sedan.

The 5.0-litre V12 is not there to make you feel fast. It is there to make acceleration feel effortless. There is almost no drama when the throttle is pressed. The engine simply gathers speed with an extraordinary lack of vibration or mechanical harshness.

That is the party trick.

The air suspension and long wheelbase produce a remarkably calm ride, while rear-wheel drive gives the car a traditional luxury-sedan layout. The 6-speed automatic introduced in 2005 makes highway cruising smoother and more efficient than the earlier four-speed.

In Dhaka, the sheer size becomes the enemy. Narrow roads, chaotic parking, speed breakers and congestion make a 5.27-metre luxury sedan considerably less convenient than an Allion or Crown.

Fuel consumption is another reality. A 5.0L V12 drinking 4–6 km/L in heavy traffic is not a theoretical possibility; it is precisely what a Bangladesh buyer should budget for.

But on an open road, the Century makes sense. It is not trying to entertain you.

It is trying to make the road disappear.

Driving a Century is an unusual experience because the engineering priorities are almost completely opposite to those of a sports sedan.

The 5.0-litre V12 is not there to make you feel fast. It is there to make acceleration feel effortless. There is almost no drama when the throttle is pressed. The engine simply gathers speed with an extraordinary lack of vibration or mechanical harshness.

That is the party trick.

The air suspension and long wheelbase produce a remarkably calm ride, while rear-wheel drive gives the car a traditional luxury-sedan layout. The 6-speed automatic introduced in 2005 makes highway cruising smoother and more efficient than the earlier four-speed.

In Dhaka, the sheer size becomes the enemy. Narrow roads, chaotic parking, speed breakers and congestion make a 5.27-metre luxury sedan considerably less convenient than an Allion or Crown.

Fuel consumption is another reality. A 5.0L V12 drinking 4–6 km/L in heavy traffic is not a theoretical possibility; it is precisely what a Bangladesh buyer should budget for.

But on an open road, the Century makes sense. It is not trying to entertain you.

It is trying to make the road disappear.