2016 Toyota Alphard and Vellfire
(Malaysia)
A formality at this point, UMW Toyota
has officially launched the 2016 Toyota Alphard and Vellfire MPVs in Malaysia.
The debut of the new-generation models (third-gen Alphard, second-gen Vellfire)
have been a long time coming, with the company first announcing their arrival
back in January this year.
The prices remain unchanged from what was announced at the start of June. For the Alphard,
two variants are offered, starting with the Alphard 3.5 at RM 408,327 and
Alphard 3.5 Executive Lounge at RM 505,626. As for the Vellfire the sole 2.5
variant is priced at RM 345,142. All prices mentioned here are on-the-road
without insurance, and include a five-year/unlimited mileage manufacturer’s
warranty.
Focusing our attention to the Alphard
line-up first, both variants are powered by the 2GR-FE 3.5 litre V6 engine that
provides 271 PS at 6,200 rpm and 340 Nm at 4,700 rpm, driving the front wheels
via a six-speed automatic with sequential shifter.
On the outside, the Alphard’s
unmistakable grille is a defining design that differentiates it from the
Vellfire. Standard equipment fitted here include auto-levelling LED headlamps
(with cornering lamps and LED DRLs), a rear spoiler with integrated LEDs, fog
lamps (front and rear), front moonroof and rear sunroof. The Malaysian-spec
Alphard will not get the Aero body style, but benefits from Aero wheels that
measure 18 inches in size, wrapped with 235/50R18 tyres.
Inside the seven-seat Alphard 3.5, the
2-2-3-configuration seats are upholstered with beige leather, with the second
row featuring captain seats. Ottoman leg rests are fitted to these seats, as
well as on the front passenger seat as well. Accessing the vehicle’s interior
can be accomplished via the powered sliding doors and boot, the latter for
cargo.
In terms of kit, you’ll find a 7-inch
DVD-AVN touchscreen infotainment system with navigation and eight speakers,
rear 10.2-inch entertainment screen (with remote control and wireless
headphones), triple-zone air-conditioning system (with separate blower and temp
controls for the rear), Panasonic nanoe filtration technology, 16-colour
ceiling illumination, as well as a four-spoke, leather-wrapped, multifunction
steering wheel garnished with brown wood-grain trim.
If you opt for the Alphard 3.5 Executive
Lounge, more goodies are to be had, beginning with premium semi-aniline leather
upholstery for the seats (available in either beige or black). Passengers in
the second row will also be seated on VIP powered seats that not only come with
a more elaborate Ottoman function (telescopic length change and power lift up) but
also seat air-conditioning.
The entertainment system setup also
differs, with an 8-inch DVD-AVN infotainment unit, 17-speaker JBL audio system
and a rear 9-inch entertainment screen (with Blu-ray playback). Elsewhere, an
electro multi-vision (EMV) display, a VIP wood-grain steering wheel and are
added to the cabin.
Moving on to the Vellfire, the sole 2.5
offering comes with a 2AR-FE 2.5 litre Dual VVT-i four-cylinder petrol engine,
which outputs 180 PS at 6,000 rpm and 235 Nm at 4,100 rpm. Power delivery to
the front wheels is handled by a CVT in this instance.
Similar to the Alphard, the Vellfire
does not come with Aero body style, but will have 18-inch Aero wheels (with
235/50R18 tyres) fitted as standard. Exterior features remain almost identical
to the Alphard as well – auto-levelling LED headlamps (with cornering lamps and
LED DRLs), a rear spoiler with integrated LEDs, fog lamps (front and rear),
front moonroof and rear sunroof.
It’s the same case for the interior as
well, with the same interior specs as the Alphard 3.5, but with a few minor
differences. For starters, the Vellfire adopts black rather than beige (with
grey headliner), with black wood grain trim applied to certain areas.
As for safety, both the Alphard and
Vellfire, regardless of variant, gets seven airbags (front, front side, curtain
and driver knee), VSC, traction control, ABS, Hill-start Assist and parking
sensors (front and rear). Colour options include Luxury White Pearl, White
Pearl, Silver Metallic and Black for the Alphard, while the Vellfire can be had
in Burning Black (deep purple), White Pearl, Silver Metallic and Black. All the
cars here get space saver wheels.
If you’re questioning whether you should
purchase either MPV from UMW Toyota or a grey importer, these officially-imported
vehicles have been customised for our local environment – engine, ECU and
suspension. UMW Toyota also provides customers with 10 years of guaranteed
parts availability after the model run-out, and the necessary equipment to
service them.