New 2025 Toyota Vellfire Review: Why Do Celebrities Love It?

At more than 5m in length and with a grille massive enough to swallow a hatchback, the new Vellfire has presence and looks much better than the boxy earlier one.

With a Vellfire, the rear seat or the middle row seat is the one you would care about as that's where owners sit- hence taking advantage of the 3m wheelbase.

Source : Somnath Chatterjee

At a movie premiere you'll probably see the movie star getting out of a massive MPV and not the usual sedan/SUV and yes, you also see many of these running around our cities. That MPV more often than not is the Vellfire from Toyota which has carved its own niche amongst the jet set. So, what makes the Vellfire so popular amongst the elite so much so that they ditch their SUVs and sedans for this. Well, to find that out we slipped behind the wheel and took the latest generation out for a drive.

How does it look?

At more than 5m in length and with a grille massive enough to swallow a hatchback, the new Vellfire has presence and looks much better than the boxy earlier one. Plus, we think, despite the huge slab sided lines, the front-end and the sheer size of it attracts a lot of road presence. There is plenty of dark chrome and the slim headlamps are more aggressive too. The wheels get somewhat lost beneath the size but now the Vellfire has the road presence to match the price-tag it carries.

What about the interiors?

With a Vellfire, the rear seat or the middle row seat is the one you would care about as that's where owners sit- hence taking advantage of the 3m wheelbase. The massive doors can be opened via the key as well while you can also close them via switches on the overhead console. Once you climb in, it is like a luxury apartment. Space is massive and you can stretch out while the seats themselves are perhaps one of the most comfy- a Rolls-Royce can't match it even.

Of course, there is plenty to keep you occupied with small mobile phone-like screens on each seat which control pretty much every feature from sunshades to the sunroof or the climate control. The seats of course have heated/cooled/massage functions along with ottomans while you can really stretch out for the private jet or first class experience. There is a 14-inch screen which flips down and passengers also get separate rear sunroofs too. Third row is surprisingly comfy as well while the upfront, the cabin is much better with plusher materials and a Lexus like interface even though some German luxury cars have an edge in quality.

What about the driving experience?

The Vellfire is now lighter and weighs less while the combined power output of the hybrid powertrain is around 193hp while the fuel efficiency surprisingly is near 20kmpl. Start driving and soon you forget how big the Vellfire is and the steering is smooth while at low speeds you move in silence. It works best in the city and with smooth inputs as stomping on the throttle means the CVT gets noisy.

There is even a heads up display and it is easy to drive. Also, the ground clearance is better than you think and we don't need to slow down for potholes while the ride is slightly firm surprisingly at low speeds but gets better at higher cruising speeds. Basically, you can take a nap or watch a movie in comfort as your chauffeur tackles the traffic.

Is it worth a buy?

The new Vellfire has had a massive price increase and it is one of the most expensive MPVs right now along with its Lexus sibling. However, for the price, you get huge road presence and rear seat comfort which cannot be replicated at this segment while it is also cheaper to run with its efficient hybrid powertrain. It is for the chauffeur driven clientele and for that purpose, it works very well and that's why you see so many of these around.