INTRODUCTION
Toyota has launched a refined and more elegant Velvet on fire, that’s what Vellfire stands for! Another useless factoid is that Toyota wanted to bring in the Alphard, the name under which this 4.9 meter long MPV is sold in most Asian markets, but another manufacturer had already registered the name and refused to give it to Toyota. So we get the Toyota Vellfire and its horizontal acres of chrome, as opposed to the Alphard and its waterfall of chrome.
EXTERIOR
Toyota Vellfire for the world. Not that long ago we liberally accused Toyota of being boring — no such criticism can be thrown the Vellfire’s way with its outrageous styling. Viewed head on it is like nothing else, vast slabs of chrome slapped across the width of the short and stubby nose, with a further protrusion of chrome in the centre that Toyota describes as a Samurai warrior’s crown. The chrome slabs are interspersed by full-LED headlights, sharply cut by said Samurai’s katana.
On the styling front everything has been thrown at the nose because the profile is a vast and slab-sided. It’s practicality over everything else, and of course more chrome — hyper chrome, as Toyota describes those 17-inch wheels. And the rear has another chrome slab across the width, so big and so shiny that all of Toyota’s test track was reflected in it. To repeat myself, this does look like nothing else, and is all the better for it. After all nobody wants to fly under the radar these days
INTERIOR
Toyota Vellfire subjects its occupants to. Unlike the Mercedes-Benz V-Class the Vellfire’s second row doesn’t swivel so your minions cannot grovel at your feet while you read them the riot act. That apart the Vellfire’s middle row is the most amazing thing stuck into an automobile. We talk of business class seats in the S-Class and 7 Series; the Vellfire is first class. These are like the La-Z Boys at home, if you have a really, really high quality La-Z Boy. Let us first slide the front passenger seat out of the way via controls on its side and then sink into the wide, comfy and plush armchairs in the middle. These chairs slide, manually and individually, while the rest of the controls are electric. A missed trick is the lack of a massage function, you only get heating and cooling. It does recline to near-flat, the ottoman (leg rest) slides out and extends to support your feet and you can really, really stretch out within that three metre wheelbase. There’s actually so much space that if you haven’t been needlessly greedy with the second row leg room, three people can fit in the third row. In fact your two big burly body guards can comfortably sit in the third row with not just enough knee, head and shoulder room but more importantly enough hip room for the heat they’re packing.
ENGINE, PERFORMANCE, BRAKING & HANDLING
There’s no diesel engine in the Vellfire and what we get for India is the 2.5-litre petrol that makes 115bhp and 198Nm, mated to a hybrid powertrain with a 105kW motor on the front axle and a 50kW motor on the rear axle. This is all-wheel-drive, but the AWD is there not for any off-roading nor any WRC-like cornering but to ensure safety and stability. The total system output is 194bhp and that makes the 2.2 tonne, primarily front-wheel-drive MPV, get a reasonable move on.
Like all Toyota hybrid powertrains, the Vellfire too gets a CVT gearbox and it gets moving silently on pure electric power. It will stay in electric mode if you’re very light with the throttle, though when the petrol engine does kick in you barely feel or hear it. The refinement is fantastic and sound insulation lovely; you’re absolutely cocooned from the rest of the world.
SAFETY
The Toyota Alphard and Vellfire have been awarded the highest rank awards in JNCAP’s safety assessment. JNCAP tested the ADAS aspect of the Alphard and Vellfire and awarded the duo with the “ASV +++” score, as the luxury MPVs from Toyota scored full points (141 out of 141).
CONCLUSION
The Vellfire is rather easy to drive, despite its sizeable proportions. Visibility is good, you sit up high, and there’s not much in the way of a bonnet in front of you. I cannot really comment on the ride quality as we only drove it on the short test track at Toyota’s factory but I suspect it will be lovely and keeping in step with the positioning and purpose of the Vellfire — and that is to pamper the boss.
