Toyota Alphard has a DVD player with a drop-down screen.
People in the Avanza’s second row, however, will only be welcomed by a pair of conventional seats that form a long bench. Like the Alphard, there is an additional set of air-con controls, but it is an analogue system as opposed to the Alphard’s fancier digital panel. The rear air-con vents are mounted above the passengers’ heads, which limits their effectiveness. In the Alphard, they are strategically located throughout the cabin to further increase the system’s cooling efficiency.
Also just as efficient is the access to the Alphard’s third-row seats. Thanks to the gap between those captain’s chairs and the high ceiling, passengers can simply walk to the rear. It’s a different story in the Avanza, whose second-row bench must be tumbled forward to create an opening for occupants to squeeze past.
Toyota Avanza’s third-row isn’t as roomy as the Alphard’s, but offer more cargo space thanks to its foldable seats.
Because the Avanza’s 2655mm wheelbase is 295mm shorter than the Alphard’s, the available legroom in the last row is a lot more limited – even if you were to slide the second-row seats forward. Meanwhile, occupants in the Alphard’s third row need not feel short-changed, because the space back there is more than adequate, even for adults.
Despite being equipped with only a 1.5-litre inline-4 that produces 103bhp and 136Nm, the Avanza delivers a surprisingly perky drive. Tuned for city driving, there’s little hesitation when moving off from a standstill, but once you reach moderate to expressway speeds, the motor’s lack of mid-range grunt becomes obvious. Interestingly, the engine sounds workmanlike only at low speeds – it’s fairly quiet when you’re cruising at 80km/h.
If it’s a quiet ride you want, then it’s the Alphard you need. Its 2.4-litre inline-4 is refined and the continuously variable transmission (CVT) it’s paired to is so creamy, you would think it was a torque converter. On paper, the 170bhp and 224Nm this powerplant churns out seem decent, but given that the Alphard weighs 1.9 tonnes (200kg heavier than the Avanza), its performance feels more relaxed than its smaller sibling’s.
Choosing between either of these MPVs is like booking tickets for your entire family on a full-service airline. Both MPVs can get you to your destination, and the only question is how comfortable you want the journey to be.
2014 Toyota Alphard 2.4 (A)
ENGINE 2362cc, 16-valves, inline-4
MAX POWER 170bhp at 6000rpm
MAX TORQUE 224Nm at 4000rpm
GEARBOX CVT with 7-speed override
0-100KM/H 11.9 seconds
TOP SPEED 225km/h
CONSUMPTION 10.6km/L (combined)
CO2 EMISSION 218g/km
2014 Toyota Avanza 1.5 (A)
ENGINE 1495cc, 16-valves, inline-4
MAX POWER 103bhp at 6000rpm
MAX TORQUE 136Nm at 4400rpm
GEARBOX 4-speed automatic
0-100KM/H 15 seconds
TOP SPEED 165km/h
CONSUMPTION 13.2km/L (combined)
CO2 EMISSION 178g/km
Read our review of the current Toyota Alphard here.
The Mazda Biante is an MPV with a magic carpet ride
