This new Alphard officially arrives in Malaysia in only the ultra-luxurious Executive Lounge spec.
Powerful people of Malaysia rejoice, your new ride is here as the all-new Toyota Alphard has officially been launched locally! Arriving alongside its new Vellfire twin over here, this fourth-generation flagship people-mover for the Japanese automaker arrives in only the ultra-luxurious Executive Lounge guise.
Starting with the luxury aspect of it all first, this first-class experience in the Alphard begins (unsurprisingly) with the Executive Lounge VIP second row seats. Essentially a pair of massage chairs that appear to be lifted right out of the OSIM or Ogawa showroom and squeezed into this MPV, these Nappa leather wrapped thrones not only feature the typical massage and ventilation functionality, but also feature what Toyota dubs Relax Power Recline to enable occupants to lie (nearly) completely flat. What more is just in case any occupants feel cold in said seats, these second row chairs have its heating function extended to even the armrest and ottoman too.
Though that is not even half the story with the second row seats yet, as these thrones also net a rotary retractable table with an in-built vanity mirror, for those who need to do any work or stay pretty while being chauffeured around. There is a 14-inch overhead display too if said rear seat occupants might want to catch a movie instead. And just to top everything off nicely, there is a handy smartphone-style remote control on each of these seats that can control all the in-vehicle features at the touch of a button, without having to ever exert oneself to actually reach said physical buttons.
Now of course while the second row seats are the highlight of this people-mover however, the other seats in this 7-seater however still get to enjoy 15-speaker JBL surround sound system and 64-colour ceiling illumination within the Alphard. This Japanese MPV also nets twin powered quiet-type sliding doors and twin-fixed panoramic glass roofs to bathe its beige cabin in natural light, though Malaysians will likely be more appreciative of the roof and window sunshades that are now finally power operated.
And while conveniently on the topic of power, this new Alphard has finally got more than its fair share, courtesy of a new 2.4-litre turbocharged four cylinder. Outputting a healthy 278 PS and 430 Nm of torque, this new boosted and intercooled mill that drives the front wheels of this Japanese minivan through a 8-speed automatic transmission has been quoted for a top speed of 180 km/h.
Even at that speed though, the incorporation of sound absorbing materials in its cowls and standard acoustically-insulated glass up front and on its side should still keep its cabin whisper quiet. Toyota further touts for the Alphard to ‘feature shock absorbers that mechanically adjust damping force based on the frequency of vibration transmitted from the road surface’, which in short should mean for an almost-magic carpet ride in spite of its 19-inch alloy wheels.
With 6 airbags and a whole suite of Toyota Safety Sense active driver aids as well, this luxury MPV could also be considered a rather safe one too. Other bits of noteworthy tech that is worth highlighting meanwhile includes the 14-inch central infotainment display and dual-zone climate control with Panasonic NanoeX air purification, in addition to a digital rear view mirror and a standard heads-up display.
Finishing up with the exterior design of the Alphard, this new iteration of Toyota minivan nets a slightly more sculpted face over its predecessor, courtesy of a sleeker front bumper and slimmer tri-LED headlights that surround a similarly large black grille. Its rear gets a similar nip and tuck too, with its intricately-detailed rear LED light clusters being the main eye-catching feature here.
The Alphard is currently officially available in Malaysia in a choice of four colours: Platinum White Pearl, Precious Leo-Blond, Precious Metal and Black. As with all new Toyotas officially sold in Malaysia, this Japanese people mover nets a 5-year unlimited milage (and fully-transferrable) warranty.
