10 OF TOYOTA'S MOST LUXURIOUS CARS THAT NEVER WORE A LEXUS BADGE

Toyota has fostered a reputation worldwide as one of the world's most dependable and comfortable brands - and equally so for its affordability. Many may not know the company does have a luxury side, too. We're not talking about Lexus either, but full-blooded Toyotas that have given some of the world's most illustrious luxury automakers a run for their money. Many of these models have been held captive just for its home audience of Japan, but every so often the company has felt it necessary to let these models leak to other parts of the world to let us know just what we're missing.

To highlight this, we take a look at ten of the most luxurious Toyota models that never wore a Lexus badge. These models stretch from full-sized luxury sedans to small, two-door sports cars, and beyond that, have appointments that would rival the very best coming out of the US and Europe. It goes to show that the badge is simply that - a badge - and sometimes you need to move past it to really appreciate what an automaker can offer.

Toyota Century

Starting strong, we have the venerable Toyota Century. The Century is the epitome of Japanese luxury, often referred to as the "Rolls-Royce of Japan," and for good reason, as it has every bit the craftsmanship as the models coming out of Goodwood. The model can trace its roots back to 1967, when the first generation was designed as a model for Japan's elite, including government officials and royalty, and remained almost unaltered for nearly 30 years.

Every aspect of this car exudes understated luxury, from its hand-assembled components to its wool cloth interiors, which are preferred over leather for superior comfort. The second-generation Century, equipped with a 5.0-liter V12 engine, remained in production for nearly two decades, starting in 1997. The latest version, which arrived in 2018, eschewed the V12 in favor of a 5.0L V8 hybrid system, offering a smooth, whisper-quiet ride.

Toyota Sequoia

While the Sequoia hasn't been associated with luxury in the past, the new version is changing that opinion. With its highest trims, such as the Platinum or Capstone version, the Sequoia combines rugged capabilities with a suite of luxurious features, and for 2025, an even more unique 1794 Edition has been added with distinctly American touches.

Inside, you’ll find premium leather seating, heated and ventilated seats, a high-end JBL sound system, and even real wood trim on certain models. For 2025, the model also adds massaging seats, an option usually only reserved for something coming from Cadillac or Mercedes, not Toyota. The Sequoia has confidently taken over the flagship role left by the death of the J200 Land Cruiser, and it's done so in style.

Toyota Avalon

For over two decades, the Toyota Avalon was the brand's flagship sedan in the United States, and it earned that position by being the largest, most comfortable, and most well-appointed sedan that the company offered with a Toyota badge here. It offered a near-luxury experience with its smooth ride thanks to an available adaptive suspension, spacious interior, and high-end amenities like premium leather upholstery, wood trim, and a premium JBL sound system.

Between 2019 and 2022, it peaked, delivering a refined driving experience and offered most owners everything they wanted, but its place at the top meant it competed with models like its corporate cousin, the Lexus GS, and that offered just enough more to negate its existence. Still, don't sleep on the Avalon if you're looking for premium on the cheap.

Toyota Vellfire/Alphard

While we have slowly been moving away from minivans here in the US, in other parts of the world they're still a big deal, and the Toyota Vellfire and Alphard stand out as symbols of opulence and comfort, particularly in Asia. These models aren't just designed for comfort, they're meant to be rolling lounges, featuring reclining captain's seats with footrests, extensive ambient lighting, and even options like a refrigerator or massaging seats to ensure that your backseat passengers are as comfortable as possible. Given how easy it is to get in and out of a minivan, it makes sense as an executive shuttle or a family transporter and has us wishing Toyota would consider something similar here in the US.

Toyota Crown Signia

The Toyota Crown series has long been associated with luxury, and the newest variant of the nameplate, the Crown Signia, is no different. This model joins the Toyota lineup and immediately gives buyers something to think twice about if they're considering a Lexus RX. It offers a competent, fuel-efficient ride in an attractive package, and more importantly, it comes with a cheaper price tag.

When CarBuzz drove it, we found the interior to have Lexus levels of quality, from the technology to the premium feel, and, of course, the fit and finish. The car features more sound deadening than nearly every other car in the Toyota lineup, helping the ride be very quiet as well. This model, with a few tweaks, could very easily pass for a Lexus, especially thanks to its incredible Bronze Age paint job.

