Toyota Vellfire

Toyota Vellfire is the first name that comes to mind when someone says luxury van. While it is priced similarly to German luxury SUVs, and the focus of the Vellfire is also towards comfort and space, the packaging of this MPV offers a completely different experience. How it manages to give you a luxury feeling and what it offers in terms of tech and performance, find out here.

The Toyota Vellfire is one of the most easily recognisable cars due to its length and distinct styling. And this design helps it get a road presence that can’t be ignored. 

At the front, it gets an aggressive styling thanks to a 6-slat grille design. The upright nose makes it look dominating, and the wide airdams highlight the width of the car. I like the styling of the sleek LED DRLs and the 3-lens LED headlight setup, both of which blend well with the grille.

The side profile really shows you how big this car is, and its length is further amplified due to a low roofline and tall overhangs. Unlike German SUVs in its price, the Vellfire has a very low ground clearance. It sits on 19-inch alloy wheels that sit well with the wheel arches. I also really like the sporty stance of the Vellfire.

While there are a lot of cuts and creases in the body, the zig-zag windowline styling and subtle use of chrome elements uplift the design of the Vellfire.

The aggressive styling theme continues at the rear with sharp, pointed LED taillights and a rather chunky and edgy bumper design. But, unlike the front, the rear design is fairly basic and looks just like a block.

The 2025 Toyota Vellfire is available in three colours: Black, Precious Metal (Grey), and Platinum White Pearl.

Design & Quality

The premiumness of the Vellfire is felt as soon as you enter the cabin. The entire cabin, including both dashboard and seat upholstery, is finished in a tan brown shade, and you get subtle wooden highlights on the doors and dashboard. But this is not the only shade on offer. You can also get this theme in a Neutral Beige or in an all-black shade.

The dashboard has a clean look with a large touchscreen in the middle. The touchscreen housing and the centre console have a gloss black finish. This surface does attract a lot of fingerprints and scratches, but it goes really well with the cabin theme.

In terms of quality, Toyota has left no stone unturned. All touchpoints, including the dashboard, steering wheel, door armrests, seat upholstery, and even the grab handles, are covered in soft-touch leather. The plastic quality might not be the best for the price, but it also doesn’t feel cheap. Toyota could have done a better job with the plastic graining, especially on the AC vents.

Front Seats

This is where you’ll spend the least of your time, but even for those few moments, Toyota has made sure you sit in a comfortable and spacious place. Firstly, getting in and out of the Vellfire is pretty easy. Due to its low ground and wide opening doors, people of all ages and frames can easily perform ingress and egress.

Once inside, you get a wide seat with great underthigh support. The seat provides good support, and the headroom is enough even for taller passengers. Since both the driver's seat and steering wheel offer adjustment, finding your ideal driving position becomes very easy. The driver's seat also comes with a memory function, which further makes seat adjustment convenient.

Visibility is surprisingly great with huge cut-outs in the A-pillar, which offer a great view outside. What will surprise many is how big the windshield is and how far the driver and front passenger sit from it!

Second Row Seats

This is the highlight of the Vellfire and deserves all your attention. In the second row, you get captain seats which are electrically adjustable, offer both ventilation and heating functions, and also have multiple massage functions. All of this can be controlled from small tablets on each of these seats, and these tablets can also be taken out of the armrests.

Not only this, but the sunroof, windows, window sunshades, and ambient lighting can also be controlled from the tablet. In terms of space, there is no shortage. You get an ample amount of headroom, and the wide seats can easily accommodate passengers of different frames. There is enough room to stretch your legs, and for that purpose, Toyota has offered ottomans in the second row.

As far as visibility is concerned, there are no gaps. The windows are huge, which offers great outside visibility. The sunroof brings in a generous amount of light, and since you’re sitting slightly higher than the front passengers, the frontal visibility is also unobstructed.

Third Row Seats

The last row also offers individual captain seats placed next to each other with no space in between. Both seats also get individual armrests, and the space here is good for two adults. Toyota claims that the Vellfire is a 7-seater, but fitting three people in the last row will definitely be an uncomfortable squeeze.

Storage Options

Toyota has gone overboard with the number of storage spaces in the Vellfire. And that’s a good thing. All four doors get 1-litre bottle holders. There are two cupholders in the central console hidden under a fold-away panel, two pop-out cupholders on either side and a small glovebox. There’s also a cooled glovebox an option.

Storage underneath the central armrest is massive. It can easily store multiple 1-litre bottles and can be accessed from either side. The Ottoman seats have cupholders neatly tucked away in their side armrests, along with two massive bottle holders down below.

Other storage spaces include protruding hooks, 3x sunglass holders on the roof and a huge storage compartment below the rear central AC vents. Third row passengers also get cupholders and some open spaces to store their devices.

Charging Options

To charge your phone, you get a wireless phone charger in the front along with two Type-C ports in the centre console. The centre armrest also gets a Type-C port along with a 12V socket and an HDMI port.

Both the second and third row seats also get one Type-C charging port each.

The overall cabin of the Vellfire is second to none when it comes to space and comfort. The premiumness, while good, could have been better. But as a car that focuses on providing the best chauffeur-driven experience, the Velffire does a great job.

