Toyota Century Hybrid 3rd Gen (2018-2023) Expert Review

The third-generation Century is one of the few modern luxury cars that understands the value of restraint.

It is enormous, but it doesn't look aggressive. There are no fake vents, enormous grilles or styling exercises designed to frighten pedestrians. Instead, Toyota has taken the traditional Century silhouette and made it substantially more imposing. At 5.335 metres long and 1.93 metres wide, this is a genuinely large car, but the upright roof, formal rear quarters and long wheelbase make the proportions feel deliberate rather than bloated.

The front grille remains the visual centrepiece, while the hand-finished Phoenix emblem gives the car an identity almost nobody else in the luxury market possesses.

In Bangladesh, an original G60 would attract enormous attention precisely because it doesn't look like a typical expensive imported car. A BMW or Mercedes announces itself immediately. The Century quietly assumes that everyone important already knows what it is.

The downside is obvious. Dhaka's narrow roads, tight parking spaces and aggressive speed breakers were not designed around a 5.3-metre Japanese limousine.

But aesthetically, Toyota has achieved something rare.

The G60 looks expensive without trying to prove it.

Cabin Comfort & Practicality

The G60's interior is where the Century completely changes the rules.

A Mercedes S-Class might impress you with screens. A Rolls-Royce might overwhelm you with customisation. The Century takes another route: it makes the rear seat the centre of the universe.

The rear passengers receive power-adjustable seating, dedicated climate controls, reading lamps, a rear multi-operation panel, wooden folding writing table, magazine storage and extensive control functions. Toyota even provides a seven-inch rear control panel for operating the seats, air-conditioning and audio system.

The wool upholstery deserves special attention. It is wonderfully quiet and comfortable, and it fits the Century's philosophy far better than flashy leather.

The cabin is also exceptionally well insulated. Toyota specifically focused on sound deadening and active noise control to make the V8 hybrid powertrain nearly disappear from the passenger compartment.

The main weakness is modern connectivity. Smartphone integration is nowhere near as sophisticated as a new luxury sedan.

But that feels almost beside the point.

This is not an office with a steering wheel.

It is a private room that happens to move.

The Century's feature list is enormous, but what makes it interesting is how selectively Toyota deploys technology.

Instead of filling the dashboard with screens, the car concentrates technology where it benefits the passenger. Rear-seat controls, power reclining seats, climate control, audio, lighting and the folding writing table all make long journeys substantially more comfortable.

There is also navigation, premium audio, connected services, advanced driver assistance and modern parking support.

Toyota's 2018 equipment list included Toyota Safety Sense, pre-collision safety with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert, adaptive high beam, full-speed radar cruise, blind-spot monitoring, parking-support alert and driver monitoring.

That makes the G60 much more technologically capable than the G50 it replaced.

Still, the infotainment interface now feels old compared with a 2026 luxury car. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also not the defining strengths of the original Japanese system.

Fortunately, the Century's greatest features are not software-based.

The quiet cabin, wool seats, rear controls and craftsmanship will remain valuable long after an infotainment system becomes obsolete.

The G60 represents a huge safety upgrade over the previous Century.

Toyota equipped it with a comprehensive active-safety package built around Toyota Safety Sense. Pre-collision technology, pedestrian detection, lane-departure assistance, adaptive high beams and full-speed radar cruise control give the chauffeur a considerably stronger electronic safety net than the G50 had.

Blind-spot monitoring and parking-support functions are also available, while the vehicle uses a high-strength body structure with advanced high-tensile materials. Toyota also designed a pop-up hood system to help reduce pedestrian injury in certain collisions.

The airbag package is substantial, covering the front, sides and curtain areas.

For Bangladesh, this is important because the Century's size can create a false sense of security. A two-tonne-plus luxury sedan still needs modern tyres, properly functioning brakes and correctly calibrated safety sensors.

A damaged radar or camera system should not be ignored simply because the car still drives normally.

The G60 is one of the safest Centuries ever built, but its sophisticated electronics make professional inspection more important when buying a used example.

The G60's driving experience can be summed up with one word: effortless.

The 5.0-litre V8 doesn't behave like a sports engine. It delivers its power with the sort of calm authority you expect from a luxury flagship. The hybrid motor fills in the low-speed response, while the E-CVT keeps the power delivery exceptionally smooth.

And then there is the silence.

Toyota's engineers went to extraordinary lengths to reduce mechanical noise and vibration. Active noise control and extensive sound insulation ensure that the V8's presence is something you feel rather than hear.

The long 3,090mm wheelbase and multi-link suspension give the car a remarkably settled ride, while rear-wheel drive preserves the traditional luxury-sedan layout.

In Dhaka, this is almost perfect mechanically and slightly absurd physically. Traffic is easy because the hybrid system is smooth, but the car's enormous dimensions make manoeuvring difficult.

On a highway, however, the Century becomes something else.

It simply glides.

You don't drive a Century to attack corners.

You drive it because the destination feels less important than the journey.