TOYOTA Harrier is a very popular sport utility vehicle (SUV) in Malaysia, making its selling debut in Japan in December 1997.
The second-generation model was introduced in February 2003, before being refreshed as the third generation in 2015.
Until recently, those in Malaysia with money to spare on the premium mid-size crossover had to rely on “grey” importers to own one.
Independent dealers with the necessary permits would import used Harriers off the marketplace in Japan. But such units were sold without warranty and this can cause distress to buyers when their unit face mechanical problems.
Early this year, UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd officially started importing the facelifted Harrier.
Introduced in two variants, namely the 2.0T Luxury and 2.0T Premium, the SUV comes with nationwide after-sales support, including spare parts and more importantly, a five-year warranty with unlimited mileage.
We spent a weekend testing the Harrier recently. Let’s check the 2.0T Luxury specifications first before we share our experience in the turbocharged vehicle.
THE DETAILS
The 2.0T Luxury’s features include triple-projector LED headlights, sequential indicators, LED fog lamps, 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, Nappa leather seats, ventilated fron seats, height-adjustable powered tailgate, panoramic moonroof and power-adjustable front seats with memory.
It also boasts the Toyota Safety Sense package, a suite of active safety systems that include pre-crash system, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping system, lane departure alert and adaptive high-beam system. This is on top of the seven airbags, vehicle stability control, traction control, hill-start assist control, emergency stop signal, electronic parking brake plus auto brake hold and parking sensors with reverse camera.
The range-topping variant is priced at RM259,900 on-the-road without insurance. It is RM21,900 more than the base 2.0T Premium variant, which does not have Nappa leather seats, panoramic moonroof, wing mirrors, power back door and rain-sensing wipers, among others.
THE DRIVE
The four days spent with the 2.0T Luxury unit may not involve a long-distance “balik kampung” trip to Pahang. Still, more than 500km clocked in before the key was returned to UMW Toyota will provide a good account on the vehicle’s quality.
The SUV was really potent. The power from its 8AR-FTS 2.0-litre turbo engine (same as the Lexus NX) was reflected by its agile handling and calm composure on the road. This was not surprising given that its engine produces 231 PS from 5,200 to 5,600rpm and 350Nm of torque from 1,650 and 4,000rpm. The mill is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, with drive being sent to the front wheels.
The SUV barely had any cabin noise and offers a compliant and pleasant ride, thanks to its power-adjustable front seats with memory and lumbar support and spacious cabin.
Even when encountering imperfections in the road or overtaking other vehicles, the ride was very comfortable. It held cornering lines with well-managed levels of body roll.
In short, the Harrier 2.0T Luxury delivered uncompromising performance, efficiency, space and comfort. Small wonder then buyers have to wait more than six months before getting their hands on the SUV from UMW Toyota.