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Dear Forumers, Starting this topic as I believe some of us here may be in the same situation as me and I also hope to learn from the rest of the EV forumers here with respect to being a likely first-time EV owner. So, my 'hunt' started with a visit to the car showrooms at Leng Kee with a family member who was shopping for a car. Unwittingly, the 'shopping bug' latched on to me as well and I found myself 'magically' drawn to the showrooms myself with my family in tow. With regards to my current profile, I am driving an Alphard (Year 2021) thus when comparing 'apple to apple', an equivalent replacement would be another MPV. For the new Alphard, it costs anywhere between $360,000 - $400,000 (depending on dealer) with an annual depreciation from $31,000 onwards. From the online pictures and review, I didn't bother to check out the current Alphard as there wasn't any significant updates from my current ride. Instead, I paid a visit to the Lexus showroom to view the Lexus LM (7-seater). At > $600k, I didn't find the interior quality to be worthy of it's price tag. Even the SA commented that the LM is meant for would-be Alphard buyers with money to spare and distinguishing themselves from the 'peasants' Alphard crowd. Unsatiated, I looked elsewhere and found my gaze drawn to the EV MPVs from China, that were flooding the market coincidentally at this point in time. And thus, the impetus for this topic as to who will dethrone the long undisputed king of MPVs that is the Alphard. 1. Xpeng X9: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e6BfFyfb5mHigWXyuQo2YwiXHm-iblhs/view?usp=sharing This is the newest kid on the block and while the car is in the showroom, it is undergoing homologation at LTA thus no test drive is possible. As per the SA, the selling price is likely to be at $310,000 and depreciation (my estimate) about $28,000 - $30,000. Pros: This is the most futuristic MPV among the lot, in both its exterior and interior. My family loved the interior the most due to the TV (for rear passengers) ala the 7-series which folds down dramatically at the touch of a button. Most of the other functions in the cabin are also operated by 1-touch buttons making it seamless and modern. Last but not least, its 3rd row recess electrically into the boot at the touch of a button creating a completely flat rear cabin. Cons: In my opinion, the looks of the X9 is going to be divisive with polarising opinions. Personally, I am not able to fathom it's appearance, especially its rakish rear 3rd quarter. In some ways, it seems like it is modelled after the Tesla Cybertruck but I don't think it was pulled off as successfully. Therefore, I have my doubts as to its eventual resale value due to this main consideration. 2. Zeekr 009: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10SmD8B66eUKu5shV8Q2-SDRBFnk5fGOK/view?usp=sharing This is the car with a similar price tag as the new Alphard. I didn't enquire with the SA about the depreciation due to its initial hefty price tag and associated cost (more on that later). Pros: This is also a modern-looking MPV that drew comments like 'it looks like a Rolls Royce' from my family. It also features the most luxurious interior with it's trimmings and overall build quality. Most cars will also be left helpless in it's wake in a traffic light sprint as it's 0-100km/hr is in a class leading 4.5 seconds. Cons: Beyond the hefty price tag, the road tax is at a crazy $6.5k per annum. As one of the motivation for switching to EV is to lower the operating cost, this is definitely a huge red flag and therefore reduces it's appeal (didn't even test drive as don't want to waste the SA time). 3. Maxus Mifa 7/9: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vDibRvN8KYnmNLWnWJQc6f0qldVE_ka3/view?usp=sharing This is the most affordable car among the lot. Visited the showroom just to draw a level of comparison but didn't test drive as wasn't really keen on it. A note though that, this was the only showroom where we were not accosted by a SA thus maybe they had hit the sales quota for 2024. Pros: This has the lowest price tag and first mover rights as it was the first large 7-seater electric MPV to make its foray into the local market. Cons: No disrespect to current Mifa 7/9 owners, but I feel that the interior build quality and trimming reflects in the price tag. For the Mifa 9, the instrument cluster and head unit is really below par as more of an afterthought. However, I believe this was the best option in the past as it was the only sizeable MPV that is an EV and therefore, owners really didn't have much choices to consider. 