The Toyota Vellfire is the sportier twin of the Alphard, Toyota’s flagship large multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). The two share their body, chassis and engines but wear different front and rear styling, with the Vellfire aimed at buyers who want a more aggressive look. For the 2019 model year, the Vellfire was the facelifted version of the 30-series (AH30) model that went on sale in 2015; a completely new generation did not arrive until 2023.
What the Vellfire Is
The Alphard has been in production since 2002, and the Vellfire name was added for the second generation, from 2008, as a distinct model sold through Toyota’s Netz dealership network in Japan until 2020. Both vans are built in Japan by Toyota Auto Body. The Vellfire is a five-door MPV with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The name was derived from “velvet” and “fire,” intended to suggest smoothness and passion.
Because the Alphard and Vellfire are twin models, specifications published for one generally apply to the other. Chassis codes for the 30-series split by engine: AGH30 for the 2.5-liter gasoline, GGH30 for the 3.5-liter V6 and AYH30 for the hybrid.
The 30-Series and Its Facelift
The third-generation Alphard and the matching Vellfire (the AH30 family) were released on 26 January 2015. Toyota gave the model a new double-wishbone rear suspension in place of the previous torsion-beam setup, and the body grew by 60 mm in length, 20 mm in width and 50 mm in wheelbase while sitting 10 mm lower. A new top Executive Lounge grade was introduced for both models.
The facelift was unveiled on 25 December 2017 and went on sale on 8 January 2018. It brought new exterior styling and an updated powertrain, with the Vellfire adopting new trapezoidal taillights and the Alphard getting slimmer LED headlights and a larger grille. Because the facelift had already happened for 2018, a 2019 Vellfire is a facelifted 30-series car rather than a new generation.
Engines and Specifications
The 30-series Vellfire was offered with three powertrains:
- 2.5-liter 2AR-FE four-cylinder gasoline
- 2.5-liter 2AR-FXE four-cylinder hybrid (Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive)
- 3.5-liter V6 — 2GR-FE from 2015, replaced by the 2GR-FKS at the 2018 facelift
| Engine | Code | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5L gasoline | 2AR-FE | About 180 hp |
| 2.5L hybrid | 2AR-FXE | 197 hp combined |
| 3.5L V6 (from 2018) | 2GR-FKS | 296 hp at 300 PS, 267 lb-ft |
The 2018 facelift replaced the 3.5-liter 2GR-FE V6 with the 2GR-FKS, raising output to about 296 horsepower (300 PS) and 267 lb-ft of torque. The V6 models also switched from a six-speed automatic to an eight-speed Direct-Shift automatic transmission. The hybrid pairs a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle engine with electric motors, and an E-Four all-wheel-drive system is available.
Interior and Seating
The Vellfire is a large luxury MPV, with seating for seven or eight passengers depending on configuration. The 30-series feature that Toyota highlighted is the flat floor, which allows the second-row seats to slide fore and aft by up to 1,160 mm. The Executive Lounge grade, added with this generation, is the most lavishly equipped version and gives the second row an especially generous amount of space. The Vellfire and Alphard are often regarded as luxury vehicles in Southeast Asian markets.
Markets and Availability
The 30-series Alphard and Vellfire were sold primarily in Japan and in selected Asian markets, including Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Hong Kong. Russia was the model’s only European market and received the 3.5-liter V6 only, which was also offered in left-hand-drive markets such as China and Taiwan. In India, Toyota began offering the Vellfire — its only import model there — in February 2020 with the 2.5-liter hybrid engine.
What Came Next
The 30-series Alphard and Vellfire remained on sale in Japan until the middle of 2023, when the all-new 40-series replaced them. The Alphard and Vellfire also became the basis for the Lexus LM, a more upscale version introduced in 2019. For buyers, the important point about the 2019 Vellfire is that it is the facelifted third-generation Alphard platform, not the later, redesigned van.
Design and Positioning
Starting with the 30-series, Toyota deliberately gave the Vellfire more aggressive styling to reinforce its role as the sportier alternative to the Alphard. A prominent design feature of the Alphard family is its shield-like grille, which it has worn since the launch of the AH30 generation in 2015. Where the Alphard leans toward formality, the Vellfire gets sharper light graphics and a more assertive front end. The two are otherwise mechanically identical, so the choice between them comes down mainly to appearance and trim.
Hybrid and Fuel Efficiency
Toyota has offered hybrid versions of the Alphard and Vellfire since 2003, using its Hybrid Synergy Drive system. In the 30-series, the hybrid pairs a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine with electric motors for a combined output of 197 horsepower, and an E-Four electric all-wheel-drive system is available. Because the hybrid can run on electric power alone at low speeds, it is the more efficient choice in a vehicle of this size, and it is the powertrain Toyota chose to sell in India when the Vellfire was introduced there in 2020.
A Twin Model: Alphard and Vellfire
Because the Vellfire and Alphard are twins, many specifications are shared, and buyers sometimes cross-shop the two as a single model. The Alphard is generally marketed as the more luxurious of the pair and the Vellfire as the more youthful, sporty one. Both use the same large-MPV package, both are built by Toyota Auto Body in Japan, and both were offered with the same choice of gasoline, hybrid and V6 engines in the 30-series. Understanding this relationship is essential when comparing prices, because a Vellfire and an equivalent Alphard differ mainly in cosmetic details.
