Toyota Vellfire

Toyota Vellfire 2.5 – Overview

The name Vellfire is derived from “velvet” and “fire” to emphasize the vehicle’s cool and passionate characteristics.

When launched in 2008, the Toyota Vellfire (G/ANH20 generation) was separated from the sister Toyota Alphard by exterior features as well as interior colour, where the Toyota Vellfire accentuates “power” and “innovation” while Alphard highlights “elegance” and “refinement”.

Sales location of both vehicles in Japan were also differentiated back then- the Toyota Alphard was offered in the larger Toyopet dealerships, where it was sold alongside premium vehicles such as Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Harrier and Toyota Crown.

The Toyota Vellfire was meanwhile made available exclusively at Netz dealerships, where the target customers also shopped for trendier vehicles such as Toyota Vitz (Yaris), bB, Toyota Auris (Corolla hatchback), Toyota Voxy and Toyota Wish.

As such, the Toyota Vellfire only came with a black interior and premium fabric seats were used even in the 2.4Z variant.

Toyota Motor Corp. realised the demand for the luxury MPVs outside of Japan made a really strong business sense, as such, both new generations of Toyota Alphard and Vellfire were introduced globally from 2016. UMW Toyota, the Malaysian distributor of Toyota vehicles, immediately offered the second-generation Toyota Vellfire (AGH30) alongside the new Toyota Alphard.

At the price of RM367,881, there are no competitors to steal market share from the Toyota Vellfire. Nissan did offer the Elgrand 3.5 for a brief period and has long been unavailable in their showrooms. The Honda Odyssey is a segment smaller and with a lot less features for the driver and passengers.

Toyota Vellfire 2.5 – Exterior

The Toyota Vellfire and Toyota Alphard are the same vehicles, with key exterior differences separating the product attributes. For Malaysia, the powertrain defines the product attribute too.

The key styling direction for the Vellfire is boldness, with the characteristic dual-LED headlamp layout and the accompanying grille with horizontal bars finished in dark chrome. The tail lamps meanwhile are in smoked lens (not the usual rear) and similar to the front, a large horizontal smoked chrome decorative panel connects both tail lamps.

Daytime running lights are standard and both front and rear signal lights have sequential lighting features.

All these are under the design concept of "Cool Tech" which strengthens the distinctive cool and modern taste, giving a unique identity to the Toyota Vellfire. The Toyota Vellfire also comes with the option of an exclusive colour called Burning Black Crystal Shine (Glass Flake).

There are also two sunroofs fitted on the Toyota Vellfire. Both the sliding doors are powered, together with the tailgate. Dual-tone wheels measuring 18-inches are wrapped with 235/50R18-sized tyres.

Toyota Vellfire 2.5 – Interior

The Toyota Vellfire 2.5 is a seven-seat luxury MPV. The second row features two individual captain seats with power adjustments and Ottoman support, while the third row is a 50:50 split folding seat with sliding and store-away function.

A unique feature in the Toyota Vellfire is the fully digital rear view display mirror.

Instead of a traditional mirror, a camera mounted on the rear windscreen displays a live video feed of the rear of the vehicle. This feature is useful as occupants in the back seats can block the driver’s rearward visibility. The camera-based system also provides a much better field of vision plus better visibility in the dark or rainy weather.

The front passenger of the Toyota Vellfire is also treated to higher comfort levels than many premium SUVs and sedans at the RM370,000 price point. The passenger’s seat has heating or cooling function as well as an Ottoman feature, in which the seat can recline and support the legs.

Black leather covers the seats of the Toyota Vellfire 2.5, with dark grey metal wood trim placed at strategic areas such as the steering wheel, centre console, door panels and lining the storage boxes.

The third row is however similar to many smaller MPVs such as the Innova, in which the seat is split 50:50 and folds to the side. There is quite a large gap when both seats are being used/folded down, with both the hinges exposed to the lower back of the occupant. It doesn’t feel comfortable for anything over 20 minutes of travelling.

Toyota Vellfire 2.5 – Features

Ambient lighting, up to 16 colours, is fitted to the ceiling to provide a more sophisticated and understated-luxurious interior. Rear occupants in the Toyota Vellfire 2.5 also have a full-featured automatic air-conditioning with Nano-e air purifier, with the air vents and reading lamps neatly placed next to the ceiling illumination.

A ceiling-mounted entertainment display measuring 10.2 inches allows passengers to watch videos. The individual captain seats on the second row of the Toyota Vellfire 2.5 have power adjustments as well as the ottoman feature. The headrest also supports the head and neck a lot better than regular seats thanks to the extended padding.