Avg Ex Showroom Price | ₹ 83.49 Lakh |
Engine | 2494 cc |
Seating Capacity | 07 |
Top Speed | 170 kmph |
0-100 Speed Time | 11.3 seconds |
Engine | 2494 cc, 4 Cylinders In V Shape, 4 Valves/Cylinder, DOHC |
Engine Type | Petrol Hybrid |
Fuel Type | Hybrid (Electric + Petrol) |
Max Power (bhp@rpm) | 115 bhp @ 4700 rpm |
Max Torque (Nm@rpm) | 198 Nm @ 2800 rpm |
Max Motor Performance | 141 bhp @ 4500 rpm |
Drivetrain | 4WD / AWD |
Transmission | Automatic (CVT) - CVT Gears, Dual Clutch |
Emission Standard | BS 6 |
Battery | Nickel Metal Hydride,Battery Placed Under Floor Pan |
Electric Motor | 2 Permanent magnet synchronous Placed At One motor each on front and rear axle |
Others | Idle Start/Stop |
Length | 4935 mm |
Width | 1850 mm |
Height | 1895 mm |
Wheelbase | 3000 mm |
Kerb Weight | 2065 kg |
Doors | 5 Doors |
Seating Capacity | 7 Person |
No of Seating Rows | 2 Rows |
Fuel Tank Capacity | 58 litres |
Front Suspension | MCPherson Strut with Stabiliser |
Rear Suspension | Multi-Link Double Wishbone with Stabiliser |
Front Brake Type | Disc |
Rear Brake Type | Disc |
Steering Type | Power assisted (Electric) |
Wheels | Alloy Wheels |
Spare Wheel | Steel |
Front Tyres | 225 / 60 R17 |
Rear Tyres | 225 / 60 R17 |
Airbags | 7 Airbags (Driver, Passenger, 2 Curtain, Driver Knee, Driver Side, Front Passenger Side) |
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) | Yes |
Child Seat Anchor Points | Yes |
Seat Belt Warning | Yes |
Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) | Yes |
Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) | Yes |
Brake Assist (BA) | Yes |
Electronic Stability Program (ESP) | Yes |
Hill Hold Control | Yes |
Four-Wheel-Drive | Torque-On-Demand |
Traction Control System (TC/TCS) | Yes |
Engine immobilizer | Yes |
Central Locking | Remote with Boot Opener |
Speed Sensing Door Lock | Yes |
Child Safety Lock | Yes |
Air Conditioner | Yes (Automatic Three Zone) |
Front AC | Two Zones, Individual Fan Speed Controls |
Rear AC | Separate Zone, Vents on Roof , Individual Fan Speed Controls |
Heater | Yes |
Vanity Mirrors on Sun Visors | Driver & Co-Driver |
Cabin-Boot Access | Yes |
Anti-glare Mirrors | Electronic – Internal & Driver |
Parking Assist | Reverse Camera with Guidance |
Parking Sensors | Front & Rear |
Headlight & Ignition On Reminder | Yes |
Steering Adjustment | Tilt & Telescopic |
12V Power Outlets | Yes |
Third Row AC | Vents on Roof |
Cruise Control | Yes |
Emergency Call | Yes |
Find My Car | Yes |
Geo-Fence | Yes |
Over The Air (OTA) Updates | Yes |
Check Vehicle Status Via App | Yes |
Driver Seat Adjustment | 8 way manually adjustable (seat forward / back, backrest tilt forward / back, headrest up / down, seat height up / down) |
Front Passenger Seat Adjustment | 6 way manually adjustable (seat forward / back, backrest tilt forward / back, headrest up / down) |
Rear Row Seat Adjustment | 6 way manually adjustable (seat forward / back, backrest tilt forward / back, headrest up / down) |
Third Row Seat Adjustment | 4 way manually adjustable (backrest tilt forward / back, headrest up / down) |
Seat Upholstery | Leather |
Leather-wrapped Steering Wheel | Yes |
Leather-wrapped Gear Knob | Yes |
Driver Armrest | Yes |
Rear Passenger Seats Type | Captain Seats |
3rd Row Seats Type | Bench |
Interiors | Single Tone |
Interiors colors | Beige |
Rear Armrest | With Cup Holder |
Folding Rear Seat | Full |
Split Rear Seat | 50:50 split |
Split Third Row Seat | 50:50 split |
Front Seatback Pockets | Yes |
Head-rests | Front & Rear |