Features 

Premiumness comes not only with rich materials, but also with features that make your life easier. The Vellfire might not be the most feature-loaded car in its price range, but it does get all the necessities along with some feel-good features.

It also gets a 14-inch touchscreen infotainment system. This screen has a basic user interface which is pretty easy to understand and use. This screen works lag-free and also supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Paired with this screen is a 15-speaker JBL sound system, which has a premium audio experience with crisp sounds.

You also get a digital driver’s display, which displays your drive information neatly and cleanly. It gets built-in navigation, and you can also customise it by changing themes.

You also get a 14-inch drop-down TV, which can be used for entertainment purposes via an HDMI or phone cast.

Instead of a full panoramic sunroof, the Vellfire gets two smaller glass roofs which have powered curtains. A full panoramic or a full glass roof would have looked better. 

To add more comfort, the rear seats of the Vellfire get massage functions (back and base), which work really well and do a great job of relaxing you after a long day.

In terms of safety, the Toyota Vellfire is well equipped with 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, traction control, vehicle stability control, and ADAS features like adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist.

Toyota also offers a 360-degree camera, but the quality and execution are only acceptable. The resolution could’ve been crisper, and the camera could’ve been angled better as well. The Toyota Vellfire had secured a 4-star crash test rating from the Japan NCAP in 2024.

With all three rows up, there is only enough space in the Vellfire to keep a couple of laptop bags or two cabin-sized suitcases. But, once you tumble and fold the third row (manually), you get enough space to keep an entire suitcase set and more.

For added convenience, you get a powered tailgate and powered second row controls in the boot as well, in case you want to free up more space.

The Vellfire comes with a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, which comes with a self-charging hybrid system. This setup is paired with a CVT (continuously variable transmission) in a front-wheel drivetrain.

The Vellfire’s powertrain is best suited to a relaxed driving style, where you will be able to enjoy its refinement and smoothness. I like the quietness of the hybrid powertrain, as the car can drive in EV-only mode at lower speeds if there’s enough charge in the battery.

City Performance

For such a big car, driving inside the city is not at all difficult. There is enough power to perform easy overtakes, and reaching high city speeds does not take much time. The acceleration is quick thanks to the hybrid system, and this also allows it to drive in pure EV mode at low speeds.

The CVT transmission provides a smooth drive, which further adds convenience to your city commutes. The only issue is the car’s size, which makes it difficult to navigate through traffic or narrow city roads. 

For fuel efficiency, you can get around 14 kmpl in the city thanks to the strong hybrid system.

Highway Performance

On the highways, you get a relaxed driving experience, which is what you should expect from a car of this form. It does not take much time to reach triple-digit speeds, but getting there will not be exciting or fun in any way.

The CVT does a great job of providing a smooth driving experience, but if you need to quickly accelerate or overtake someone at high speeds, it does feel a little slow, like a typical CVT. 

On the mileage front, you can expect a fuel efficiency of around 16 kmpl on the highways.

Ride Comfort

The Vellfire’s ride quality is comfortable for the most part, but it has two sides to it. At lower speeds, the stiff suspension doesn’t absorb bumps and potholes too well, as they get transferred inside the cabin. It isn’t uncomfortable, but you do feel the bumps. But as you increase the speed, the Vellfire’s ride becomes a lot more comfortable.

Handling

Its highway high-speed stability is good, and it absorbs any sudden undulations or the incessant expansion joints over new expressways really well. I was impressed by the Vellfire’s ground clearance, as the car didn’t scrape even once around the city. It even tackled steep inclines rather well.

While it remains stable around a fast corner, it is best to take corners at a calm pace only.

• The 2025 Toyota Vellfire is available in two variants: Hi and VIP - Executive Lounge

Toyota Vellfire Hi

• Gets almost all the features as the top-spec variant. 

• Majorly misses out on larger Ottoman seats and better entertainment package.

Toyota Vellfire VIP - Executive Lounge

• Offers bigger Ottoman seats with added convenience of a foldable tray.

• Better entertainment package with a head-up display, a 14-inch TV for the rear passengers and dual sunroof.

CarDekho Recommends:

• The base Hi variant of the Vellfire is a good enough package in itself. Despite the smaller seats and a few feature misses, it still offers one of the best rear seat experiences for the price.

• But if you want the most premium experience that the Vellfire has to offer, then you can opt for the top-spec variant. The price premium isn’t justified for the feature additions, but then, the overall feel of the car is unmatched.

Spending around Rs 1.5 crore on a Toyota might seem a lot, but that’s what you get with the Vellfire – a LOT! Not only does it equal the more conventional SUVs in terms of the luxury, and the glitz and glamour quotient, it surpasses everyone with its rear seat space and comfort. It is so good that after a tiring day at work, the Vellfire feels like coming back to your comfortable home, before you reach your actual home. 

Other cars to consider instead of the Toyota Vellfire

Lexus LM

Reasons to consider

• More premium

• Gets a ultra spacious 4-seater version

Reasons to ignore

• Much more expensive for not much more equipment or luxury

MG M9

Reasons To Consider

• Much more affordable

• Similar feature package

Reasons To Ignore

• Plastic quality is not up to the mark

• Limited highway usage due to the electric powertrain