4. Denza D9: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10YwRQpBtBkR2Jj_Rjc5syg2nzcVwhsHD/view?usp=sharing This was the only car I test drive as from the online research, it had ticked all the right boxes. Pros: First and foremost, it is unpretentious in its intention and looks like an Alphard. Therefore, I believe its design is more palatable for existing Alphard owners making the transition. Next, the price tag (depreciation at $27-$28k for the FWD Elite model) is 'reasonable' in current market conditions and undercuts the Alphard by $3-4k a year in depreciation. It makes decent power and have sufficient range, and it's road tax is only $480 more than the new Alphard. It's interior build quality and trim is also 'value for money' in terms of its quality. An initial collaboration between BYD and Mercedes, this is apparent in the cabin such as the wood trimmings (same as in Mercedes products) and ambient lighting. It also offers better seat comfort in the 3rd row as compared to the Alphard/X9 and perhaps comparable to the 009. This is because the seats are inclined a few degrees towards the ceiling thus making it significantly more comfortable as compared to the Alphard which is flatter and has shallower seat bottoms. In terms of the drive, it also feels more 'continental' - same secured/rooted/engaged sensation as premium makes that I had driven before that hails from Germany/England. Cons: From the B-pillar onwards, one may be surprised to find that the D9 offers less in terms of cabin space than the Alphard despite its longer length/wheelbase. This is due to the 'thicker materials' used (like the captain seats) and a 410L fixed boot (Alphard has none). The ambient lighting also looks like it is underpowered (too dim even at its brightest settings) unlike its ex-sister brand Mercedes. Finally, there isn't any TV for rear passengers like the 009 and X9 which was a severe disappointment for my family (as we have 1 in our existing Alphard). As you would have guessed it by now, all things considered, the Denza D9 is in my opinion going to give the Alphard a real run for its money in its uninhibited attempt to wrestle the 'King of MPV' throne in Singapore. There is nothing wrong with the Alphard (past and present). From the B-pillar onwards, in my opinion, it beats the more luxurious contemporaries such as the Mercedes S-class or 7-series. It also leverages intensively on its branding as the most reliable car brand in the world (and rightfully so as my past 3 years of ownership had been uneventful compared to my previous experiences). On the flip side, it offers an emotionless and soul-less drive. It's interior build quality is at best average and the 3rd row seat comfort is mediocre. With the new Alphard at >$30k in annual depreciation, it really makes no financial sense at all to choose the new Alphard as its interior build/quality is still average and features almost non-existent. For MPVs, the 2nd row seats are the 'money seats' and therefore, it must be the most important point of reference for these luxury MPVs. For instance (past/new Alphard), in its most basic trim, there are no touch-screen control panels at its captain chairs, no ventilated or massage seats. And all these comes standard in the D9. Therefore, all things equal, it is bewildering why one would consider the new Alphard over the D9, when you paying more for less! Furthermore, in terms of operating cost and assuming an annual mileage of 20,000km for the average driver and based on a fuel consumption of 12km/l and RON 95 petrol at $2.20/l for the Alphard, it costs $3667 in petrol cost per year. For the D9, it has a consumption of 4.66km/kwh and based on $0.5 kwh charging costs, one would pay $2145 per year which translate to a saving of $1522. If one would to minus $480 (due to the higher annual road tax of the D9 compared to the Alphard), it would still translate to a saving of $1042 yearly. This saving would be even higher if petrol costs increases and if one has access to home charging (at $0.3 kwh compared to 3rd party service providers). Also, we haven't factored in the lower maintenance costs of EV (dealer for D9 offering 10-years battery warranty/maintenance) compared to ICE. All-in-all, it is certainly financially compelling to jump ship to the D9. Finally, what may be the other cons stopping Alphard owners? To me, it would be the branding and resale value down the road. And I also appreciate any other forumers inputs who have been there and done there (by transiting to EVs). At $300k a pop, the D9 ain't exactly loose change thus I am also worried if I had missed out any 'blind spots' in my analysis. Awaiting your valuable inputs and hope my sharing had offered other forumers who are in the same situation as me in making a better decision on their next purchase, thanks!

