Toyota Vellfire Review; Living The Bollywood Superstar Life

Do you know what it common between Bollywood movie stars like Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Ajay Devgn and Anil Kapoor have in common? They all own a Toyota Vellfire. Now the car that we are talking about today, has been on sale for almost two years, but Toyota ran out of Vellfires to add one in their media fleet, because Bollywood superstars keep the sales numbers ticking. But now, we finally spent a day with what is perhaps the most popular luxury van in Tinseltown and see how it feels to be a celebrity and live the good life, with the Toyota Vellfire.

Toyota Vellfire: Design 

Now there's no mistaking the panel van design on the Vellfire. But the front end, with the rather bold and in-your-face chrome-laden grille lends a butch road presence. The slim LED headlights and DRLs along with the comically big housing for the fog lights make for an unmistakable design. Also interesting is the chrome kink on the B-pillar, which adds a touch of premium-ness to the Vellfire. 

Viewed from side, the bread-box design is plain as day for everyone to see and at the rear, is a V-shaped taillight console along with the 'executive lounge' lettering. The overall look may not be exciting, but it isn't boring either. The model is built on Toyota's modular TNGA-K platform and is just under 5 metres in length, with a massive 3 metre wheelbase, which means there's tonnes of space inside.

Toyota Vellfire: In-Cabin Experience 

Step into the cabin and you will experience a premium, sumptuous feel, like you would expect from a car that costs well over a crore. Now, there are a variety of features that will keep you comfortable when you are seated in the middle row. 

To start off with, you simply sink into the seats, which have full electric adjustment and massage function along with a few preset relaxation modes. They offer a similar experience to business class seats in flights. The middle row seats can transform into a fully reclined bed of sorts, with an extendable footrest, so that you can relax after a hard day of work. 

You also get individual moonroofs and sun blinds along with two remote control devices on the armrest of the seats, which can be used to control almost everything, be it rear seat entertainment, ambient lighting, music, shades and so on. Other features include a very old-school 14-inch screen that drops down from the roof, foldable table-top and hidden cup holders and enough charging points. There is a lot of cubby holes in and around the cabin, which will accommodate a variety and a lot of things, including tablets and work files.

The driver and the passenger have access to a 14-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto. Audiophiles will like the sound reproduction from the 15-speaker JBL system. The third row of seats will keep two adults comfy for short and not so long rides. But the access to the third row could be better.

Toyota Vellfire: Engine Specifications 

The Vellfire gets a 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder engine that makes 190.4 hp at 6,000 rpm. The peak torque output is 240 Nm. Now the powertrain is a petrol-strong hybrid unit and that means that the despite the size and heft, the Vellfire is astoundingly efficient with a 19.28 kmpl figure.

Toyota Vellfire: Driving Performance 

Now, if you do own a Vellfire, you are likely to spend your maximum time in the second row being chauffeured around. But if you do feel like driving the car, well, it does match up to the comfort. The Vellfire has a plush ride, where the suspension soaks up most undulations on the road, filtering the jolts inside the cabin. The long length and the tall stature of the car means that it takes time for it to change directions, but then it isn't a vehicle meant to offer razor-sharp handling either. So, in that sense it handles decently, although if you do corner spiritedly, you will feel the body roll. 

The response from the engine is measured and the car does pick up speed quickly if you give it the beans. Otherwise, the power delivery is linear and the performance is predictable, with no surprises. Being a strong hybrid electric vehicle (SHEV), it has a dedicated EV mode, with limited range and when there's not much stress on the engine. But the good part is that the drive is nice and quiet, even with the engine on. Although if you do floor the throttle, you are met with a nice growl from the engine.

Toyota Vellfire: Safety Features 

The Vellfire gets Toyota's safety sense package, which combines active and passive safety features like Lane Trace Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Monitor, Pre-Collision Safety, 6 airbags and a variety of electronic driver aids. These also include over 60 connected features such as - remotely switching the AC and engine on, vehicle diagnostics, emergency services, driver monitoring alerts and so on.

Toyota Vellfire: Pricing & Rivals 

Priced at Rs. 1,32,50,000 (Rs. 1.33 crore), for the VIP Executive Lounge trim, the Toyota Vellfire is definitely expensive. Now, at that price point, you have a variety of other luxury models from various brands on offer. The Vellfire doesn't have a direct rival, but the nearest model that you can consider, if you are looking for a panel van, is the Kia Carnival, which is less than half the price, at about Rs. 64 lakh (ex-showroom).

Toyota Vellfire: Verdict 

Yes, it is eye-wateringly expensive but it definitely stands out in terms of looks and the comfort for passengers is near stratospheric. Moreover, its panel van design means it offers more space than your standard luxury sedans and SUVs. Plus, there is no dearth of features on the Vellfire. It will keep you and your family cocooned in utmost comfort. 

And if you draw the blinds up, you add that mystique and aura on the road among other cars! Who knows, someone might mistake you for their favourite Bollywood superstar. I definitely wouldn't mind such a happy incident. Can I afford the Vellfire? Absolutely not! Would I love to have it in my garage, definitely yes!