2019 Mercedes-Benz V-Class vs Toyota Alphard: Comparison

  • Published January 29, 2019
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The Mercedes-Benz V-Class may not have competition, for now. We reckon the Toyota Alphard could give it a run for its money. How do they compare?
2019 Mercedes-Benz V-Class vs Toyota Alphard: Comparison

The Mercedes-Benz V-Class caters to a very small niche in India. The market demand for a luxurious MPV is mostly from tour-operators and fancy hotels, but the company thinks the demand from individual buyers could increase in the future.

2019 Mercedes-Benz V-Class vs Toyota Alphard: Comparison

For now, the Mercedes-Benz V-Class has no direct competition. But what if Toyota decided to join the battle? It does have the Alphard, a 6/7-seater MPV which is directly imported by many hoteliers in the country - popular because it combines luxurious amenities with proven Toyota reliability and low maintenance costs. In case Toyota does launch the Alphard in India, which is unlikely for now, how would it compare? We take a look at the Alphard sold in Thailand and compare it to the V-Class to see if it could be a worthy contender to the V-Class.

Size

  2019 Mercedes-Benz V-Class Expression 2019 Mercedes-Benz V-Class Exclusive Toyota Alphard 2.5 Vellfire (Thailand Market) Toyota Alphard 2.5 Hybrid (Thailand Market) Toyota Alphard 3.6 VIP (Thailand Market)
Length 5370mm 5140mm 4945mm
Width 2249mm 1850mm
Height 1880mm 1895mm
Wheelbase 3430mm 3200mm 3000mm
Wheel Size 16-inch 17-inch 18-inch 17-inch 18-inch

The V-Class takes the crown here, being longer - both in terms of overall length and wheelbase. The Alphard may be slightly better to drive in the crowded city streets, though it may not feel as spacious as the Merc even with the 10mm taller roof.

Engine and Transmission

  2019 Mercedes-Benz V-Class Expression 2019 Mercedes-Benz V-Class Exclusive Toyota Alphard 2.5 Vellfire (Thailand Market) Toyota Alphard 2.5 Hybrid (Thailand Market) Toyota Alphard 3.6 VIP (Thailand Market)
Displacement 2.1-litre, 4-cylinder, turbo-diesel 3.0-litre, 4-cylinder, petrol 3.0-litre, 4-cylinder, petrol + 650V electric motor 3.5-litre, V6, petrol
Power 163PS @ 3,800rpm 180PS @ 6,000rpm 197PS 296PS @ 6,600rpm
Torque 380Nm @ 1,400-2,400rpm 235Nm @ 4,100rpm 270Nm 361Nm @ 4,600-4,700rpm
Transmission 7-speed Automatic CVT E-CVT 8-speed AT
Drive Front Front AWD Front

The Mercedes-Benz V-Class has a slight advantage here, being powered by a theoretically frugal diesel engine. The Alphard, in all markets, is available with petrol/hybrid powertrains only. While Toyota does have large diesel engines already available in India, they may not be compatible with the Alphard’s platform - or would require modifications which do not make financial sense. The hybrid variant could be the best bet, offering decent pulling power and being frugal.

Features

  2019 Mercedes-Benz V-Class Expression 2019 Mercedes-Benz V-Class Exclusive Toyota Alphard 2.5 Vellfire (Thailand Market) Toyota Alphard 2.5 Hybrid (Thailand Market) Toyota Alphard 3.6 VIP (Thailand Market)
LED Headlamps Yes Yes Yes
Sunroof No No Twin Moonroofs
Sliding Doors Yes, Manual Yes, Electric Yes, Electric
Climate Control Two-Zone Two-Zone Three Zone
Seats 6- and 7-seater, powered 1st-row seats 6-seater, powered 1st-row seats, 180-degree swivelling 2nd-row captain seats 7-seater, powered 1st and 2nd-row seats
Infotainment Screen Yes Yes 7-inch touchscreen 7-inch touchscreen 8-inch touchscreen, 9-inch roof mounted with Blu-Ray player
Ambient Lighting No Yes Yes
Speakers 7, Mercedes-Benz 15, Burmeister 8, Toyota 17, JBL
IRVM Rear-View Display No No Yes
360-Degree Camera No Yes No
Hatch Window Fixed Openable Fixed
Table Package No Yes No
Adjustable Suspension No Yes No
Wireless Phone Charger No No Yes

This is not a fair comparison (different markets, different price points, different specs), but the Alphard does have some features which the V-Class is not offered with in India. This includes twin-moonroofs which would improve the interior ambience and score brownie points in a sunroof-crazed country like India. The V-Class hits back with configurable second-row seats, for that boardroom like seating, and a ‘Table-Package’ which adds usable dining tables for all passengers!

Safety

  2019 Mercedes-Benz V-Class Expression 2019 Mercedes-Benz V-Class Exclusive Toyota Alphard 2.5 Vellfire (Thailand Market) Toyota Alphard 2.5 Hybrid (Thailand Market) Toyota Alphard 3.6 VIP (Thailand Market)
3-Point Seatbelts All Seats All Seats
Airbags 2 Front, 4 Curtain 2 Front, 8 Curtain 2 Front, 2 Front Side, 4 Curtain, Driver Knee
Park Assist No Yes No
Blind Spot Assist No No Yes

Safety is a high priority for both the MPVS, but V-Class skimps on curtain airbags on the C- and D-pillar in the Expression variant. The Alphard gets blind spot warning as standard, which is very helpful when driving long MPVs - and is a big miss for the Mercedes. The V-Class hits back with a 360-degree camera (only in the Exclusive variant).

Price

2019 Mercedes-Benz V-Class Expression 2019 Mercedes-Benz V-Class Exclusive Toyota Alphard 2.5 Vellfire (Thailand Market) Toyota Alphard 2.5 Hybrid (Thailand Market) Toyota Alphard 3.6 VIP (Thailand Market)
Rs 68.40 lakh Rs 81.90 lakh Rs 84.51 lakh Rs 87.44 lakh Rs 1.21 crore

As you can see, the comparison between the V-Class and the Alphard seems lopsided, because the Toyota is priced much higher. But the prices are for different markets, taxes levied and transportation charges are different - and comparing them would be unfair. The Toyota Alphard will not be cheap, even if the company does launch it here. What price point do you think it would become popular at?

Let us know in the comments section below.

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