Toyota Century - Perhaps the MOST EXQUISITE car we've ever seen!

This week we review what very well could be the most exquisite car we've ever seen - the Toyota Century.

Every square centimetre of this car has been built with the highest level of detail and precision possible. And, 20 years on it doesn't look like it's aged a day!

What did you think? Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below and don't forget to subscribe to stay up to date with all of out latest content!

00:00​​​​​​​ - Intro
00:23 - What is it?
03:11 - What's it like to drive?
05:32 - How's the interior?
13:46 - Tech & safety?
14:53 - What goes wrong?
17:31 - How much is it?
18:20 - Fuel use, warranty & servicing
18:41 - Should you buy it?

#toyota
#toyotacentury
#japanese

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At ReDriven, we’ll be taking you through the pros and cons of a huge range of used cars to see how well they’re going now that they’re a few years old, have thousands of kilometres on the clock, and are coming toward the end of their warranty, or maybe don’t have one at all.

Plus, thanks to our resident mechanic, Jim, you’ll find out what commonly goes wrong with them and what might need to be fixed.

Most importantly, we want to make ReDriven a voice for the most in-the-know used car experts there are...you guys.. See, you’re the ones that actually buy, live with, love and sometimes unfortunately hate the cars we’ll be reviewing.

So we want to hear your thoughts. Hit us up in the comments, or on Instagram and Facebook.

We’d love nothing more than for you to give us as much feedback as possible, so we can make this channel the best it can be.

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[lusdmnu]

I am Japanese. In Japan, Century is a symbol of wealth.
Toyota chooses who buys a Century.
Century is basically a rich person and official car.
So they're taking care of the Century's engine.

[richardsmith]

Wool seats, now that really is luxurious. Peasants love their slippery, hot, sticky leather and I wish quality cloth was available for everyone.

[s]

Wow. You're beginning your JDM coverage with the Century. Way to go!

[dbanbury]

The Century has the appearance of a mafia boss car and looks like it commands respect, whereas the other brands are driven by footballers and bankers.

[TheNoisyNinja]

My wife (Japanese) best friends parents have a 2005 Century, and it's always a treat when going for a ride in it.

[darrengiggins]

I own one in the UK 🇬🇧. The best car I've even driven and likely I ever will. Attracts a lot of attention at every car show. Phenomenal.

[danmccarthy]

Oh hell yeah. I'd go with a Century all day every day over a German or British rival. And I'm super psyched to finally see this review after pretty much watching it come together in the comments section of a previous video. I had a feeling you were going to dig the hell out of this car and I loved watching you enjoy it.

[gureno]

In terms of issues -

Exterior wise, alot of them suffer from rust at the base of the rear window due to an issue in the rear gutter/seal design. You'll see this with minor bubbling occurring around the rear window. This is a big job to fix properly.

Interior wise, alot of issues with seat motors, such as headrests etc. This is also alot of fun to fix.

Engine/driveline wise, they are old, and present various issues from airbag suspension failures to simple component failures that can some times be an issue to diagnose as no OBD2 plug in computers work with them and can't read fault codes.

Additionally there are essentially two major variants in this body style. 2004+ onwards all have 6 Speed Automatics and cooled seats, and LED lights amongst other modern touches. The 6 speed also greatly improves hwy cruising as it drops the revs considerably over the 4 speed.

[jackmehoff]

i was told being selected to work on the assembly line for these cars was seen as a great honor and prestige among Toyota engineers of the day, great video as always btw

[ultimateiphonedng]

The Century is incredible, love em and have almost pulled the pin a couple of times in the last few months.
Fun fact, in Japan you can park a Century almost anywhere and be left alone by the Authorities. Whilst in Tokyo a few years ago I saw several Centuries parked in no park zones, even in Ginza, no issues at all.
The Century is truly revered in Japan, probably the ultimate automotive statement.

[KrAUSerMike]

Fact is the finish is not polish, it's Lacquer. The reason being so if you're getting out of the rear seats you can check yourself one last time with the reflection in the C pillar.
Also it's applied by a Toyota certified 'Master Craftsman'. The whole car is made by 'master craftsmen' for each piece.

[harrisonbrazel]

I’m all for sporty and nimble little cars, but there’s just something about a century that is so absolutely beautiful. Definitely a dream car of mine

[Ummo]

Century is purebred class and sophistication with reliability. No other can compete. Maybach nor RR, this is absolute passion invented on wheels. Love it!

[alexleishman]

I couldn’t help but think that rear legroom looked dismal for a limousine. And then you moved to the other back seat. Mind. Blown.

[Santos.Sarmento]

Dear Adam, thank you for this special and spectacular video. I've known Century since the 90s and I believe that, at least for attentive enthusiasts, it began to be noticed after films like “Lost in Translation” (2003) and “Outrage” (2010). I watch and read everything I can on the subject and I almost always learn something new.
But what makes this car especially rare is the gear shift on the steering column. A must!
Greetings from Brazil.

[BennysCustomWorks]

Common exterior issues;
Guard mirror bases become brittle and break causing the mirrors to sag.
Aluminium window frames discolour/ oxidise

Interior; centre console hinging lid latch breaks,

Mechanical issues;
Rocker covers leak flat out
Coil connector plugs break
Transmissions can fail.
Air shocks blow out

Things to look out for;
Rear pollen filter has no aftermarket option and genuine toyota is approx $400 aud

Other info;
It is platform shared with the Lexus LS400 / Toyota Celsior UCF2X series so brakes, suspension ( coil spring conversion or air shock replacements) rear diff, all suspension arms etc can be sourced locally.

[paulanderson]

Your reviews and content are perfectly judged. The balance of sheer objectivity and subjective opinion is superb. There are many journalists, not just in the motoring world, who could learn a lot from you. Nice stuff.

[Rik_B_]

I believe the tubular pouch in the boot was for a feather duster to keep the Century clean

And not just any old feather duster. It was ostrich feathers.

Oh yes, Ostrich!

[RichieRouge]

I adore these. And the quality would walk over anything premium from Europe. Period. A Merc S-Class would fall apart and have electrical failures after 10 years. Awesome video of an awesome car. I’d buy one in a heartbeat over anything else.

[colexoible]

just an extra note for Toyota's attention to detail. on the steering column there is a magnet to hold your keys together so they don't rattle.