I just realised that the last entry was nearly 2.5 years ago. Sorry for the long wait then; but in the meantime, there had been plenty of time for a real-life longer-term review on the Toyota Harrier. In these past years, I could summarise as per the following :
Fuel Consumption
I utilised the Harrier mainly for daily highway-cruising as my workplace is quite a distance from my house, and it just crossed the 152,900 km marque today. Given my type of usage, I could say that the Harrier performed remarkably well in terms of stability, drivability and fuel consumption.
Reliability and Maintenance
People normally assumed that the maintenance cost of a mid-size SUV would be on the costlier side. From my experiences all these years, besides the basic servicing of the car, the only mechanical parts that had deteriorated which required new replacements were as per the following :
- alternator;
- starter motor;
- engine mounting;
- suspension and bushing.
I had to change tyres a few times and these were costly given the 18" that I had on the ride. The changing of the tyres was a wear and tear matter given my long-distance travels and also for safety reasons. Other rubber hoses, brake pads, battery, etc were replaced as part of the routine maintenance schedule.
I could therefore conclude that the Harrier was a very reliable and easy-to-maintain vehicle, provided due care was placed on the routine servicing.
Upgrades
The AV system was upgraded a few years back with 3 monitors in the car (to keep the kids happy during travels) and a nice sound system in place. If you travel on the road as much as I do, then you would appreciate having these upgrades as they could really liven up your travels and pay themselves back in time.
A good UV-protection tint was put in place in view of the harsh Malaysian weather at times, and investing in a good tint was essential especially if you park in the hot sun at times.
I have no doubt that Toyota has a great product in the Harrier and I believe that the this ride will continue to serve me and my family in a reliable and safe manner in years to come.
