Exclusive: Toyota Vellfire now available for test drive, pre-booking deposit set at INR 10 lakh

The Toyota Vellfire is now available for a test drive in India, dealership sources have told IndianAutosBlog.com. It will be launched next month. Pre-bookings are open for a deposit of INR 10 lakh.

The waiting period for the Toyota Vellfire is around 4 to 5 months. So customers reserving their Vellfire now will have to wait until April or May for delivery. It is expected to be sold in a single configuration and likely be priced in the range of INR 75-80 lakh (ex-showroom).

The Toyota Vellfire will be brought to India via the CBU route under the government's relaxed import norms. Hence, it will be priced on the higher side. It will be a rival to the likes of Mercedes V-Class and Mercedes V-Class Elite.

While local publications have been reporting that the Toyota Vellfire will be a six-seater in India, we'd like to make it clear that it is made in 7- and 8-seat versions and the former is planned for our market. It's just that the seats of the last row may look good for only two passengers if not seen with the middle headrest.

The Toyota Vellfire will be sold in India in the Executive Lounge grade. Key features will include LED lights all around, sequential turn indicators (front), twin moonroofs, electric sliding doors and tailgate, three-zone automatic climate control, two executive captain seats (second-row) with wing-type headrests, power recline function and an Ottoman that can be electrically extended and retracted 140 mm back and forth, individual trays (second-row) and rear-seat entertainment system with two 10.2-inch HD displays (second-row). A major disappointment will be an aftermarket 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

Also Read: Toyota Etios and Etios Liva to be discontinued before April 2020

The Indian-spec Toyota Vellfire will employ the 2AR-FXE 2.5-litre petrol engine along with the 2JM and 2FM electric motors and a 6.5 Ah Nickel-Metal Hydride battery pack. The hybrid system of this Japanese MPV develops a maximum power of 197 PS.