Official distributor UMW Toyota Motor has announced that the facelifted Toyota Alphard and Vellfire are now on sale in Malaysia. Of course, we now know everything about the two luxury MPVs from equipment to pricing, so this is more of a formality than anything, but it’s news nevertheless.
As we’ve reported, the cars are pricier than before, with the Vellfire 2.5 costing RM350,800 – around RM5,600 more expensive than the outgoing model. The Alphard, meanwhile, retails at RM429,800 for the standard 3.5 litre model and RM540,800 for the 3.5 Executive Lounge, RM26,400 and RM35,100 costlier respectively. All prices are on-the-road without insurance, inclusive of a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty.
The biggest change – at least as far as the Alphard is concerned – is under the bonnet, where you’ll find a new 2GR-FKE 3.5 litre V6 with D-4S direct injection and VVT-iW. Outputs have been bumped up significantly to 300 PS at 6,600 rpm and 361 Nm of torque between 4,600 and 4,700 rpm, increases of 29 PS and 21 Nm respectively. A new eight-speed automatic transmission replaces the previous six-speed unit.
Toyota claims a fuel consumption figure of between 10.4 and 10.6 km per litre on the Japanese JC08 cycle, an improvement over the previous 9.5 km per litre. The Vellfire’s 2AR-FE 2.5 litre Dual VVT-i four-cylinder engine, making 180 PS at 6,000 rpm and 235 Nm at 4,100 rpm and paired to a CVT, has been carried over unchanged. All models make greater use of structural adhesives as well as high-rigidity glass adhesives for increased body rigidity, contributing to better handling stability and ride comfort.
Other changes are largely cosmetic in nature, with both the Alphard and Vellfire gaining a redesigned front fascia. The former receives an even more prominent full-height grille, with chrome trim that moves outward to bisect the headlights. Those headlights themselves – self-levelling LED units with cornering lights and LED daytime running lights – have also been given new internal graphics.
Meanwhile, the Vellfire gets a giant chrome plated grille and triangular fog light surrounds, giving it an even more distinctive look. Lastly, there are new tail lights (with square light guides in the case of the Vellfire) and tailgate garnish, plus sequential front and rear indicators and a new 18-inch wheel design.
Inside, there’s a new instrument cluster design, plus new standard features including a Qi wireless smartphone charger and a new digital, camera-based rear-view mirror called the full display mirror (FDM), first seen on the new Lexus LS. Front seat ventilation has also been added across all variants.
Otherwise, kit count remains largely identical, with the Vellfire coming with keyless entry, push-button start, powered sliding doors, a powered tailgate, premium security and solar window film, a dash cam, leather upholstery, ventilated and power-adjustable front seats, second-row captain’s seats with power recline and powered front passenger and second-row Ottomans.
Also fitted are a front sunroof and rear moonroof, three-zone automatic climate control with nanoe air ionisation, a DVD-AVN navigation system with a seven-inch touchscreen, a 10.2-inch rear seat entertainment screen and eight speakers, plus a black interior and dark grey Metal Wood trim. The standard Alphard 3.5 gets the same amount of kit, but with a beige interior and brown Metal Wood trim.
Meanwhile, the Executive Lounge receives wider VIP second-row seats with ventilation and foldable picnic tables. It also gets semi-aniline leather upholstery, a larger eight-inch capacitive touchscreen for the navigation system, a Blu-ray rear seat entertainment system with a nine-inch display and a 17-speaker JBL sound system. Buyers get a choice of beige or black interiors, plus brown olive ash burl wood trim.
Safety-wise, all models now get a blind spot monitor (BSM) and rear cross traffic alert (RCTA) to go with the usual seven airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist and Vehicle Stability Control (VSC). However, the Toyota Safety Sense suite of driver assists, which comes as standard in Japan, is nowhere to be found here.
