Toyota Vellfire vs Mercedes-Benz V-Class: Which Luxury MPV Sits Atop The Hill?

At present, the Mercedes-Benz V-Class is the only luxury MPV one can buy in India. The German carmaker recently introduced the more expensive V-Class Elite in the country. Soon, however, the V-Class will have a new rival in the form of the Toyota Vellfire that is slated for an official debut in early 2020. Toyota’s luxury MPV will be priced in the range of Rs 85 lakh to Rs 90 lakh (ex-showroom), making it a tad more expensive than the V-Class Exclusive 220d (Rs 81.90 lakh). Also, the Vellfire will only come with a petrol-hybrid powertrain, which puts it at a slight disadvantage as the V-Class comes with BS6-compliant diesel engines. So, can the Toyota Vellfire beat the Mercedes-Benz V-Class despite these negatives? We’ve done a detailed spec comparison to find out. 

Note: We have compared the Vellfire with the standard V-Class as the more luxurious Elite variant is priced above the range. 

Dimensions:

*ELWB version.

The Toyota Vellfire is 4935mm long, 1850mm wide, 1895mm tall and comes with a 3000mm long wheelbase. While the Vellfire isn’t exactly small, it falls short when placed next to the Mercedes-Benz V-Class. The standard V-Class comes in two variants: Expression LWB and Exclusive ELWB. Both models have a longer wheelbase and is a size larger than the Toyota. However, the Vellfire is slightly taller than the Mercedes. 

Middle Row Experience: 

Luxury MPVs are all about their middle row experience and both models don’t disappoint here. The Toyota Vellfire comes with two large thrones that have heated and ventilated functions, tray tables as well as an electronically operated footrest. You can slide and recline the seats back and forth and also save your favourite seat position to get cozy. You can also rotate it to face the third row occupants if you have an important board meeting. Then there’s the fact that it also comes with a central rear screen for watching your favourite movie. 

The V-Class’ base-spec Expression variant comes with a bench seat for its middle row while the captain seats are limited to the top-spec Exclusive variant. The captain seats in the V-Class are called Comfort Seats and come with reclining and sliding features. Nope, there’s no heating or cooling function with electronic adjustments like the Vellfire. However, the seats can rotate to face the third row passengers. Where the V-Class trumps the Vellfire is in the tray tables department. It is a size bigger and can be slid back and forth for the comfort of the occupants. However, the V-Class doesn’t come with a rear seat entertainment screen, which is a bummer. 

Both models come with an electronically sliding rear door for easy ingress and egress. 

Features Onboard:

Common features on both MPVs include a 7-inch infotainment system, two-zone climate control, cruise control, ambient lighting and an electric tailgate. However, the Vellfire comes with some extra features like a wireless phone charger and a panoramic sunroof. On the other hand, the V-Class packs in a separate climate control for the middle and last row occupants and comes with an adaptive damping system for its suspension.  

It must be mentioned that both models don’t come with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which is quite disappointing when you consider that MPVs like the Ertiga get this feature.

Safety Features:

Common safety features on both models include ABS with EBD, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree camera as well as an electric parking brake with auto-hold function. While the Vellfire packs in nine airbags, the V-Class comes with ten. The Mercedes also comes with park assist and Attention Assist (driver fatigue warning). 

Powertrain Options:

When launched in India, the Toyota Vellfire will come with a 2.5-litre petrol-hybrid powertrain that develops 180PS of power and 235Nm of torque. It comes mated to a CVT gearbox and send power to all four wheels. On the other hand, the V-Class comes with a BS6-compliant 2.1-litre diesel engine that puts out 163PS of power and 380Nm of torque. It comes mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission that drives the rear wheels. 

Generally, the MPV segment in India has been dominated by diesel engines and it remains to be seen how customers respond to the Vellfire. The Vellfire, though more powerful than the V-Class, develops its peak power at the higher end of the rev band. The V-Class also develops more torque lower down in the rev range and that could come in handy while climbing steep inclines. However, only a proper road test can give us a clearer picture.

Prices and Verdict:

Toyota will price the Vellfire in the range of Rs 85 lakh to Rs 90 lakh (ex-showroom). Yes, the luxury MPV from Toyota could be a tad overpriced. Further, the performance of the petrol-hybrid powertrain is still a concern and can only be assessed after we get to drive it. However, the rear seats in the Vellfire offer a more comfortable experience and comes with additional features and functions. This is a crucial advantage when compared to the Mercedes-Benz as most luxury MPV owners are bound to spend time in the rear seats. 

We’ll be comparing both the luxury MPVs back-to-back once the Vellfire comes to India. So stay tuned to ZigWheels for a detailed comparison review.

Image Source - TeamBHP.com