The MPV look gigantic in size (5 mm shy of 5 m from end to end), and finally available in 2.4L Turbo, producing a healthy 275 horsepower and 430 NM. Toyota has unveiled the fourth-generation Alphard alongside the Vellfire. These follow the recently introduced posh Lexus LM, a mechanically related vehicle based on the same TNGA-K platform. The twin are the first Toyota models to have steps on both left and right sliding doors, with a step emerging about 220 millimeters above ground. The boxy minivans are 4995 mm long and share a massive wheelbase stretching at 3000 mm. Both are 1850 mm wide while height depends on the model and trim level, either 1935 mm or 1945 mm. The Alphard and Vellfire can seat up to six people in a 2+2+2 layout with second-row captain's chairs. There's now an extra 5 mm between the first two rows and an additional 10 mm between the second and third rows. Both can be had with front- or all-wheel drive as well as a hybrid powertrain, with a plug-in hybrid setup to be added later. The most powerful of the bunch is a turbocharged 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine available in the Vellfire. "Tuned to deliver a sporty sound," it makes 275 hp (205 kilowatts) and 430 Newton-meters of torque. Customers can also pick a hybrid based on a 2.5-liter gasoline engine with a combined output of 250 hp (184 kW). Lesser Alphard models have a non-electrified, naturally aspirated 2.5-liter, four-cylinder unit with 180 hp (134 kW) and 235 NM. Depending on the engine, the minivans come with a CVT, an e-CVT, or an eight-speed automatic.

