What We Like
Handsome looks
Comfortable, spacious and modern cabin
Pliant ride and strong engine make for a pleasant driving experience
Well-equipped for $150k
What We Dislike
Navigation menu isn't very intuitive
Big wing mirrors obstruct vision when turning
You must be wondering, what's the big deal with this new Toyota Harrier? After all, it's a car that you've definitely already seen on our roads for a couple of years now, thanks to the parallel importers that have been selling this pretty popular model.
Truth be told, we felt the same way. Yes, of course this particular model, brought in by authorised distributor Borneo Motors, is a little bit different. It rocks a turbocharged engine and has English menus. But is that really enough for it to be such a big deal?
Visual presence
Visually, the Harrier cuts a fierce and imposing figure. It may sit on the same compact Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) platform as the Toyota RAV4, but it certainly looks big. The front facade is especially striking, with a sharper nose and a lower-angled grille. Fluid lines run over the rest of the muscular body, and we must say, it's really quite a good-looking SUV.
There are also auto LED headlamps with cornering lamps, distinctive vertical daytime running lights, sequential turn signals and an adaptive high-beam system - all pretty impressive for a car in this class.
Newfound quality
Move inside and you're immediately struck by the sense of elevated luxury.
Truth be told, we felt the same way. Yes, of course this particular model, brought in by authorised distributor Borneo Motors, is a little bit different. It rocks a turbocharged engine and has English menus. But is that really enough for it to be such a big deal?
Visual presence
Visually, the Harrier cuts a fierce and imposing figure. It may sit on the same compact Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) platform as the Toyota RAV4, but it certainly looks big. The front facade is especially striking, with a sharper nose and a lower-angled grille. Fluid lines run over the rest of the muscular body, and we must say, it's really quite a good-looking SUV.
There are also auto LED headlamps with cornering lamps, distinctive vertical daytime running lights, sequential turn signals and an adaptive high-beam system - all pretty impressive for a car in this class.
Newfound quality
Move inside and you're immediately struck by the sense of elevated luxury.
Compared to the Toyotas we are familiar with, the Harrier feels immediately more plush and comfortable. There's soft leather in places where you hands will regularly be, such as the doors and centre armrest.
It's also pretty high-tech for a Toyota, which adds to that sense of atas-ness. On the centre console, you have touch-sensitive surfaces in place of traditional tactile buttons. The infotainment system is also pretty straightforward and intuitive to use, navigation notwithstanding.
When you click the navigation icon, it immediately jumps to a menu asking you to select what kind of amenities you are looking for. If you just want to see the map and know where you are, you have to exit two menus before you get there. A little head scratching, if you ask us.
Also, we like the airy and spacious cabin, definitely helped by the full-length sun roof that this Premium variant has as standard. Passengers shouldn't have any complains, too, considering there's plenty of legroom all around, and the rear seats recline as well.
It's also pretty high-tech for a Toyota, which adds to that sense of atas-ness. On the centre console, you have touch-sensitive surfaces in place of traditional tactile buttons. The infotainment system is also pretty straightforward and intuitive to use, navigation notwithstanding.
When you click the navigation icon, it immediately jumps to a menu asking you to select what kind of amenities you are looking for. If you just want to see the map and know where you are, you have to exit two menus before you get there. A little head scratching, if you ask us.
Also, we like the airy and spacious cabin, definitely helped by the full-length sun roof that this Premium variant has as standard. Passengers shouldn't have any complains, too, considering there's plenty of legroom all around, and the rear seats recline as well.
Sensible pace
It is on the road that the Harrier most impresses. Under the bonnet sits a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine (a slightly downtuned version of the one found in the Lexus NX200t), which produces 227bhp and 350Nm of torque. It's a strong engine that allows the Harrier to feel quite brisk on the move.
There's a selection of three driving modes - Eco, Normal and Sport. To be honest, we prefer the drive to be left in Normal rather than Sport mode. The car isn't really made for hard acceleration. You can tell that the engine has been tuned such that it actually pulls much harder in third and fourth gear rather than first or second. It's a car made for the highways, a multi-mile cruiser and we reckon Harrier owners aren't sporty drivers either.
