All New Alphard & Vellfire 2015

The retro look is very much "in" when it comes to the brand-new 2015 Toyota Alphard and Vellfire vans!

Taking design cues from old-school vans produced throughout the 1960s and 1970s, while at the same time adding a tremendous futuristic touch throughout, these are some of the most jaw-dropping and aggressively designed vans we’ve ever seen hit the market – and that’s saying something!

Created specifically to stand toe to toe up against the Nissan Elgrand and Honda Elysion vans, the Alphard and Velfire vans from Toyota are something special unto themselves.

Similarly sized when compared to the Toyota Siena, these aren’t minivans by any stretch of the imagination – but all of that extra size allowed Toyota engineers to shoehorn in a lot of special features that would not have been possible if they went with a smaller footprint.

Specifications

Taking advantage of a 2.5 L four-cylinder engine, a 3.6 L V6 engine, or a hybrid style engine with all-wheel drive built right in, the Alphard and Vellfire are very capable and powerful vans that also have fuel economy on their mind.

This is anything but standard in the van community.

The automatic six speed transmission gearbox in both of these vans (mated to each of the powertrains outlined above) guarantees smooth performance and easy acceleration, though obviously these vans aren’t going to be anywhere near as snappy or as speedy as sports car out on the highway.

Acceleration is a little bit sluggish (going from 0 to 60 mph in close to nine seconds), but once you reach cruising speed you’re going to be able to enjoy your ride thanks to the smartly designed suspension system.

Exterior / Interior Styling

Both of these bands are oversized and come with three rows of seating as standard, and each of them are built specifically to accommodate the elderly and those that are disabled with some pretty neat safety features and accommodations.

The second row of seating has a little step that can extend out right down to the ground to help the elderly and disabled get into the back of this van, but everyone that drives in one of the Alphard and Vellfire vans are going to ride in style and feel like a real VIP.

Leather upholstery is used throughout, and when customers step up to the "Executive Lounge" styling packages get even more plush. Heated and air-conditioned seats, built-in speakers and entertainment systems, a stowable table, and beautiful wooden accents throughout are all pretty standard features when we’re talking about the Alphard and Vellfire vans – features that you are going to fall in love with.

Those that upgrade to the "Executives Lounge" package will enjoy a 17 speaker JBL surround sound system, a 12.1 inch flat screen TV mounted in the center of the van, and a host of other specialty features that really take this experience to new levels.

Handling and Performance

Any time you’re talking about the handling of large size vans like the 2015 Toyota Alphard and Vellfire models you’re going to be talking about very loose feeling suspensions that kind of glide around the road, and these are no exception.

The suspension system is soft to maximize rider comfort, and while you probably aren’t going to want to take turns at high speeds you can take comfort in knowing that your automobile is protected by Toyota’s advanced "Rollover Protection System" built right into the suspension and the chassis.

Overall Impressions

Customers in the market for a high-end and large form factor van that isn’t going to crush them at the gas pump are going to fall in love with everything that the brand-new Alphard and Vellfire vans bring to the table.