A panoramic view monitor is available as a RM2,650 option, offered only on the Alphard 3.5 and Vellfire 2.5. Colour options for all models include Luxury White Pearl Crystal Shine Glass Flakes, White Pearl Crystal Shine, Graphite Metallic and Black, with both white hues costing an additional RM848.
Going the official route will result in unique specifications for Malaysian weather and road conditions, as well as regulations. These include special tuning of the engine ECU, wider outer mirrors and customised audio and navigation systems. Of course, official cars come with the aforementioned five years of unlimited-mileage factory warranty, and assured 10 years of parts availability.
Get full detailed specifications of the new Toyota Alphard and Vellfire on CarBase.my.
GALLERY: 2018 Toyota Alphard 3.5
GALLERY: 2018 Toyota Alphard 3.5 Executive Lounge
GALLERY: 2018 Toyota Vellfire 2.5
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The price still ok, considering is is new car, not recon which is in fact a secondhand car
Way too expensive and too little safety features…
Are you mad? Is a TOYOTA and the spec and features are SO SO. I’ll take the VOLVO XC90 or even the XC60 much better than this one.
If I’m so keen on 7seater I’ll take XC90. This car not VALUE for money!
But sadly, the real rich will buy this and hire a driver, they won’t buy Volvo, no matter how good XC90 is, the fact I know is, a lot buyer is happy when umw bring in this all new car, despite it might be most costly
With that price better buy a very well made premium Mercedes-Benz Vito and yet have lots of spare cash left
UMWT should bring in the Vellfire with 2.0Turbo and 8 speed auto mah. That should enhance the resale value in future since our roadtax is expensive. And the 2.4/2.5 with CVT is underpower and weak on torque.
Damn….
Too EXPENSIVE for such features, safety, performance and the brand!!
So Alfat & Helfaiya switched levels of premium?
Lol.. 351k I can get a house, install aircond, buy a king size bed and sleep comfortably.
You all enjoy yourself sleeping in this van
majority of the buyers are business owners, car is like a second home
for
them just to let you know.
hahahaha , small business owners only buy this car , millionaire buy RR , Bentley , Maserati
I have this pre-facelift vellfire, got it as a family mpv *SPIOLER, don’t get it as a family mpv*, and I’m letting those who are interested or know someone who is interested in on a few caveat with UMW vellfire. Based on the photos and descriptions, here is what I can tell;
1) It’s underpowered, it struggles and is properly audible. Going up a slope will make it scream louder than a crying hyena trying to get laid. On full load with 7 ppl, it’ll scream like a dying llama wheezing for air.
2) The gearbox is weird especially on a traffic crawl, it doesn’t know which gear to stick to, hopefully a future software update could help, since it’s cvt and the gear shift isn’t mechanical.
3) During traffic crawl the weight pulls the car back with a loud thud in the engine bay every time I release the gas pedal (without passengers), service center says there’s nothing wrong with it though.
4) The TV on the roof isn’t physically connected to the center console. You need to connect the image via miracast and audio via radio. So I could never stream videos onto the screen to keep my kids quiet on a drive.
5) The TV on the roof stays on all the time, and get toasty hot as well.
6) The rear seat doesn’t have a center headrest, even though it have the slot to fit it.
7) The car doesn’t have a seat hooks, you need to find a sturdy one, because the cheap ones I bought broke whenever someone climbs in and accidentally tug onto the hooks. (You’ll need a retractable one)
8) It doesn’t come with a 360 camera, and with the size and the skirting of this car, a 360 camera is very helpful on many cases. (dented the skirting twice already)
9) The center console is tricky to work with an andriod phone, apple on the other hand is EZ.
10) This is a really thirsty horse, avg RM180 a full tank, and can last about a week of casual driving in KL (monday to friday home and work, weekends is mall hopping), I managed to empty a tank in half a day by doing a return trip to KLIA from 1Utama then to cheras.
