A-Class Carrier
Remember the "A-Team" on TV? Their van was the business; it handled brilliantly, could outrun any police car, and was equipped to cope with everything from rocket engine overhaul to brain surgery and multiple high-speed smashes. So when Toyota offered me a Vellfire to review I almost went and got a Mohican haircut.
But all this has been leading up to the main event: the interior. Sumptuous black leather everywhere, coloured selectable LED mood lights in the roof, all electric seats (in the back too), triple-zone aircon with independent controls front and back, complemented by a couple of moon-roofs up top. All in a space that can handle seven average businesspeople or six top level executives.
The second row seats are the big attraction. Toyota calls them the Captain and the Ottoman, and they are as wide as Business Class on most aircraft with big fat armrests that offer recline, slide, support for your feet and accommodation for two gin and tonics at once. Bliss.
The back (third) row is a bit more of a squeeze and not so adjustable (and manual too) but is still plenty comfy. They flip up to take the boot from big (Toyota claims six golf bags) to cathedral size (we fitted several mountain bikes) and there is an extra 150litre secret stash space below the floor for luggage.
Controls are right up to the minute with touchscreen everything, GPS, iPhone connectivity, multiple USB outlets, a neat leather-trim steering wheel with full controls, electric button start and park brake, and auto-wipers, Protection is from seven airbags and whiplash-compensating headrests, as well as IsoFix restraints for the kiddy seats if you fit them. This is a luxury interior, judged against the best.
If there is one thing that any driver can take away from the Vellfire, it is that conventional two- or three-box luxury saloons are not the best answer to the demands of today's executive users.
Despite its 5-metre length and boxy look, the Vellfire offers more of everything than most of the Euro-opposition, apart from sheer power. And who can realistically use that on today's roads? I'd go for the Ottoman seat option every time. Where's that window-darkening kit, Mr. T?
Credits: Story and Photos by Jeremy Torr
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