I finally realized that fatherhood had taken over my life. It’s the cycle of life that I thought I’ll never be in. Happy being a Bachelor for more then 40 years till I met my wife. I thought , sure, we can still survive with a Coupé . Then came baby 1 and we changed to a five door hatchback ( Have your tried putting a baby in the back seat of a Coupé, I’ll spent more $ after to see the chiropractor for my back). But when baby 2 came along, suddenly with two child seats at the back , there is no room left to put anyone else, the maid can’t even fit in between. There are days when we have to go out with the elders. (luckily we only have two of them in singapore). Don’t know where to fit if there are all 4 and 2 kids and my wife and me. I need a V class Mercedes or a Toyota HiAce van for that. I know many people will say “Hey, we can manage to squeeze up to 8 in a SUV or MPV”. They can sit on laps and the adults can sit “one in one out” seating positions. First it’s so uncomfortable, after even a 30mins drive . As an adult, I can’t seem to feel my legs if I’m in the middle or 3rd row after the squeeze. Good luck trying to ask two 80 year olds to do that, you will never hear the end of it. Secondly, legally you are only supposed to have the right amount of people per seat belt. So our quest was simple, or so we thought… My wife and my needs were simple. 1) Safety first for the kids. (Who cares about looks😂 that is when Parenthood hits) 2) Comfort for everyone in the car. 3) Have enough booth space at the back to at least put 1 stroller with all rows of seats up. 4) Reasonable size and height that can go into most car parks and easy to drive. ( if it’s huge, I’m sure someone will ding the car on the first day of driving it) 5) As cheap as possible with all those needs. well, this is abit of an option point. Good to have , but with COE at this price, it’s a tall order. Our little adventure started one sunny Monday morning. We have mondays off (lucky us)😝. We visited, I can’t remember how and dealership and Parallel importers, second hand car dealers too. To make it short, We did not see the Rolls-Royce , Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley , Porsche,Aston Martin ,etc… So after seeing a lot of brands. I can tell you we learned a lot. As our priority was safety first for the kids. They are at 7 months and 2.5 years old of me writing this . They both need a properly child care seats . The youngest one needs a back facing type as he has not fully developed his core and neck muscles to fit front facing child seats. So we needed seats that have Isofix features, ( I’m not going back to the dark ages especially when it comes to the safety of our kids) if you know, most 7-8 seats have 3 rows of seats. And there are two types of configurations. The ones with the opening in the middle of the 2nd row ( eg: Toyota Alphard) and the ones without the opening. And if you decide to choose the ones which have middle opening to walk to the 3rd row. The easy part is that you don’t really need to move anything or seats, You just open the doors and the walk into the car and go to the back from the middle aisle. It’s not very wide, but an adult can squeeze through. Here comes the question. Generally , the most comfortable and expensive seats are the 2nds rows, with the leg and arm rest and some even comes with massage options. Good points to score points with the elderly on the massage options. But no, most car makers don’t think this way, they don’t have isofix at the 3rd rows and they want you to put your kids in the 2nd row after you spend buckets loads of $ on those prized seats. How is my child going to enjoy the massage or leg rest when the child seat is a buffer between them. And I rather score points with my mother in law then make her climb into the 3rd row back seats😅. If you chose the other configuration without the middle opening at the 2nd row seats. You won’t be an able to get to the 3rd rows with two child seats fixed into the 2nd row seats. Maybe some cars can , but the gap is so small when you can’t fold the seats down to access the 3rd row seats. Only a few cars made it to our list because of the isofix at the 3rd row seats. Sad to say the popular Toyota Alphard didn’t made it , they don’t Isofix at the 3rd row, even the Volvo XC90 ( known for its safety features) doesn’t come with it at the 3rd rows, all Japanese brands don’t have it at all. and some other continental brands too, like Mercedes MLB20, BMW 218GT, Citroen, Peugeot, Alfa, Fiat, Skoda and Korean brand Hyundai and Chinese BYD M3e both didn’t have IsoFix at the 3rd row too. Audi and Renault didn’t have anything in their show room at Leng Kee as of now. If you are still with me after my long rant, here is our list of cars that made it. 😂. Kia Carnival Opel Zafira E Life Seat Alhambra Volkswagen Sharan (The VW Touran didn’t make it as it has no booth space for my stroller after all 7 seats are up) With every list there can finally only be one left. How we came to the one was pretty easy. Kia carnival is huge at 5115mm long. Parking it is going to be a challenge at older carparks and I’m sure one of us will ding it. Also the engine is a diesel 2.2L and our government tax on diesel is not something we want to consider. Next off the list was the Opel Zafira E Life. With a range of only 230 km range after a electric charge, going up north for a family holiday is going to be a challenge. The two horse ( Alhambra and Sharan) race to the last comes built from the same factory in Portugal, and they are under the umbrella of Volkswagen Group. Volkswagen “The people’s car “ in the English and kudos to them for designing this for the normal people in mind, it is the perfect made for the family like mine, two or more young kids with elder parents. They have integrated child seats for those with kids from 3-12. Saves you spending more money for buying boaster seats for the older kids or when your young kids gets older. Have enough space to put the stroller at the back with all 7 seats up. Not as easy to get to the 3rd row back seats as the ones with middle aisle configuration. But it’s not hard either to get to the back with its sliding door and reasonable gap ( I’m 1.78m and I could climb in with easy). Yea I have two kids, and “IF” (please note on the word “IF”) I decide placed both the kids in the 2nd middle row, just to take the piss out of my in-laws…😅 I can put one in the middle and one to the side of the 2nd row (because they are all 3 individual seats in the 2nd row and they all have Isofix on them), while the rest of the adults can still go to the back from the other side. If when my wife is willing to give us another bundle of joy or the agent of Chaos depending on the kids mood. But she said, her factory is close. it really spacious in the middle row, I can have three adults sitting side by side without feeling squeezed not like my BMW 216AT back row seats. But I would like my elders to be comfortable, so putting the youngest in the middle seat on the 2nd row and having two elderly flanking that child and have my helper at the back with the older child works best for us. But there can only one car “to rule them all”. we went with the Sharan based on the badge the power of the engine. Well first it’s a VW, and I was told that the whole singapore market for Seat’s last years new car sales was less then 100 units, somehow no one’s wants a Seat, I’m not sure if this report is true, but yes I don’t see a lot of Seats on the road compared to VW. So resale for the Seat is not ideal. The Engine for the Seat Alhambra is a 1.4 and the VW Sharan a 2.0, they are both turbocharged and power is more then 110kw and hence they fall into category “B” for the COE. The Sharan has all the extras and nicer interior, like the sun roof, yes it’s nice to have but not a need. The difference with its current discount on both cars in $ was not significant large. (Out goes point 5 on our list) But in return was neutralized by the better resale value and VW brand, but the one that closed the deal for me was being able to have the same engine (EA888) as the Golf GTI with a 7.8 seconds to 100km, making my dreams of me going back to being the young bachelor I was at heart. 😎 Even though my wife thinks I’m already an old uncle in my late 40’s 😆. I still want to put the windows down , have the sun roof opened and blast my music from Gold 90.5 (boomer station) and feel the wind in my face while I hand surf with my arms hanging out the door ledge. Hey , you are never to old to still be an young Ah Beng at heart. Your sincerely, Ctaiwee