Toyota Land Cruiser

The Toyota Land Cruiser J100, produced from 1998 to 2007, is renowned for its durability, off-road prowess, and the first introduction of real luxury features to the Land Cruiser lineup. Despite essentially the same car being sold as the Lexus LX, we feel the Land Cruiser deserves to be considered in its own right because it was improved substantially, and the LX benefitted, not the other way around. The J100 featured full-time four-wheel drive, with advanced systems like adjustable height control (AHC) and a Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) to enhance its capability on various terrains, features found in many expensive luxury off-roaders today.

Inside, the J100 was equipped with a spacious and upscale interior, featuring leather upholstery, wood trim, and a high-end sound system, and in Japan, it even featured the world's first-night vision detection system. With its combination of ruggedness and refinement, the Land Cruiser J100 has become legendary around the world, and it didn't need a Lexus badge to do it.

Toyota Century SUV

The Toyota Century SUV is an ultra-luxurious SUV inspired by the iconic Century sedan, and Toyota hopes it will dominate the ultra-luxury market. Powered by a 3.5-liter V6 plug-in hybrid, it offers a smooth, quiet ride with a little over 400 horsepower. This may not seem like a lot, but this is a vehicle mainly focused on comfort, and there it excels by offering individual rear seats with reclining and massaging functionality that lay almost flat, and a chassis that is made to reduce G-forces on occupants. It has suicide doors, Rolls-Royce Cullinan looks, and more technology than you can believe. It's the pinnacle of Toyota luxury, and it's so proud it's going global with it to take on the world.

Toyota Cresta

The Toyota Cresta was part of the same family as the Mark II and the Chaser, and it offered a more luxurious experience with bigger engines and more comfortable interiors. Positioned slightly higher in the market, the fourth generation saw the Cresta take big steps forward in modernization, featuring more premium materials and technologically advanced systems such as an adaptive suspension, a six-inch screen that could play TV broadcasts, climate control, and much more which were cutting edge in the early 90s. Its elegant design was complemented by a refined interior, which included leather upholstery, wood accents, and comfortable seats that soaked up the bumps. Since it was never sold here, we couldn't appreciate just how good it was at the time, but in recent years it's increased in popularity.

Toyota Crown Majesta

The Toyota Crown Majesta took the luxury of the Crown series to the next level and was on sale for nearly three decades riding on its luxurious success. It was designed to compete directly with full-sized luxury sedans from more established luxury brands, and over the years introduced a host of luxurious updates and tech-forward features that set it apart. Everything compared to the regular Crown had been improved and in 2004 it saw new features added, like the first Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management system and radar cruise control. It even had parking assistance and a pre-collision system, technology very, very few cars had back in 2004. Additional features like air suspension, premium leather seating, and wood trim, made the Crown Majesta a true luxury sedan, one that offered a driving experience on par with the best in the world.

Toyota 2000GT

The Toyota 2000GT is often hailed as Japan's first supercar and a symbol of Toyota's engineering prowess, not only putting Toyota on the map but also putting the rest of the world on notice. Produced between 1967 and 1970, the 2000GT was a sleek, stylish grand tourer that demonstrated Toyota's ability to compete with the best sports cars in the world, not only thanks to its performance but also its luxurious appointments.

It featured a 2.0L inline-6 engine developed in collaboration with Yamaha, a sophisticated independent suspension, and disc brakes on all four wheels - advanced technology for the era. The 2000GT's striking design, highlighted by its long hood, flowing lines, and luxurious interior full of wood and leather was every bit as impressive as its performance, and the prices it goes for today prove that the Toyota badge is worth just as much as the best of them.

Honorable Mention: 2025 Toyota Camry

This may seem like a weird inclusion on this list, and we get it - but hear us out. The Camry has always been the quintessential commuter - a best-seller, but not really a car known for its luxury. The 2025 model brings something else to the table, however. In our time spent with the latest Camry, we were blown away by how Toyota has upped its game - to the point that we think it decimates the Lexus ES it competes with. For that alone, we think the Camry deserves a quick mention. And, if this is what Toyota is calling the new baseline, we have the highest hopes for future models to come.

2024-09-01T05:15:50Z dg43tfdfdgfd