11) rear seats are very difficult to access especially the boys, the ottoman seat leaves a 20cm gap in between so you’ll really need to squeeze through, and the ottoman seat doesn’t go all the way the the front, so you cant access the rear seat as a normal family mpv could.
12) The ottoman seats, when it’s reclined and the ottoman up, your legs doesn’t have any space to stretch, unless you sacrifice the rear & front seats legroom. Great for chauffeuring vips, but not so with 3 boys & 1 girl… Except when you are the wife…
13) Rear seats doesn’t have speakers, unfortunately for me I’ll have to blast Ed Sheeran and whatever the boys decided to bluetooth to the front, they cant hear from the back.
14) Front passenger seat have ottomans… Don’t know why they decided to add it there but there’s ottomans… Never been used since day 1 though…
15) Wind noise is very controlled, until you hit 100kmph, Think exponential curve, silence…. then BAMM… like a build in warning system to tell me I’m going fast.
16) Remember those yellow and red stripes on the road that acts like a mini road bump? This car is perfectly in sync with the red stripes and properly irons out the yellow… In sync means bump x2…
Overall this is my personal experience with the pre-facelifted version of this car. I hope this could enlighten you to it.
On the positive note though, the ride is very smooth on the straights. And being so boxy it’s surprisingly easy to reverse park as well, as long as the lot is properly marked and sized.
Many thanks…pity those owners
Am sure those owners of Alphard/Vellfire do not need our pity as they are well off. We should pity those who can only comment but cannot own one.
Pity the owners for their poor choice in splurging for a lousy car. If only they knew other better options around them instead of default to Alfat/Helfaiya.
Honda Odyssey EXV.
Pity that toyota SA come here and downvote ur insightful ownership experience. With this kinda attitude no wonder their showrooms all empty.
This review is super helpful!
I was planning to get an Alphard, but after reading this I will think again.
Thank you kind Sir
Switched from 2007 Starex Royale to 2017 Velfire by UMW. Here’s some of my honest review.
1. To say that Vellfire is underpowered is not that entirely true. I’ve been able to achieve 180kmh with this MPV. But to say that Starex is more powerful and pulling force is significantly better than Vellfire is true. But bear in mind, this is the car that you want to cruise in, not to speed up.
2. From the audio screen to TV, are all looks cheap out. Should have just install the Japanese audio system player than using this UMW crappy entertainment system. You can’t even use the player when driving. Thats stup*d
3. Theres some weird malfunction with the keyless system. When the car is on, and I try to locked the car via the main switch, the system automatically could not detect my key. Have been consult with service centre, but it still occured.
4. NVH is terrible when high speed, but its undeniably quieter than Starex.
5. The first time I drive Vellfire, it was like driving on a hot soft butter where it glides on the road compare to the bumpy starex.
6. Yes, UMW’s Vellfire missing out a lot of safety features such as 360 camera, Toyota Safety Sense and etc.
UMW should never differentiate Alphard and Vellfire by offering limited line of each models. That is dumb.
These car should not be compared side to side with XC90, Mercedes and any other luxury cars. This is MPV, some people would just prefer to chauffeur in spacious and comfort car rather than crampy and low car.
UMW so stingy. Already selling for more than RM 350k, panoramic view monitor is not even standard.
The top-spec called Executive Lounge but does it come with massaging functions for the VIP seats?
My dream car :)
Your dream car is so cheap and low standard.
Just a Toyota only . which is a brand meant for the masses.and affordable only. Ni prestige brand..
Hiace is so much better than this underpowered dinosaur.
these mpv are nighmare to drive and park in city area as the vehicles are too bulky and clumsy.
trust me, i have driven them before…..
Owning one & driving B4 is entirely different la bro. Any vehicles this size including S-class/7 series & other large MPV’s needs time to get used to.
That’s why the 360 degree camera is for. If U are alone, take the LRT/MRT/Grab to save time finding a parking lot.
You should learn how to drive or park.
Will the 2019 Alpharb executive lounge be available in the United States?
Thank you, T. Miller