Toyota Vellfire Premium MPV Is Expected To Launch In India This Month

The Toyota Vellfire was first showcased to dealers in a meeting held at Bangalore back in July. Last month it was again showcased to the prospective buyers as well. Toyota aims to take advantage of the new import rules and bring the Vellfire through Completely Built Unit (CBU) route in India.

The Indian government has recently revised its import rules to support auto manufacturers in bringing their vehicles through CBU or Completely Knocked Down (CKD) route. The new import rule will enable companies to import 2500 vehicles through the CKD and CBU channels every year, without the need for homologation.

The Vellfire features a boxy-design with power-sliding doors on the second row. The front of the MPV features LED headlamps with DRLs (Daytime Running Lights) placed below. The fog lamps are housed in the large bumpers with a unique radiator grille.

The rear Vellfire features a wrap-around LED tail-lamp setup with a chrome bar running across the boot lid. The roof-life of the MPV ends with a sleek and sporty looking spoiler with integrated stop lights.

The Vellfire shows its worth mainly with a feature-rich, premium and luxurious interiors. The global variant of the Vellfire MPV features a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system at the front, and a 10.2-inch screen for rear-seat passengers, we expect the same to be carried with india-bound models as well.

Other features on the inside also include powered and ventilated seats on the first and second row, powered tailgate, dual-sunroof, three-zone automatic climate control, mood lighting, individual tray tables, seven airbags. The customers of the Vellfire MPV is expected to be offered with an option to choose from either a beige or black coloured interior trim.

The Toyota Vellfire MPV is expected to feature a 2.5-litre petrol-hybrid engine producing 194bhp of power and 206Nm of torque. The engine comes mated to a eCVT transmission with power being sent to all four wheels. The petrol-hybrid engine is claimed to return a mileage between 18kmp/l to 19kmp/l, which is astonishing considering the size of the MPV.

The global models of the MPV are offered with two more non-hybrid engines options: a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 180bhp and 235Nm of torque, and a higher spec 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine churning out 276bhp and 344Nm of torque. Toyota is yet to confirm if these engines will be made available to the india-spec models.

Thoughts About The Toyota Vellfire India Launch

The Toyota Vellfire MPV certainly does stand apart with its bold looks and boxy design. The MPV when launched will rival against the Mercedes ‘V-Class' MPV. Both MPVs offer premium features and maximum comfort while ferrying passengers. However, Toyota might look to undercut the Mercedes MPV by pricing it way lower to attract more customers.