Here's why the iconic Toyota Alphard emblem disappeared on the all-new AH40 generation
CY Foong · Sep 8, 2023 11:30 AM
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There are numerous recognisable features on the Toyota Alphard that even non-car folks would have a field day describing. From the bold front grille that resembles a knight’s face shield to the overall bread box design, the Alphard also has its own emblem in front instead of the regular Toyota ellipses.
The story behind the Alphard’s unique logo lies in the name of the flagship MPV itself. The name comes from Alpha Hydrae, the brightest star in the snake-shaped Hydra constellation. In fact, the traditional name Alphard is derived from the Arabic word, الفرد (al-fard), which means ‘the individual’.
The logo itself though has more Greek connection than Arab which is designed from the first Greek alphabet, α (alpha). It’s hard to find the resemblance but some publications mentioned that it looks like an alpha-shaped pretzel hydra.
The Alphard logo continues a sort of tradition by Toyota to place unique emblems on some of its models. It is as iconic as the Harrier’s harrier (a bird similar to an eagle), the Soarer’s griffin winged lion, the Celica’s dragon, and MR2's eagle badges.
Introduced on the first generation AH10 Alphard in 2002, the emblem is synonymous with the luxury bread box on wheels. Still, when the latest fourth-generation AH40 was unveiled, it seemed that Toyota had killed off something that was not in the shape of the Vellfire. The all-new Alphard’s front shield only bears the regular Toyota logo.
So, what happened to the iconic emblem? Well, it became a sacrificial victim of sorts as Toyota unified all its models under one dealership network in Japan.
Also, you might notice that all these unique badges are mostly confined to Japanese domestic models (JDM) as overseas, most Toyota models do not have a unique individual badge after the 2000s.
In 2020, Toyota would merge its 4 sales channels – Toyota Store, Corolla Store, Netz Store, and Toyopet Store – as the Toyota Mobility Store. Apart from reducing the number of once-exclusive models, some which bore unique logos would only use the standard ellipses badge.
Two recent examples are the current-gen XU80 Harrier which no longer features the harrier badge in front as well as the current Noah which swapped out the stylised ‘N’ insignia for the regular Toyota corporate emblem.
According to Best Car Web, this decision was made because Toyota wanted to increase its brand recognition among Japanese consumers. While Toyota is leading the way in terms of domestic brand sales in Japan, most buyers only know the model’s name rather than the company that produces it.
At the same time, Japanese buyers in general have a bad perception towards domestic products and look highly on foreign brands like Mercedes-Benz and BMW or even more mainstream ones like Peugeot and Volkswagen. Hard to believe but the whole “foreign is better than domestic” stereotype even applies to Japan (and for that matter, South Korea).
Hence, the Alphard emblem is dropped from the front grille of the all-new generation. The Alphard and Harrier have a reputation for being premium with some Japanese buyers being oblivious that what they own is essentially a Toyota.
Meanwhile, its twin, the Vellfire, never had its own emblem and the ones seen on most of the recond units in Malaysia feature the Toyota Netz badge as it was sold exclusively in those dealer networks in Japan.
Today, only 3 Toyota models have their own badges – the Crown, the Century, and the Corolla, with the first two models having an air of exclusivity among the Japanese as a symbol of success.
US-spec Crown shown, note the absence of a Crown emblem in front
Perhaps eventually those models might use the regular Toyota logo in the future as Toyota wanted to upgrade its image among Japanese buyers. The North American-spec Crown uses the corporate logo instead of the famous Crown badge like in the domestic market.
But don’t feel utterly disappointed that the Alphard badge is retired on the front grille. It still exists as the emblem is proudly displayed on the B-pillars if you notice carefully.
Traded advertising for a career that fits his passion for cars. Enjoys spotting cars during his free time and has a soft spot for Japanese Kei cars but drives a thirsty manual sedan.
