In China’s automotive landscape, the Toyota Alphard has long been a model shrouded in controversy. In August 2025, William Li, CEO of NIO, openly criticized its sales strategy, which involved marking up prices by a staggering 300,000 yuan, directly calling out Toyota’s use of hunger marketing tactics. Indeed, from Wei Jianjun to He Xiaopeng, a multitude of automotive executives have looked to the Alphard as a benchmark when developing competing models. Wei Jianjun even went so far as to dismantle multiple Alphard units for in-depth study. This MPV was once hailed as the epitome of high-end business vehicles in China and the “dream car” of wealthy entrepreneurs. However, in its native market of Japan, it is merely a mid-range model aimed at the family segment, with a price tag hovering around 300,000 yuan.

The first-generation Alphard, which made its debut in early 2002, entered the Japanese middle-class family market with its spacious interior and luxurious features. Later, it expanded into the Chinese market, largely due to the influence of Hong Kong celebrities. The third-generation model, launched in 2015, placed a greater emphasis on luxury design, with prices soaring to 800,000 yuan. Dealers seized this opportunity to impose hefty markups, which reached a peak of 300,000 yuan during its heyday. However, with the ascent of Chinese automotive brands, the Alphard’s myth has gradually unraveled. Markups have now dwindled to a mere 20,000-30,000 yuan, and sales have been on a continuous decline since 2021.