This time, we will introduce in detail the recommended grades of the current fourth-generation Harrier . We will provide information that will be useful for those who find it difficult to understand even after looking at the catalog, or for those who are considering purchasing. As the author himself actually drives a fourth-generation Harrier, we believe that he will be able to provide more useful information based on his own experience than other articles.
About the new Harrier
Toyota’s new Harrier (4th generation) was announced on April 13, 2020, and sales began on June 17. This marks the first full model change in approximately seven years, with all models equipped with the TNGA platform, Dynamic Force Engine, and the new generation Toyota Safety Sense as standard. A partial upgrade was made on September 26, 2022, with the higher-grade model adopting a 12.3-inch TFT display (full LCD digital meter) instead of the 7.0-inch TFT color multi-information display + Optitron meter.
What grade is the new Harrier?
You can choose from grades “S”, “G” and “Z”.
- S: Entry grade
- G: Intermediate grade
- Z: High grade
- Z “Leather Package” genuine leather seat model
S grade features
Harrier S grade
The S grade is the cheapest entry-level model. Even though it’s a Harrier, if you choose the gasoline S grade, you can purchase it for just 3,128,000 yen. The exterior is equipped with LED headlights and 17-inch wheels. The interior has fabric seats in one color. (Leather isn’t always the best.) The steering wheel is wrapped in genuine leather, and the door trim is also wrapped in synthetic leather, which is great.
Disadvantages of S grade
Personally, the biggest disadvantage of the S grade is that it is often used in rental cars and car sharing vehicles , so if you see a Harrier owner in town, you can tell it’s a rental car because it’s so different. If you own a Harrier, I recommend choosing an S grade or higher.
G grade features
Harrier G grade
The G grade is a mid-range model that offers a good deal, and if you select the gasoline-powered G grade, you can purchase it from 3,529,000 yen. The exterior has a Harrier-like design, with chrome moldings on the front and rear bumpers and LED daytime running lights, unlike the S grade headlights. Furthermore, it features 18-inch aluminum wheels with a machined finish and dark gray metallic paint, and the interior has been significantly changed, with fabric and synthetic leather seats available in three colors.
Disadvantages of G grade
Personally, the disadvantage of the G grade is that it uses 18-inch aluminum wheels exclusive to the G grade on the exterior, so anyone familiar with the Harrier will immediately know it’s a G grade. Also, the interior is improved with the introduction of a 12.3-inch full LCD meter, which is now available as an option, and the display audio only has an 8-inch display. In terms of safety, it doesn’t come with a panoramic view monitor.
Z grade characteristics
Harrier Z grade
The Z grade is a premium model, and some may find it a bit pricey. However, if you select the gasoline-powered Z grade, you can purchase it starting at ¥4,038,000. That’s well into the ¥4 million range. However, the exterior design, featuring 19-inch aluminum wheels with a Super Chrome Metallic finish exclusive to the Z grade and long LED high-mounted stop lamps on the rear spoiler, makes it easy to tell it’s a Z grade. The interior comes standard with a 12.3-inch full LCD meter and a 12.3-inch display audio system with a JBL premium sound system, and the difference is obvious when you’re inside. A subtle but welcome addition is the Smart Entry system, which allows you to open and close the rear seats with just a touch of a knob. I chose the Z “Leather Package” grade, and unlocking the rear seat knob is convenient if you use it frequently.
Features of the Z “Leather Package” grade
The Z “Leather Package” grade is a model that adds genuine leather seats to the high-end Z grade. In addition, it is equipped with comfortable heated seats and seat ventilation (driver’s seat and passenger seat), making it comfortable to drive in the hot summer and cold winter. Once you try it, you’ll never want to drive a car without seat ventilation again because it’s so comfortable.
Engine options for the new Harrier
There are three engines to choose from: gasoline, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid. The first thing that bothers you is which engine to choose.
Gasoline engine model
| Model | engine | transmission |
Drive system |
Price (10%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z “Leather Package” |
Inline 4-cylinder 2.0L direct injection engine “Dynamic Force Engine” |
Direct Shift-CVT |
2WD (FF) | 4,338,000 yen |
| 4WD | 4,538,000 yen | |||
| Z | 2WD (FF) | 4,038,000 yen | ||
| 4WD | 4,238,000 yen | |||
| G | 2WD (FF) | 3,529,000 yen | ||
| 4WD | 3,729,000 yen | |||
| S | 2WD (FF) | 3,128,000 yen | ||
| 4WD | 3,328,000 yen |
Hybrid model
The previous Harrier hybrid model was priced between 3,580,000 and 5,040,000 yen, but the new model has a price difference of between 3,718,000 and 5,148,000 yen.
| Model | engine | transmission |
Drive system |
Price (10%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z “Leather Package” |
Inline 4-cylinder 2.5L direct injection engine “Dynamic Force Engine” + motor |
Electric continuously variable transmission |
2WD (FF) | 4,928,000 yen |
| 4WD (E-Four) | 5,148,000 yen | |||
| Z | 2WD (FF) | 4,628,000 yen | ||
| 4WD (E-Four) | 4,848,000 yen | |||
| G | 2WD (FF) | 4,119,000 yen | ||
| 4WD (E-Four) | 4,339,000 yen | |||
| S | 2WD (FF) | 3,718,000 yen | ||
| 4WD (E-Four) | 3,938,000 yen |
Plug-in hybrid
| Model | engine | transmission |
Drive system |
Price (10%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z | Inline 4-cylinder 2.5L direct injection engine “Dynamic Force Engine” + motor (PHEV) |
Electric continuously variable transmission |
4WD (E-Four) | 6,200,000 yen |
New Harrier fuel economy data
Fuel economy for gasoline vehicles (2WD) is WLCT mode: 15.4km/L (13.0km/L)
The fuel economy of the hybrid vehicle (2WD) is WLCT mode: 22.3km/L (17.0km/L). I drive this vehicle, and these figures are almost all actual measurements.