Cup Holders | Front & Rear |
Driver Armrest Storage | Yes |
Cooled Glove Box | Yes |
Sunglass Holder | Yes |
Third Row Cup Holders | Yes |
Power Windows | Front & Rear |
One Touch -Down | All |
One Touch – Up | All |
Adjustable ORVM | Electrically Adjustable & Retractable |
Turn Indicators on ORVM | Yes |
Rear Defogger | Yes |
Rain sensing Wiper | Yes |
Exterior Door Handles | Chrome |
Interior Door Handles | Chrome |
Rear Windshield Blind | Manual |
Side Window Blinds | Rear – Manual |
Door Pockets | Front & Rear |
Boot-lid Opener | Internal with Remote |
Outside Rear View Mirrors (ORVMs) | Body Coloured |
Sunroof / Moonroof | Electrically Adjustable |
Roof Mounted Antenna | Yes |
Body-Coloured Bumpers | Yes |
Daytime Running Lights | LED |
Fog Lights | Halogen on front, Halogen on rear |
Headlights | LED |
Automatic Head Lamps | Yes |
Follow me home headlamps | Yes |
Tail Lights | LED |
Cabin Lamps | Front and Rear |
Headlight Height Adjuster | No |
Glove Box Lamp | Yes |
Lights on Vanity Mirrors | Driver & Co-Driver |
Rear Reading Lamp | Both Sides |
Cornering Headlights | Active |
Instrument Cluster | Analogue |
Trip Meter | Multi-Function Display |
Average Fuel Consumption | Yes |
Average Speed | Yes |
Distance to Empty | Yes |
Clock | Digital |
Low Fuel Level Warning | Yes |
Door Ajar Warning | Yes |
Adjustable Cluster Brightness | Yes |
Gear Indicator | Yes |
Shift Indicator | Dynamic |
Tachometer | Analogue |
Instantaneous Consumption | Yes |
Smart Connectivity | Android Auto, Apple Car Play |
Integrated (in-dash) Music System | Yes |
Display | Touch-screen Display |
GPS Navigation System | Yes |
Speakers | 6+ |
USB Compatibility | Yes |
Aux Compatibility | Yes |
Bluetooth Compatibility | Phone & Audio Streaming |
MP3 Playback | Yes |
DVD Playback | Yes |
AM/FM Radio | Yes |
iPod Compatibility | Yes |
Steering mounted controls | Yes |
Voice Command | Yes |
Stand Out Features
Need Improvement
When buying a new car in general one must look for things like body panels that are out of line, or load bearing beams that seem to have been damaged. The next thing to check whether the paint is original or it has been repainted, a quick check under concealed plastic panels is a great way to check for unmatched paint. Another thing to check for is underbody rust in humid or sea adjacent areas.
A good way to check if the car has been rear-ended is by checking the boot. Flip open the spare wheel cover and remove the wheel completely. If the car was repaired after an accident the floor will have visible signs as the surface wouldn’t be smooth as it would in an undamaged car.
In the end, always remember to check for complete documentation including service records. Also, do check with the insurance company for any past claims, which will make you aware of the accidents the car has been involved in. Last but not the least, get the car checked from a trusted workshop before closing the deal.
Variants | Ex-Showroom price |
---|---|
Vellfire Hybrid
2494 cc, Hybrid (Electric + Petrol), Automatic (CVT)
|
₹ 83.49 Lakh
|
Luxurious MPV
for Toyota Innova Crysta
The word ‘luxury’ has no definite meaning. It is different for every person. For example, some might think that the five-star hotel is luxury. But this is not the case for those who live in
Body | MPV |
Fuel type | Hybrid (Electric Petrol) |
Engine | 2494 cc |
Transmission | Automatic |
Drive | 4 Wheel Drive, AWD |
Exterior Color | Black, Burning Black, Pearl White. |
Interior Color | Beige, Black, Multi-pattern |
Kilometers Driven | 16 kmp/L |