Toyota Vellfire

Overview

Positioned below the flagship Toyota MPV,  Alphard, the Vellfire offers out-of-the-box looks and interior packaging with a low-power generating powertrain and reduced features compared to the former. For the Malaysian market, the Toyota Velffire is offered in one variant and four paint options – black, white pearl, graphite metallic, and burning black.

Interior & Features

Step inside the Toyota Vellfire, and you will be greeted by a sophisticated and premium cabin which can put even some high-end luxury saloons to shame. As compared to the dual tone interior theme of the Alphard, the Vellfire gets an all-black theme for the cabin.

The four-spoke steering wheel, as well as the instrument console, might look simple and functional, but thankfully, these are the only staid elements in terms of design. The cascading theme for the centre console, with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and thick boomerang shaped silver panels beside it look well thought in terms of layout. Another interesting design trait of the Vellfire is the dark grey metal wood trim on the dashboard.

The Toyota Vellfire is loaded up to the brim when it comes to comfort and convenience features. The biggest highlight here is the presence of Ottoman seats with lounge-like seating and nine different configurations. Also, included in the list are moonroof and ambient lighting, which make it immensely premium in feel.

Exterior

Compared to other conventional looking MPVs, the Toyota Vellfire employs an extrovert design language which is derived from the brand's flagship model, the Alphard, thus making it a for-sure head-turner. However, the overall design is a bit loud for everyone’s taste, and it does draw polarized opinions, especially for people who are used to conventional MPVs.

At the front, the Toyota Vellfire showcases is a massive chrome silver finished grille, which is a mish-mash of large and wide silver slabs and horizontal chrome slats within a large inverted trapezoidal housing. The fragmented theme for the main full LED headlamps look distinctive and go well with the boxy design of the vehicle. The triangular housings for the fog lamps surrounded by chrome is another premium touch to the front fascia.

From the sides, the inspiration from the Toyota Alphard is very evident, with the prominent design bits like oddly shaped side glasses with chrome garnish, door mounted rear view mirrors, sliding doors chrome door handles, machined alloy wheels, and a short bonnet.

At the rear, the squarish profile gives a typical van-like profile to the Vellfire, however, the horizontally laid clear LED tail lamps along with the thick chrome garnish at the centre look very premium.

Ride & Handling

With luxurious and comfortable captain seats on offer, the Toyota Vellfire is an extremely comfortable and cocooned place to be in. The vehicle is fitted with the same suspension like that of the Alphard – MacPherson struts at the front and double wishbone setup at the rear, which are tuned on a plusher side to make the ride quality soft. However, the boxy design definitely translates into a considerable body roll at higher speeds.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

The only petrol engine on offer for the Toyota Vellfire is a 2.5-litre dual VVT-I four-cylinder mill. Coupled to 8-speed automatic transmission, this engine is able to produce 180 PS of power and 235 Nm of torque.

Braking & Safety

The Toyota Vellfire is fairly equipped with high-end safety features like surround airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, vehicle stability control, blind spot monitoring system, rear cross traffic alert, and hill launch assist.

Verdict

With the Vellfire, Toyota has managed to offer the premium exclusivity of the flagship Alphard at a lower price. The Vellfire does get fewer features and seating configuration compared to Alphard but offers the same level of luxury with its sportier all black interior theme. The boxy and quirky design of the Vellfire will take some time to get used to, though. This essence of luxury of the Vellfire is further enhanced by the plush ride quality, thus rounding up the overall package.