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-   -   4th-gen Toyota Vellfire launched at Rs. 1.20 crore (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/268737-4th-gen-toyota-vellfire-launched-rs-1-20-crore-2.html)

Just out of curiosity, how do you feel about this buck toothed movie theatre on wheels going for 2+ crores on road?








Both of these cars still find buyers so I'm guessing we are just out of touch with what rich people want in 2023.

Vellfire demand is not that hard to understand. A luxury van is better than cars like S Class:

- with zero chance of owner driving the car, enjoying the music and things of that sort.
- in slow moving traffic or not having any high speed use case
- need for chauffeur + more than 3 passengers to travel
- buying an expensive Toyota has better social acceptance and won't ruin your image by making you look like the king of good times. Toyota is milking this aspect.
- this is a bit controversial but I believe is a strong point. In European sedans, driver seat is fabulous and the place to be in. Vans like Innova and Vellfire give the impression that driver seat is inferior and suitable for a chauffeur. Big boss seats are clearly very superior to the other seats. Chauffeur also sits very far from the big boss. We love this hierarchy of status and prefer that all the money invested is spent on the owner comfort. We buy manual transmission cars as we don't want driver to benefit from AT. While S Class is pretty spacious and comfortable - it has a very intimate and all-are-equal feel. Great for family members and business folks who are like peers. Not so great to share such space with chauffeurs and staff that are not "peer group".

My boss who is a septuagenarian uses a Velfire as his daily drive. Chauffeur driven off course but guess what - he prefers this over his Maybach. The car is used to travel 400+ km and as per him he doesn't feel tired at the end of such a long journey. He never said this when he used to travel the same distance earlier.
I will not be surprised if he replaces the current car with the new one.

Suggest him consider Maybach- GLS and then you can post his views :cool:

It's a very good product for urban well-graded roads but has the poor ground clearance and the car bounces a lot when you are the only one being driven unless there's a weight in the trunk or more than one passenger/ luggage.

As Androdev has mentioned, there is a large audience for this car, have seen some doing school duties for the privileged kids or the shopping/ parlour trips.

I hope other manufacturers take note and bring something. Mercedes tried but failed due to the size and relatively basic cabin.

I see ‘Force’ has an opportunity with it’s Urbania albeit with a proper tie up with Dilip Chabria or Stanely ;).

Get an Urbania DC or Lux. It’s worth an effort at 1/4th the price of Velfire.

Vellfire was 79.5 lakhs ex-showroon in February 2020. Now it's 1.20 crores. A 50% increase in 3 years.

If you wonder, the Alphard/Vellfire twins are basically the same price as a compact luxury crossover in Japan i.e., BMW X3 or Mercedes Benz GLC or a Volvo XC60. Draw your own conclusions. :D

Personally, I'll buy the GLS if I'm in the market for a 1.5 crore vehicle in India.

Totally agree with thr price increase part, but since i am using both 2020 Vellfire and 2019 GLS, i would say Vellfire is more comfortable for long journeys. Maybe GLS Maybach edition can match the rear seat comfort of Vellfire.

Anyways, My dealer confirmed that Vellfire stock is arriving in the next two weeks with an on-road price of approx 1.45CR. I will definitely visit to have a look at the vehicle to better understand the differences.

Do you feel the same way as I mentioned before about the bouncy ride when it's just one passenger?


Know a certain guy who has both and the GLS has much more plush ride.

Thanks to this abnormal increase, I won't be surprised if their backlogs get over quickly. Do post about your experience after comparing. On the paper, I don't see a change and I am not talking about the exterior. It's just another Toyota face that has become even more loud. Interiors are what I will like to hear about, like on LC300 vs LC200 there's a big difference. Also, try to compare ground clearance. I am not sure if the dealers are going to get any Demo ones so for actual ride comfort, we may have to wait until someone buys one.

Edit - Just checked virtually, and it does look like an upgrade :)

https://www.toyotabharat.com/virtual.../vellfire.html


i7 is very good when we talk about ride comfort. It's far superior to the 740 due to the weight of the batteries. But that screen is too close for comfort. Perhaps good for doing Zoom/ Team meetings on the go when you have to look casually on screen but not practical when you have to view full time like a movie. Also, by design, you will sit "in" the seat of i7 as "on" the seat on Vellfire. On longer drives, this alone can be a big factor.

Bit off topic but how is the new 7 rear seat compared to previous gen G12? In particular the seat height. In the S you sink in and sit much lower as compared to the 7. The 7 wins in the back seat hands down atleast when compared to the w222. I fear from the pics that the new 7 seats are lower than the older ones ability to adjust the seat height for ultimate thigh support.

Lastly you mentioned i7 suspension is better due to the battery weight. Since it has air suspension, this shouldnt matter right? Unlike the Vellfire with regular suspension, I can get why the added weight will help when traveling alone in the back seat to control bouncy ride.

Touché, I guess all rich people care about are flashy chrome-plated monstrosities. I really hope Mercedes don't fall prey to the ugly-car movement that is taking the automotive industry by storm. They are the some of the last car-makers who know how to make a subtle, yet elegant and stately looking car.

BMW had a curated Dinner experience organised by Indian Accent in June and all NCR dealers were given a day each. They ferried us in 740, and on return, I asked for an i7. It was a longish drive but I was so immersed in the technology and new features that didn't think about comparing it with the previous gen.

It's still a good seat to sit "on" than "in" but in the context of S class. In Vellfire it's more like a recliner on wheels.


It does, though these cars get real-time dampers but the suspension on i7 is definitely more supple over 740.

The lower centre of gravity on the i7 might be the reason.

Yes, I agree with you about the bumpy ride, but with just one passenger even GLS feels a bit bumpy.

Regarding GLS Mayback, will it be a fair comparison? GLS Maybach edition is approx 3.5CR on the road I guess, which is more than double the price of the current Vellfire top model.

Yes, I will post a comparison of Vellfire models, and post on the Forum.

True, but this segment doesn't bring volumes and many have tried and failed.

A few notable mentions are:

1. Kia Carnival, the closest you would get, but it is still a van and a not a tall boy design like the Toyota or Merc

2. Force Urbania may be a good bet, but at the current price, features, safety and comfort point it is too basic in my view and does not come with a AT, so that could potentially be a sticking point for many.

3. I love the VW vans, but they are not manufactured in India and will be at similar price points if it gets launched in India

I think OEMs should focus on Electric, 7-9 seater, in the range of 25-35 lakhs ex showroom may bring a new segment. But, there is always a big question mark in this economy and market.

Toyota Vellfire's waiting period increases to around 10 months.

Source: https://www.carwale.com/news/toyota-...und-10-months/

JNCAP: only 4 stars for new Toyota Vellfire and Alphard

JNCAP (Japan New Car Assessment Programme) has awarded the new Vellfire a 4-star safety rating.



During pedestrian head impact testing, multiple locations at the edges of the bonnet near the base of the windscreen showed high risk of serious skull fracture.


The Vellfire scored 3/5 in that test which meant it couldn't qualify for 5 stars overall. It scored maximum points in most other crash protection and prevention tests (barring seatbelt reminders which scored 4/5).

Detailed test results

Video ALPHARD/VELLFIRE FY2023