Toyota Vellfire MPV is expected to launch soon in India, to be brought into the country via CBU route

Speculations surrounding the Vellfire MPV’s debut in India have been there for long and it was even showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo. Fuelling them up, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has displayed the Vellfire at a private event domestically. It could be brought into the country via CBU (Completely Built-Up) route at least initially.

The Vellifre, on display, had all the premium exterior amenities you could see in the model sold elsewhere. The signature upright front fascia comprises of split headlamp cluster, sleek LED Daytime Running Lights, plentiful use of chrome, a wide bumper section with central air intake, small fog lamp housing and cornering lamps, sequential turn signals integrated on wing mirrors, and so on.

The central government’s decision to allow 2,500 units of any car on sale irrespective of the body type without homologation could come in handy in the Vellfire’s perspective. Capitalising on Toyota’s immense popularity in the MPV segment with the Innova Crysta, the Vellfire could be priced twice as much as the top-end Innova.

The black-themed interior’s spy shots denote the presence of a touchscreen infotainment system integrated into the centre console, layered dashboard with faux wooden trim as in the Innova Crysta, leather-wrapped steering wheel and dual-pod instrumentation.

The brochure reveals the existence of features such as heated and ventilated seats with memory, Ottoman full recline seat, twin moonroof, sunshades, ambient lighting, auto AC, individual seat tables, seven-airbags, VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management), leather seat upholstery and personal spotlights among others.

The premium eight-seater MPV on the show floor uses 2.5-litre petrol hybrid engine connected to a CVT automatic transmission and a four-wheel-drive system. It could very well be the option for India as the Dynamic Force unit with the same engine capacity delivering 218 horsepower is already used in the latest generation Camry.

The Vellfire is essentially a slightly toned-down version of the Alphard and the showcased model had cosmetic updates applied last year in Asian markets. The upper and lower parts of the 3D two-part structure have a prominent appearance while the upper headlamps have two square projectors. Other key exterior features include 18-inch aluminium alloy wheels and two-part rear end.

The seat air conditioner provides cooling air that blows up from cushion and through the backrest. The second row has individual captain seats and there are multiple USB ports and a wireless charging pad. It also comes with Digital Full Display Mirror providing a wider field of view and greater clarity. Blind Spot Detection System, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Panoramic View Monitor as an option are other notable safety technologies.