| Specifications | Harrier | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| full length | 4,740mm | |||
| Overall width | 1,855mm | |||
| Overall height | 1,660mm | |||
| Wheelbase |
2,690mm | |||
| engine | 2.5L inline 4-cylinder direct injection engine “Dynamic Force Engine” + motor |
2.0L inline 4-cylinder direct injection engine “Dynamic Force Engine” |
||
| Maximum power | 131kW (178ps) / 5,700rpm |
126kW (171ps) / 6,600rpm |
||
| Maximum torque | 221Nm (22.5kgm) / 3,600-5,200rpm |
207Nm (21.1kgf･m) / 4,800rpm |
||
| Front motor maximum output |
88kw (120ps) | – | ||
| Front motor maximum torque |
202Nm (20.6kgm) | – | ||
| Rear motor maximum output |
– | 40kW (54ps) | – | |
| Rear motor maximum torque |
– | 121Nm (12.3kgfm) | – | |
| System maximum output |
160kW (218ps) |
163kW (222ps) |
– | |
transmission |
Electric continuously variable transmission |
Direct Shift- CVT |
||
| Drive system | 2WD | E-Four (4WD) |
2WD | 4WD |
| Vehicle weight | 1,710 kg | 1,770 kg | 1,620 kg | 1,680 kg |
| Minimum turning radius |
5.5m to 5.7m | |||
| WLCT mode fuel economy |
22.3km/L | 21.6km/L | 15.4km/L | 14.7km/L |
| Tire size | 225/55R19 235/55R18 225/65R17 |
|||
| Passenger capacity | 5 people | |||
Until the new Harrier Hybrid pays off
This was a very difficult question when considering fuel economy and price. When comparing both grades “G”, the gasoline model is 3,529,000 yen and the hybrid model is 4,119,000 yen, a difference of 590,000 yen. Furthermore, the hybrid car is eligible for an eco-car tax reduction of about 30,000 yen, so the difference is about 560,000 yen.
Here we will calculate the cost of gasoline, and examine how much you need to drive to make up for the gasoline cost of about 560,000 yen. Based on the actual fuel consumption listed above,
Fuel economy for gasoline vehicles (2WD) is calculated based on WLCT mode fuel economy: 15.0km/L (13.0km/L), and fuel economy for hybrid vehicles (2WD) is calculated based on WLCT mode fuel economy: 19.0km/L (17.0km/L).
Calculation of driving 10,000 km when gasoline price is 170 yen per liter
- Gasoline model 10,000km = 130,769 yen
- Hybrid car 10,000km = 100,000 yen
The difference is only 30,769 yen after 10,000 km, so even if you drive 100,000 km, the difference is only 307,690 yen. You’ll need to drive about 200,000 km to make up the difference…
Even if you consider that you’re likely to sell your new car after about five years or 100,000km, choosing a hybrid car will cost you 252,310 yen less. Just because it’s a hybrid doesn’t mean you can choose it lightly. Furthermore, in the case of the Harrier, there’s no difference in the exterior design between it and a hybrid, so you can’t be proud of it.
About comfort
So far we’ve talked about price, but next I’d like to talk about comfort. The “inline 4-cylinder 2.0L direct injection engine + Direct Shift-CVT” model is excellent in terms of price, but is slightly inferior in terms of comfort. In my experience, the 2.0L gasoline models of the third-generation Harrier and fourth-generation RAV4 felt slow to accelerate. This is due to a lack of torque relative to the vehicle weight, and the same impression would likely be felt even if the Direct Shift-CVT was improved.
On the other hand, the “inline 4-cylinder 2.5L direct injection engine + motor” uses Toyota’s hybrid system, and because starting is done solely by the motor, you can expect a smooth ride with excellent torque. Furthermore, the overseas model “Venza” is exclusively equipped with this hybrid engine specification, and has received high praise overseas. Also, when using “radar cruise control,” the electronic control and hybrid system work well together, making for a more comfortable drive. If comfort is a priority, we recommend a “hybrid car.”
summary
The new Harrier is available in grades “S”, “G”, “G “Leather Package”, “Z”, and “Z “Leather Package”, and you can also choose between a hybrid and a gasoline-powered vehicle. This makes it very difficult to decide which one to choose. In terms of total cost, a gasoline-powered vehicle is cheaper, but if you want a comfortable ride, you should also consider a hybrid.
Exterior comparison
- “S” and “G” : The “G” is attractive when it comes to appearance and convenient features such as “chrome plating on the front and rear” and “LED daytime running lights.”
Interior comparison
- “G” : Luxurious features such as a power tailgate, illuminated entry system, and digital inner mirror are standard equipment. It also comes with a full complement of advanced technology and safety features, so if you’re looking for a car over 3 million yen, the difference of 300,000 yen makes the “G” worth choosing.
Furthermore, if you want to experience the fully redesigned equipment, we recommend the Z, which comes equipped with a 12.3-inch T-Connect SD navigation system, a hands-free power tailgate, and a color head-up display.
conclusion
The most recommended grade for the new Harrier is the Z “Leather Package.” If you have the budget, consider a hybrid vehicle.
What about delays in delivery?
The Harrier has been popular since its release and has a long delivery time, but as of June 2024, it appears that delivery will take four to five months. However, it is unclear what will happen in the future, so caution is advised.
I purchased the hybrid car Z “Leather Package” and have written many reviews since delivery, so I hope you will read them and use them as reference when making your purchase.
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