To further aid with privacy, manual sunshades are built into the sliding doors as well as the windows for the occupants in the third row. Unfortunately, USB charging ports are not fitted to the seats, instead, at one of the three accessory ports at the bottom of the centre console. A wireless smartphone charger is hidden under the front armrest.

Toyota Vellfire 2.5 Safety

The Toyota Vellfire 2.5 has been updated with the full suite of Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) advanced driver assistance systems during the update timing in early 2020. This includes dynamic radar cruise control at all speeds (the system can slow down and stop as it approaches a stoplight following the vehicle in front), lane tracing assist with steering assist and pre-collision system.

There are seven airbags, including a driver’s knee airbag in the Toyota Vellfire 2.5. Included in the TSS suite is the parking support brake, where the safety system will automatically apply full braking force, forward or reverse, if a collision is likely to happen during the parking process.

Speaking of parking, visual assistance is aided by the panoramic view monitor (PVM) where a bird’s eye view of the vehicle is projected onto the infotainment display.

Toyota Vellfire Infotainment

The Toyota Vellfire 2.5 comes with a UMW Toyota fitted 9-inch capacitive touchscreen infotainment system. A plus point is that the system has Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity. However, the screen is not sufficiently sized, as there is a thick bezel between the display and the surround of the centre console.

Toyota Vellfire 2.5 – Powertrain

Toyota Vellfire 2.5 Engine

As per the model name, the Toyota Vellfire 2.5 is equipped with a naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine displacing 2.5 litres. The 2AR-FE engine delivers modest outputs of 180 PS at 6,000 rpm and 235 Nm of torque at 4,100 rpm. The engine features balancer shafts for reduced noise and vibrations and fuel delivery is via port injection.

Toyota Vellfire 2.5 - Transmission

The Toyota Vellfire 2.5 continues to use the tried and tested seven-speed Sequential Shiftmatic CVT with intelligence. The manual-mode on the shift lever allows the driver to cycle through seven virtual gears for greater engine braking or control of the engine rpm.
The CVT has been configured to improve fuel economy by selecting the highest ratio available, considering the terrain and driving input.

Toyota Vellfire 2.5 Chassis

Toyota had spent more research and development on the second-generation Toyota Vellfire, among the key highlights is the introduction of a new multi-link double-wishbone rear suspension. Thicker high-tensile strength steel plates are used together with structural adhesive to increase body rigidity and achieve a luxurious, comfortable ride with stable handling.

The tyres measure 235/50R18 in size and are Toyo Tranpath R30 type. Manoeuvring into parking lots and multi storey car park ramps is made a little easier thanks to a competitive turning radius of 5.8 metres.

Toyota Vellfire 2.5 Drivetrain

The Toyota Vellfire 2.5 is a front-wheel drive luxury MPV. There is no option for all-wheel drive in Malaysia.

Toyota Vellfire 2.5 – Driving Performance

The Toyota Vellfire 2.5 with 180 PS and 235 Nm of torque can complete the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in 11.3 seconds. The top speed is reported to be 170 km/h. A large 75-litre fuel tank allows for quite a substantial driving range.

The kerb weight (empty) of the Toyota Vellfire is 2,065 kg, as such, acceleration can be described as adequate. Having more passengers will require more throttle input to get up to speed and the CVT-type transmission is well calibrated to match the increase in engine power without too much noise.

Toyota Vellfire 2.5 – Ride Comfort

Plenty of vibration control and soundproofing materials, as well as effective placement of sandwich steel plates and an aerodynamic wind-noise reducing vehicle body shape are applied to the Toyota Vellfire 2.5. This results in a quiet ride at all speeds, as befits a luxury vehicle.

Toyota Vellfire 2.5 – Fuel Economy

The fuel consumption is rated at 8.6 litres per 100 km (11.6 km/L). The Toyota Vellfire 2.5 is one of the few Toyota vehicles sold in Malaysia that is equipped with an Idling Start-Stop system.

Toyota Vellfire 2.5 – Conclusion

The Toyota Vellfire 2.5 offers tremendous comfort for the driver, the front passenger together with the two passengers in the captain seats at the second row. There aren’t many differences in features compared to the larger Alphard 3.5 that commands close to RM80,000 more.

Quieter, less body roll is evident with the new multi-link double-wishbone rear suspension. However, the engine performance is only deemed as adequate given that the vehicle is over 2.4 tonnes once occupied with four adults.

Priced at RM367,881, the Toyota Vellfire 2.5 is a great alternative to German sedans and SUVs as the luxury MPV has more comfortable seats, easier to enter and exit plus better driving assist systems too. It is no surprise why we see so many of these around the affluent neighbourhoods where the Vellfire carries prestige, comfort and hospitality.