Just to have an idea who drive this wonderful MPV.. And we can organise meet-ups and all.. and also.. there is a dedicated forum : www.alphardasiaclub.com Let me get the ball rolling... 1) VellfireS / Toyota Vellfire 3.5Z-G S-Edition (Richburg Motors)

Beauty or Weird looking ?

Am looking for some advice: We're going to Hokkaido next month, and are looking at renting a large MPV, so hope to get some tips and information on: 1) which MPV is good/best 2) any tips on driving in winter There will be 7 of us on the trip. 6 adults/children who are 1.7-1.8 m tall, and one 6-yo kid who needs a booster seat. There will also be quite a bit of luggage, tentatively 1-2 pcs 28", 3 pcs 24", 2 pcs 20" luggages. Looking at the options for MPVs, the larger ones are either Toyota Alphard or Nissan Elgrand, followed by the slightly smaller ones of Toyota Noah or Nissan Serena. Any bigger will be the Toyota Hiace van. Is there any possibility of accommodating all 7, plus the luggages in Alphard/Elgrand, or is it necessary to go for Hiace? I vaguely remember that @Heartlander had mentioned before renting Elgrand during a Japan trip, and also owned an Alphard before here? Care to share your experience please? Anyone else with knowledge/experience of these 2 - your opinion is welcome. If we shift the 3 rows of seats to be more 'forward', will the luggage/boot space behind 3rd row seat, be sufficient for the luggages that we have? Then on #2, driving in winter/snow, apart from going slow, and avoiding icy roads, what else should we look out for? Winter tyres are standard, and there's 4WD option for the vehicles. Thanks in advance.

Dear Alpine Navi GPS map users, Bought this headunit around 3-4 mths back for my Alphard and was disappointed that the GPS was relatively outdated, did not even have MCE. (think its 2013 or 2104 map). As advised by my installer, he said that I can buy online and installed it myself (via the headunit SD card). Today, surf the alpine website to find out how to update, also check malsingmap, in the end was prepared to pay for it (around US80, more ex at US120 if include Thailand) but alpine website advised me to install this software to check whether there is enough space in the SD card. https://alpine.naviextras.com/shop/portal/downloads Realised that the programme actually detected that I have a 2015 Q2 free update - inside my SD card! By clicking it, viola, my map now updated! Hence, pls do not pay/buy gps map update until you downloaded the above and check for any free update available. Other tips 1) pls peel off the plastic covering the SD card carefully using some simple tools, was using my fingernails, almost damage it 2) create a backup of the SD card into your PC, just in case the update does not work still happy no need to pay a single cent, and not sure why the installer was not aware abt it.

This might be a long shot, but no harm trying. Incident occurred at JW St 42 car park (in front of blk 554), approx. 1005hrs. I scraped the side of your front passenger fender while reversing. Did not have any stationery with me, so I went to get some. Upon returning, your vehicle was no longer there. Should you be reading this, please drop me a pm for settlement. Pictures of the damage are attached as well. Many thanks

Hi, Intending to get either of these 2 cars but not willing to fork out $30k more to get from AD. Whom are the reputable PIs to recommend? Thanks!

As abv 2011 Nissan Elgrand 2.5(E52) vs Toyota Alphard 2.4, mind give me some advise???

The third generation Elgrand recently underwent a facelift, bringing a host of cosmetic changes and improvements. It also enters the large MPV market with a seven-seater variant. Versus its close rival the Toyota Alphard, which do you think is a better buy? http://www.sgcarmart.com/news/review.php?AID=742

Hi I'm asking to see if anyone has experienced driving a Toyota Alphard in Japan (specifically in Hokkaido would be good). As we're headed there in June, I'm curious about how different the model is compared to the version we get here in Singapore... I need as much luggage space as possible, and as it is, the local version's last row slides forward just enough that I can load the luggage for the six of us.... I'm wondering if the seat configuration (2-2-3) and "configurability" is similar.... Thanks in advance!

kaypoh a bit here i read that he sold it and bought a 2nd hand car. anyone knows what he driving now? or has anyone here bought Jack's Alphard?

Happen to find this website introducing the 2009 Aiphard in Japan. Donno when wil it be imported to Singapore http://videoandpic.blogspot.com/2008/09/to...phard-2009.html

with jack neo screwing around in his mpv, is that the best choice? size matters? lol no need to describe your personal experience, but from what you hear can already.

Saw from today's straits times that BM will be bringing in Toyota Alphard MPV this year. They will also be launching the new Wish in the 3rd quarter

Review is at: http://forums.asiaone.com/showthread.php?t=18035

Wonder how much the Pi's ar selling over here... Looks Tempting May 12, 2008 Toyota 'Alphard' Minivan Reborn with 'Vellfire' Companion Tokyo

Dear all I am looking for the Toyota Alphard 03', 3000cc, 2WD rear shocks. Need one pair. Anybody who knows who and where to contact kindly let me know. i've tried Ric-Tat, Hanip, Autosaver and Fong Tat with no results. Thanks a million.