Toyota Alphard BKK 2015 6

Merely two months after the unveiling in Japan, the 2015 Toyota Alphard and Vellfire have officially launched in Thailand at the ongoing 2015 Bangkok show. Vellfire 2.5, Alphard 2.5 Hybrid and Alphard 3.5 V6 variants are available.

The vehicle pictured here is the range-topping Alphard V6. Under the bonnet lurks a 3.5 litre 2GR-FE V6 that feeds 276 hp at 6,200 rpm and 340 Nm of torque at 4,700 rpm to the front wheels through a six-speed auto. The outgoing model's rear torsion beam has made way for double wishbones, and rigidity and soundproofing have been upped.

Inside, you'll recognise the 2+2+3 seating layout, second-row Ottoman captain seats and so-called 'Mickey Mouse' headrests, but everything is presented in a more polished manner. There is now a fixed centre console up front where there used to be a sliding console box, and the second-row seat armrests hide adjustment, Ottoman, memory, lighting and heating/cooling controls - very Business Class!

There's an eight-inch touch-screen up front with navigation, a 4.2-inch TFT instrument panel multi-info display, a nine-inch roof-mounted monitor and 17 speakers' worth of JBL sound. You'll also find a dual sunroof, auto triple-zone air-con with Nanoe ioniser, 16 ambient lighting colours with four brightness levels, and Intelligent Smart Entry. The Alphard has nine airbags as standard.

We only have pictures of the Alphard V6 for now, but one step down is the Alphard 2.5 Hybrid, which brings together a 2.5 litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine, Toyota's eCVT and an electric four-wheel drive system (141 hp front electric motor, 67 hp rear electric motor). The 2AR-FXE on its own makes 150 hp at 5,700 rpm and 206 Nm of torque between 4,400 and 4,800 rpm.

Finally, there's the Vellfire 2.5, which gets a 2.5 litre Dual VVT-i four-cylinder engine and a seven-virtual ratio CVT. The 2AR-FE delivers 180 hp at 6,000 rpm and 235 Nm of torque at 4,100 rpm. This features a more garang appearance, incorporating 'split' headlamps and clear-lens tail lamps (as opposed to the Alphard's warm-glow tube units).

Standard on the Vellfire gets a dark interior with subdued wood trim, a seven-inch touch-screen up front, a 10.2-inch roof-mounted monitor and an eight-speaker sound system. Thai pricing is as follows - the Vellfire 2.5 starts the range at 3.399 million baht (RM376k), followed by the Alphard 2.5 Hybrid at 3.549 million baht (RM399k) and the Alphard 3.5 V6 at 4.649 million baht (RM523k).