That said, it's still not slow or sluggish off the line. Stick your foot right to the carpet, and the car will leap forward (once the turbo spools) in a manner that is distinctly un-Toyota-like.
But it's when you are cruising along that the high levels of comfort and refinement really begin to impress. The cabin is pleasantly quiet. The ride quality is on the soft side. It may not be great for cornering (there's a fair amount of body roll), but it's wonderful for just driving along peacefully and sensibly. Big humps on the road are but a mere speckle on the tarmac. It is easy to drive, easy to overtake and most definitely easy to live with.
Driven reasonably, the Harrier is very impressive - its refinement should rightfully draw comparisons to Lexus cars. Fuel consumption also isn't too shabby, as we managed about 11km/L over four days of driving.
It is on the road that the Harrier most impresses. Under the bonnet sits a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine (a slightly downtuned version of the one found in the Lexus NX200t), which produces 227bhp and 350Nm of torque. It's a strong engine that allows the Harrier to feel quite brisk on the move.
There's a selection of three driving modes - Eco, Normal and Sport. To be honest, we prefer the drive to be left in Normal rather than Sport mode. The car isn't really made for hard acceleration. You can tell that the engine has been tuned such that it actually pulls much harder in third and fourth gear rather than first or second. It's a car made for the highways, a multi-mile cruiser and we reckon Harrier owners aren't sporty drivers either.
That said, it's still not slow or sluggish off the line. Stick your foot right to the carpet, and the car will leap forward (once the turbo spools) in a manner that is distinctly un-Toyota-like.
But it's when you are cruising along that the high levels of comfort and refinement really begin to impress. The cabin is pleasantly quiet. The ride quality is on the soft side. It may not be great for cornering (there's a fair amount of body roll), but it's wonderful for just driving along peacefully and sensibly. Big humps on the road are but a mere speckle on the tarmac. It is easy to drive, easy to overtake and most definitely easy to live with.
Driven reasonably, the Harrier is very impressive - its refinement should rightfully draw comparisons to Lexus cars. Fuel consumption also isn't too shabby, as we managed about 11km/L over four days of driving.
Additionally, the Harrier comes with the full Toyota Safety Sense P package. The most notable things you get are Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and Lane Departure Alert with steering assist. Remember, this is a $150k car. It's very well-equipped, comparable to the more premium German models.
And the technologies do work. However, they aren't as accomplished as the German or Swedish counterparts. For example, the lane departure warning only alerts you and guide you back into your lane when your wheel is basically already on or past the lane divider. At this point then, it feels more reactive than predictive.
Our only other little gripe is that the Harrier's side mirrors are really big, and that can obscure your lateral vision somewhat (especially when making left turns).
A big deal
So is it a big deal? Well, quite simply, yes it is. The Harrier is a really accomplished car that is ideal for Toyota owners comfortable with the brand but looking for a step up. It's a model that wants to set itself apart from the traditional SUV crowd, and we think that it has managed to do just that.
On its own, it's a really accomplished and capable car. However, once you take into account its $152,988 pricetag (as of 4th August 2017), it becomes so much more impressive - you're getting a hell lot of car for that kind of money. At its price point, it's hard to think of another SUV you can conceivably pick over this one. Hell, at this price point we're not sure there's another car better than this one, period.
And the technologies do work. However, they aren't as accomplished as the German or Swedish counterparts. For example, the lane departure warning only alerts you and guide you back into your lane when your wheel is basically already on or past the lane divider. At this point then, it feels more reactive than predictive.
Our only other little gripe is that the Harrier's side mirrors are really big, and that can obscure your lateral vision somewhat (especially when making left turns).
A big deal
So is it a big deal? Well, quite simply, yes it is. The Harrier is a really accomplished car that is ideal for Toyota owners comfortable with the brand but looking for a step up. It's a model that wants to set itself apart from the traditional SUV crowd, and we think that it has managed to do just that.
On its own, it's a really accomplished and capable car. However, once you take into account its $152,988 pricetag (as of 4th August 2017), it becomes so much more impressive - you're getting a hell lot of car for that kind of money. At its price point, it's hard to think of another SUV you can conceivably pick over this one. Hell, at this price point we're not sure there's another car better than this one, period.
