Import a Toyota Alphard or Vellfire from Japan to Ireland: what it really costs
The luxury MPV never sold here. The Vellfire is the same vehicle with a different face. The car that shows why some imports do not add up.
The Alphard is the import people fall for on paper: eight seats, captain’s chairs, sliding doors, and a Japanese auction price that looks like a bargain against nothing comparable on an Irish forecourt. It is also the clearest example of VRT deciding the deal.
A 2.5 petrol Alphard certifies around 196 g/km, which is the top VRT band at 41% of a high OMSP. The hybrid is a different car for tax: a much lower figure and, on the same OMSP, thousands less to register. The research brief’s conclusion, that a petrol Alphard is often dearer to land in Ireland than in the UK, stands.
- Customs duty
- 0%
- With a Statement on Origin; 10% without one.
- VRT in the scenarios
- 21.5% to 41%
- of Revenue’s valuation, by CO2 band
- Landed, incl. fee
- €19,171 to €41,931
- across the scenarios and CO2 assumptions
- Exchange rate
- 180.94 ¥/€
- ECB, 18 Sept 2026, with the 2% buffer
Worked scenarios
Computed with the same engine as the calculator when this page was built. Prices and Irish values are assumptions. The right-hand range shows what happens when the CO2 evidence comes back at 145, 175, 196 g/km. Open any row and replace the assumptions with a real car.
| Car | Price in Japan | Irish value | CO2 → band | Landed incl. fee | CO2 145–196 | Open in calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 AGH30 2.5 petrol X, 80,000 kmPetrol | ¥1,500,000 | €22,000 | 196 → band 20, 41% | €23,461 | €19,171–€23,461 | Open |
| 2018 AYH30 2.5 hybrid X, 60,000 kmHybrid | ¥2,800,000 | €32,000 | 145 → band 15, 21.5% | €30,379 | €30,379–€36,619 | Open |
| 2020 AGH30 2.5 petrol S, 40,000 kmPetrol | ¥3,200,000 | €38,000 | 196 → band 20, 41% | €41,931 | €34,521–€41,931 | Open |
- 2016 AGH30 2.5 petrol X, 80,000 km: 196 g/km is the figure cited in the research brief for the 2.5 petrol; price and value are assumptions for a grade-4 eight-seater.
- 2018 AYH30 2.5 hybrid X, 60,000 km: 145 g/km assumes a disclosure for the hybrid well below the petrol; the hybrid is dearer to buy and much cheaper to register.
- 2020 AGH30 2.5 petrol S, 40,000 km: A newer petrol on a higher Irish value: the 41% band on €38,000 is over €15,000 of VRT before anything else.
VRT and the OMSP
The VRT band is the whole story here. Above 190 g/km the rate is 41% of OMSP, and the OMSP on an Alphard is high because nothing comparable is sold new in Ireland. Petrol Alphards sit in that band; the hybrid, on a disclosed figure in the 140s, pays a little over half the percentage.
Because the model is Japan-only, Revenue values it by statistical code. Expect variance, and expect the value to be higher than you hoped: the same scarcity that makes the car appealing raises its OMSP.
NOx levy
The 2.5 petrol and the hybrid both certify moderate NOx with evidence; without it Revenue charges €600. There is no diesel Alphard to worry about.
Without evidence Revenue charges €600 for petrol and hybrid cars, €4,850 for diesels.
Customs duty and origin
Japanese-built, so 0% customs duty applies under the EU–Japan agreement, provided the exporter supplies a Statement on Origin. Without it, 10% of the customs value is charged. Ask for the statement before you bid, not after.
Built in: Japan (Toyota Auto Body, Inabe). Japanese-built, so the EU–Japan 0% duty rate applies with a Statement on Origin.
Insurance
A large Japan-only MPV: some insurers decline, others quote as a people carrier. Wheelchair-accessible conversions (Welcab) have their own rating. Get a quote before you commit; it is a bigger question here than on a hatchback.
Generations
- 30-series (2015–2023): 2.5 petrol (AGH30), 2.5 hybrid with four-wheel drive (AYH30) and the 3.5 V6 (GGH30). The Vellfire is the same platform.
- 40-series (2023 on): 2.5 petrol and hybrid, plus a 2.4 turbo hybrid; new enough that few are cheap yet.
Before you bid
- Width: the Alphard is about 1.85 metres wide before mirrors and over 4.9 metres long; check the driveway and the parking.
- Power sliding doors and the rear-seat electrics are the expensive faults; test every seat, door and screen before bidding.
- Tyres in the 17- and 18-inch sizes are dearer to replace with E-marked equivalents than a hatchback’s.
- Hybrid battery health on 2015–2018 AYH30 cars; no manufacturer warranty applies after export.
- Japanese tyres often lack the E-mark the NCT requires: budget €300–600 for a set.
- The radio needs a band expander for Irish FM (Japan uses 76–90 MHz) and the navigation unit is in Japanese; most buyers fit an aftermarket head unit.
- Cars from snowy prefectures can carry underbody corrosion from road salt; ask for underside photos or an inspection before bidding.
- Book the NCTS appointment within 7 days of arrival and register within 30, or penalties apply.
Where the numbers come from
- The research brief’s worked example: a 196 g/km Alphard on an €18,000 OMSP pays about €7,380 of VRT in the 41% band, and lands dearer in Ireland than in the UK.
- Irish values for Alphards run well above €18,000 for newer cars; every euro of OMSP costs 41 cent of VRT on a petrol, which is why the scenarios below use higher values.
- We have not yet captured audited auction prices for the Alphard. The scenarios use assumed prices; replace them with a real listing in the calculator.
Questions people ask
Why is an Alphard so expensive to register in Ireland?
The petrol 2.5 certifies around 196 g/km, which is the 41% VRT band, and Revenue’s OMSP for a scarce luxury MPV is high. On a €38,000 value that is over €15,000 of VRT. The hybrid, in a much lower band, is the version that can make sense.
Is the Alphard duty-free?
Yes, with a Statement on Origin: it is Japanese-built, so the EU–Japan 0% rate applies. Duty is not the problem on this car; VRT is.
Hybrid or petrol Alphard?
For an Irish registration, the hybrid, almost always. It costs more at auction and far less at the NCTS, and the worked scenarios show the gap. Confirm the CO2 disclosure before you bid on either.
Can I insure an Alphard in Ireland?
Some insurers will, as a people carrier; some will not. Get a quote before committing, and mention any wheelchair conversion.
How long does the import take?
Typically 8 to 14 weeks from auction to Irish plates: a week or two in Japan for deregistration and export paperwork, four to six at sea, then customs clearance, the NCTS appointment and registration.
Price a real Alphard and Vellfire
Put a real auction listing into the calculator: hammer price, mileage and the CO2 figure if you have it. You get every cost line and a range, and you can send it to us for sourcing from there.
Other models
Rules version 2026-09-17. Estimates only; VRT is assessed by Revenue at registration. Page computed at build time; the calculator uses the exchange rate of the day.