TOYOTA HARRIER: Which Version Do You Like for Used Car?

First Generation (1997-2003)

The TOYOTA HARRIER was released in December 1997 as a high-luxury SUV, using the chassis of the TOYOTA WINDOM and a customized upper body. As an unprecedented genre of vehicle, its release garnered great attention, and it subsequently gained massive popularity. In the past, SUVs had emphasized a rough and powerful outer design, but for the HARRIER, a refined front grille and headlights were used, as well as rear combination lamps that emphasized roundness, leading to a more luxurious appearance.

For the interior as well, an integrated instrument panel, self-luminous meter, and foot-pedal parking brakes were installed to achieve a refined interior that did not betray the luxurious air of the exterior. A reclining function was installed on the rear seats; furthermore, because an instrument panel was utilized, walking through the front seats was made possible, further improving riding comfort.

The body size measured in length, width, and height at 4,575mm, 1,815mm, and 1,665mm respectively, making it a 3 number body size. Riding capacity was 5 people.

With the base grade as the standard, the S package (with sports seats, discharge headlamps, JBL audio, and UV cut privacy glass installed in the sides and rear) and the G package (with driver's side power seat and genuine leader steering wheel) were also made available.

The inline four-cylinder 2,163cc gasoline engine with 140 horsepower and the V-type six-cylinder 2,994cc gasoline engine with 220 horsepower were made available.

As for the transmission, only the 4-speed automatic was made available.

For both engines, the FF and 4WD were available drive system options.

In November 2000, minor changes led to alterations to the interior and exterior. For the exterior, the designs of the front grille and rear combination lamps were changed to increase their presence. For the interior, designs of some areas, like the steering wheel, were changed to further improve quality.
The inline four-cylinder engine saw an increase in displacement, evolving to a 2,362cc engine with 160 horsepower.

Second Generation (2003-2013)

The HARRIER underwent a full model change to produce the second generation model in February 2003. As with the first generation model, which garnered great popularity, the design remained according to the Keep Concept design. For the exterior, the headlights that had been divided in two were unified into one, and the body color was kept the same for the roofline extending from the A pillar to the C pillar, achieving a more refined and flowing design.


In terms of the interior as well, changes were made to heighten an air of luxury; the decorative panels for the instrument panel were changed to metal and wooden ones. The design of this instrument panel was based on the motif, “an eagle spreading its wings,” inspired by the HARRIER's namesake. Moreover, functionality was increased with the seat arrangements; the rear seats were able to be separated into 4:2:4, and for the trunk space, a tripartition deck board was used.

The body size measured in length, width, and height at 4,730mm, 1,845m, and 1,680mm respectively, increasing by 155mm in length, 30mm in width, and 15mm in height when compared to the previous generation model. The wheelbase was also increased by 100mm, further enhancing straight-driving stability. Based on this body size, the model was registered as a 3 number body. Riding capacity was 5 people.

Two engines were made available-the inline four-cylinder 2,362cc with 160 horsepower and the V-type six-cylinder 2,994cc with 220 horsepower. The designated fuel for the inline four-cylinder 2,362cc with 160 horsepower was regular gasoline, and for the V-type six-cylinder 2,994cc with 220 horsepower, high octane gasoline.

The transmission that could be combined with these was the 4-speed automatic for the inline four-cylinder 2,362cc with 160 horsepower, and the 5-speed automatic for the V-type six-cylinder 2,994cc with 220 horsepower.

As for the drive system, the FF and 4WD were made available.

In January 2004, the Electro Multi-Vision with DVD voice navigation was improved to make it compatible with the G-BOOK.

In July of the same year, with the aim to increase safety features, the installation of the Intelligent AFS was expanded to more grades. Moreover, pre-crash brake functions were added to the pre-crash safety system.

In January 2006, changes were made to the engine. For the V-type six-cylinder engine, by newly introducing the 3,456cc engine with 280 horsepower, power output and running performance were improved. For grades that carried this engine, VSC and a traction control system were also installed as standard equipment. Furthermore, discharge headlamps with auto levelling functions were installed on all vehicles as standard equipment, further improving functionality.

In January 2007, minor changes were made, with improvements focusing on design changes to the exterior. By changing the front grille's design and installing metal-plated door handles, the model was able to achieve more ornateness.

In January 2009, the engine carried was consolidated to the inline four-cylinder 2,362cc engine, and the V-type six-cylinder engine was removed from the lineup.

Third Generation (2013-)

The current third generation model went on sale in December 2013. In terms of the body, that of the LEXUS RX had up to this point been used, but a new body was developed specific to the domestic model, and the body size was adjusted accordingly to maximize usability.

As a result, body size was reduced by around 10mm, measuring in length, width, and height at 4,720mm, 1,835mm, and 1,690mm respectively. As for the exterior, the overall silhouette was carried over from the previous generation model, and particularly around the blacked out front grille area, it was designed so that one could immediately recognize the model as a HARRIER.

In terms of the interior, decorative elements were increased for the meter panel, heightening an air of luxury. Moreover, for the center console as well, the switches were all consolidated to two sides, increasing functionality and making for an organized layout. These could be identified as TOYOTA's newest design features, seen in other models such as the TOYOTA ALPHARD.

For the engine, with the inline four-cylinder 1,986cc with 151 horsepower as the base, great focus was placed on developing a hybrid model using an inline four-cylinder 2,500cc engine and motor. These engines saw enhancements in fuel efficiency, and they were certified as “2015 Fuel Consumption Standards +20% Achieving Vehicles.” In particular, the hybrid model has a JC08 mode fuel consumption of 21.8km/L, thereby being applicable to special tax reductions.