Toyota’s new Hiace has a tough design with a huge window that enhances the feeling of openness

“Why is Toyota’s Alphard luxury minivan so popular? Does the oversold luxury minivan have any weaknesses?

Luxury suits all occasions, and that’s the point!
　Toyota’s luxury minivan “”Alphard”” is currently enjoying tremendous popularity among minivans.

Over 15 million yen, the overly luxurious four-seater Alphard is amazing! View 31 photos of the gorgeous gold Alphard.

　The current model, the third generation, was introduced in 2015; a minor change in 2017 to a more powerful front grille made it even more popular, and even though its basic design is seven years old, it still ranks 8th in the overall new car registration rankings (April to September 2022).

　While other minivans are getting newer with model changes, what is the reason why a minivan that is already 7 years old and yet costs from 3,597,000 yen to 7,752,000 yen (including consumption tax) is selling so well?

Toyota’s Alphard, the king of luxury minivans

　We asked the actual owners why they chose the Alphard, and what advantages and disadvantages they could see only after driving it.

　Mr. S (Aichi, 40s), who runs a flower arrangement business, purchased a 3.5-liter model of the Alphard with the intention of using it for work as well as private use.

He said, “”I have only driven domestic cars because of my profession and the fact that I live in a place where it is difficult to get my hands on imported cars.

　At such times, I chose the Alphard because of its spacious and comfortable rear seats, sufficient power to easily travel long distances even when loaded with luggage, and because I use it in a variety of situations, from at flower production sites to porte-coches at city hotels.””

　He also wanted a car that was spacious enough to carry his hobby equipment (a long board for surfing), and as a result, he settled on the Alphard.

　According to Mr. S, the Alphard’s presence and luxurious feel give it a status that he is not ashamed of as a business owner in any situation.

　He chose the 3.5-liter model because he needed the power to adapt to the large body, which is 4950 mm (length) x 1850 mm (width) x 1935 mm (height) and weighs approximately 2 tons. 301 hp/361 Nm, the high-powered Alphard is also easy to cruise at high speeds, he says.

　On the other hand, this large body is also a disadvantage.

It is still difficult to maneuver in fine-tuned maneuvering,”” he said. Also, the 3.5-liter engine is high-octane and not very fuel-efficient (9.9 km/L in WLTC mode, according to the catalog), so it still costs a lot of money in these days of a weak yen and high oil prices.

　However, I think it is a very good choice in terms of entertaining customers.

　Thanks to the choice of leather seats, the interior of the car has a luxurious atmosphere. However, it is so luxurious that he hesitates to load his surfboard, which is his hobby, into it, and he now goes surfing in a different car.

　Other features include the fact that rearward visibility is not so good (a rearview camera is installed for this purpose), instead of the high position visibility that makes it easy to see everything around you.

　As mentioned above, it is easy to cruise at high speeds and is good at it, but the heavy weight of the car makes the brakes feel less effective (longer braking distances), and there seems to be a set of advantages and disadvantages.

　Even so, they like the fact that it can seat up to the third row of seats, has enough luggage space for a large number of passengers, and has a full range of driving support systems and safety equipment, such as collision damage reduction brakes and radar cruise control.

I think the fact that this one car can be used in a variety of situations is a big draw,”” he says.

　It’s not unique because it’s oversold and you see a lot of the same cars around town, but on the other hand, its high level of perfection is what makes it a popular car model.

　I don’t think I will need to change cars for a while”” (Mr. S, owner of Alphard)
Why is Toyota’s luxury minivan “”Alphard”” so popular? Does the oversold luxury minivan have any weak points?

Toyota introduces the Alphard to compete with the Elgrand.
　What kind of minivan is the Alphard?

　Before the birth of the Alphard, Toyota had launched the Granvia in 1995 as a large minivan based on the Hiace for the European market, followed by the Hiace Regis, a 5-number model.

　Although it was a luxuriously equipped minivan, it was not a big hit, perhaps because of its subdued design.

Toyota “”Alphard

　The Nissan “”Elgrand”” appeared in 1997 and revolutionized the minivan world. Unlike previous minivans, which had a commercial feel to them, the Elgrand’s strong front mask and luxurious, comfortable interior paved the way for a new genre of “”luxury minivan,”” and it became a huge hit.

　The first-generation Alphard was introduced in 2002 to coincide with the launch of the second-generation ElGrand.

　While the ElGrand was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine (a 2.5-liter V6 engine was later added), the Alphard came in two versions: a 2.4-liter inline 4-cylinder and a 3-liter V6 engine. The lineup also included grades with lower taxes and maintenance costs from the start.

　With its FF and boxy design, the Alphard was highly space-efficient, and with an overall height of over 1900 mm, it was characterized by its spacious interior, making it an instantly popular model.

　In 2008, the Alphard underwent a model change to the second generation with a new platform. The overall height was lowered by 45 mm, but it still retained its unique seating position that allows the driver to look down at the surroundings from a high position and an overall height of over 1900 mm.

　In 2015, it evolved into the third generation, the current model. The concept was a “”large-space luxury saloon,”” and the rear suspension was changed from a conventional torsion beam to a double wishbone, greatly improving ride comfort.

　The powertrain lineup includes a 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder engine with excellent maintenance costs, a hybrid version, and a high-power 3.5-liter V6 engine. The hybrid model is also available in four-wheel drive (4WD), including “”E-Four,”” in which the rear wheels are driven by a motor.

　Toyota, which has long been known for the luxurious interior and ride comfort of its high-end saloons such as the Crown, has combined the minivan technology it has cultivated with the Hiace and other models, so perhaps the success of this luxury minivan line was a foregone conclusion.

　It seems to be a hit.
The Alphard can accommodate a large number of passengers as well as conventional minivans, but it has a luxurious specification with a spacious interior and captain’s seats for greatly improved comfort, which means that the strategy of “”a luxury saloon in the shape of a minivan”” has met the market needs well.

　Another evidence of this is the fact that many large companies have switched from the Crown, which had been popular as a company car until then, to the Alphard.

　Compared to sedans, in which you have to bend down to get in, the Alphard, with its luxurious interior like a running drawing room, is closer to the longed-for “”someday a Crown.

　The appeal of the Alphard can be said to lie in its powerful body and design, and its overwhelming presence.

　It is a good choice for those who prioritize comfort and luxury over the agile driving performance of a sedan or sports car, and the fact that it is the best minivan made in Japan should fully satisfy their desire for ownership.

　As a luxury transportation space, the value is very high.