The Toyota Vellfire luxury MPV which was previously showcased to the dealers at an event in Bangalore is now being reportedly showcased to a few prospective clients in Kolkata (Images credit – Rohin Raj Sureka? / Elite Car Club Kolkata).
Slated for a launch in a few weeks’ time, the premium people mover would be primarily targeting hospitality segment, luxury tour operators, and of course a sizable number of affluent private customers with large family to transport.
The Toyota Vellfire would be imported into India as a CBU (Completely Built Unit) and is estimated to be priced at INR 70-75 lakh (ex-showroom). At that price point, the only viable rival it has is the Mercedes V Class which is priced between INR 68.4 lakh to 81.90 lakh (ex-showroom).
The Hellfire features a loud design for an MPV with snazzy two-level LED illumination at the front. There are lot of chrome elements too. Apart from the steeply raked A-pillar things are rather boxy in the side profile but the nicely shaped greenhouse manages to make things interesting. The MPV is equipped with sliding rear doors.
The rear fascia is characterized by wraparound windshield, complementing clear-lens combination lights and a roof-mounted spoiler. Needless to say, the interior is spacious and plush with black dashboard (complemented by wooden inserts) and beige seats. We expect the India-spec version to offer 7 seats but space on offer, especially for the third roof occupants, would be better than any other 7-seater in our market.
Given the asking price, we are not surprised that the Toyota Vellfire is equipped with a lot of goodies. To name a few, the MPV has got 7 airbags, steering assisted vehicle stability control, ventilated seats, seat tables, double sunroof, tri-zone automatic climate control, powered rear doors, personal spotlights, multi-color ambient lighting, cornering lamps, electronic park brake, and so on.
Power comes from a 179 hp 2.5-liter petrol hybrid powertrain which is mated to a e-CVT. Thanks to the electric motors, the people hauler boasts of e-AWD system. The Toyota Vellfire is not expected to sell in high numbers but it is likely to have a positive rub-off on the automaker’s image as a go-to brand comfortable and premium people movers.
