TOKYO: Initially launched in 2002, the Japanese automaker Toyota has redesigned Alphard and Vellfire minivans for 2015 with better NVH insulation and a more accommodating and upscale interior with new technologies to make them more comfortable, safer and easier to operate.
The vehicles were developed to incorporate the idea of a roomy and luxurious saloon space with a new and unprecedented sense of refinement. The new Alphard and Vellfire possess unshakeable presence with a comfortable ride, exceptional handling stability, and a roomy interior.
In addition to high body rigidity, a newly developed double-wishbone suspension was adopted for the rear to achieve a luxurious ride and exceptional handling stability. Extensive sound and vibration dampening and an aerodynamic wind-noise reducing body shape realize a quiet ride at all speeds, befitting of a luxury vehicle.
The new models also feature world-first1 advanced equipment such as the Panoramic View Monitor2 with new See-through View, which gives a driver’s-perspective view of the vehicle’s surroundings as if the vehicle itself were transparent, and Intelligent Parking Assist 22 with new multi-point turn support that controls steering in tight parking spaces which require repeated back and forth movement.
The respective exteriors of the Alphard and the Vellfire have their own unique presence, with commanding and robust power that aims to achieve strength, luxury, and exhilaration beyond expectations. The dynamic design integrates the shoulder area that starts at the headlamps and stretches powerfully towards the rear in a radial pattern, the sculpted and bulky underbody that accentuates the area around the wheels, and the cabin with strikingly large glass windows.
Alphard
– The large front grille features thick mesh ornamentation and is integrated with the lower grille to create an impressive front view that conveys the vehicle’s unique boldness and individualistic luxury.
– The U-shaped structure that merges the rear combination lights with the license plate garnish creates a rear view that emphasizes the wide feel and powerful underbody.
Vellfire
– The front grille, made of wide plated bars seemingly etched from a sheet of metal, combine with dual headlamps and a wedge-plow-shaped under bumper to create a front view conveying robustness and dramatic power.
– The rear combination lamps-with blacked-out top and bottom-mesh with the license garnish to form a wide and powerful rear view.
A novel structure created by the seamless connection from the instrument panel to the door trim and the protruding centre cluster express an open and roomy space. The elaborate workmanship of the interior stresses the quality of the materials and combines with sculpted metal surfaces and wood-grain ornamentation for a unique impact.
The wood-grain ornamentation impresses with a design that focuses on light rather than color. A high-quality brown wood-grain finish that expresses depth with the brightness of metal between the patterns and the world’s first hologram base layer were adopted. A new black wood grain finish that conveys dynamic patterns using dark colors creates a clear identity for its grade.
Driving Performance
A new double wishbone suspension is used for the rear. Areas where high-tensile strength steel plate is used were thickened and a structural adhesive was introduced to increase body rigidity and achieve a luxurious, comfortable ride with stable handling.
Vibration control and soundproofing materials, as well as effective placement of sandwich steel plates3 and an aerodynamic wind-noise reducing vehicle body shape were pursued. This results in a quiet ride at all speeds, as befits a luxury vehicle.
Environmental Performance
A 2AR-FXE 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle combustion engine is combined with six-speed Sequential Shiftmatic and E-Four (electric four-wheel drive system) to create a hybrid system with a fuel efficiency of 19.4 km/L4 under the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s (MLIT) JC08 test cycle.
The new 2AR-FE 2.5-liter engine is used with a seven-speed Sports Sequential Shiftmatic and Super CVT-i and the optional5 Stop & Start System to provide fuel efficiency of 12.8 km/L6 under Japan’s MLIT JC08 Japanese test cycle.
The 2GR-FE V6, 3.5-liter engine is combined with six-speed Sequential Shiftmatic with 6 Super ECT to provide fuel efficiency of 9.5 km/L7 under Japan’s MLIT JC08 test cycle.
Except for models with the 3.5-liter engine (four-wheel-drive models weighing 2,100 kg or less), all models exceed MLIT’s 2015 fuel economy standards8.
Certified as having emissions that are 75 percent lower than the 2005 standards9 under the MLIT’s Approval System for Low-emission Vehicles, the Alphard and Vellfire are eligible for the Japanese government’s subsidies and tax incentives for eco-cars.
A Welcoming Interior with Comfort-Enhancing Features
Even with the height lowered 10 mm (to 1,880 mm10); abundant interior roominess with an interior height of 1,400 mm is maintained. An easy-to-reach long assist grip and a step height of 350 mm10 allow easy ingress and egress for both young children and the elderly.
A large, 148-liter11 cargo area under the third row seat sliding mechanism provides world-first1 under-floor storage of such a size. The deck board folds into three sections to provide both a sliding third row and under-floor storage.
Seats
A super-long-slide passenger seat2 allows new seat configurations.
– Placing the front passenger seat on the same seat rail as the second row seats enables a super-long-slide of a maximum 1,160 mm.
– Maximum utility is provided by new seat configurations including an extra-long luggage mode-which allows a large cargo area able to accommodate a maximum length of 2,150 mm on the front passenger side-and a “double-triangle” mode that enhances communication between passengers in the second and third seat rows and the front passenger seat.
Comfort
LED roof illumination bathes the entire roof in light and is a standard feature on all models. Four brightness levels and 16 color variations create an interior space with a sense of understated luxury.
The world-first1 Smart Entry & Push Start System (with new Welcome Power Slide Door & Reservation Lock function)2 automatically opens the sliding door as the user approaches12 the vehicle after previously setting a reservation13. Also new is a reservation lock function that automatically locks the door after it closes.
Safety and Peace of Mind
Intelligent Clearance Sonar (with eight sensors)2 with new functions supports collision avoidance during low-speed manoeuvring regardless of accelerator or brake pedal operation and mitigates collision damage.
The sonar’s sensors were improved and the object detection range increased. The control software was updated, and now, in addition to mitigating collision damage resulting from pedal misapplication, the system supports collision avoidance and mitigation of damage caused by low-speed collisions with other vehicles or obstacles in front.
The Pre-collision System2 uses millimetre wave radar to detect vehicles and obstacles on the road ahead and helps avoid risks. If the system detects a high likelihood of collision, it triggers an alert while activating the automatic pre-collision brake assist and pre-collision brakes14 to prevent a collision or mitigate damage from impact.
Driving Support
The new models also feature world-first1 Panoramic View Monitor (with left and right visibility support and See-through View function)2 that gives a driver’s-perspective view of the vehicle’s surroundings as if the vehicle itself were transparent. Pressing a button allows the driver to flip between the Moving View-which displays a top-down view of the vehicle and its surroundings-and the See-through View.
Also available for the first time in the world1 is Intelligent Parking Assist 22, which uses ultrasonic sensors and a camera to detect parking spaces. By working in tandem with the Intelligent Clearance Sonar, the system uses automatic braking to avoid collisions and mitigate collision damage. Parking has been made significantly easier through the addition of a new multi-point turn support function15 that automatically operates the steering wheel, and a parallel parking departure support function15 that supports steering wheel operation when leaving a tight parallel parking space.
Radar Cruise Control (with All-speed Tracking function)2 uses data from millimeter wave radar to detect the vehicle ahead and maintain uniform vehicle separation with preset vehicle speeds from 0 km/h to 100 km/h, making driving in heavy highway traffic easier.
