UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) recently announced and previewed the Toyota Harrier in Malaysia. The Japanese-market SUV, one of the most popular models in the grey market, will be sold by our official Toyota distributor for the first time, following the footsteps of luxury MPVs Alphard and Vellfire.

UMWT’s order books have been open for the 2.0T Premium priced at RM238,000 and the 2.0T Luxury at RM259,900, both on-the-road without insurance. The Harrier’s official presence here follows a similar debut in Singapore, and the car you see here is a Singaporean-spec 2.0 Turbo Premium G model featuring minor spec differences.

Buying an official Harrier will net you the latest facelifted model that surfaced in Japan in June this year, powered by the 2.0 litre turbo engine from the Lexus NX. The 8AR-FTS makes 231 PS from 5,200 to 5,600 rpm and 350 Nm of torque between 1,650 and 4,000 rpm – all sent to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Toyota claims fuel economy of 13 km/l on the Japanese JC08 cycle, and there are also “performance” dampers to reduce roll and improve high-speed stability. This engine offers a big step up in performance over the 2.0 litre Valvematic NA engine and CVT combo found in most grey import units – the advantage is 79 PS and 144 Nm, UMWT points out. Of course, there’s also the 6AT vs CVT difference.

Built on the same platform that also underpins the latest RAV4, this latest Harrier is no longer related to the Lexus RX, which has been spun off into a completely separate model. Dimensions include a length of 4,720 mm, a width of 1,835 mm and a height of 1,690 mm, along with a wheelbase of 2,660 mm.

Changes to the facelifted model include triple-projector LED headlights with sequential indicators, flanking a new upper grille design. There’s also a wider lower grille incorporating LED fog lights, vertical LED daytime running lights, red-tinted LED tail lights, a redesigned rear valence and a visible exhaust pipe with a chrome finisher, plus 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels with a five-spoke turbine design.

On the inside, there’s new Ultrasuede and faux leather upholstery and carbon-weave metal trim; the Luxury variant gets Nappa leather and brushed aluminium not seen here. There’s also an electronic parking brake with an auto brake hold function, as well as a driver’s seat that slides back automatically to improve ingress and egress, both of which are new on the facelifted model.

Other features include a new height-adjustable powered tailgate, a panoramic sunroof and ventilated power-adjustable front seats with driver’s side memory (not found on this Singapore-spec show unit). These items are only available on the Luxury model.

We’ll also get plenty of safety equipment onboard, headlined by the standard-fit Toyota Safety Sense driver assists including Pre-Collision System (autonomous emergency braking), active cruise control and auto high beam. We’ll also get the full complement of seven airbags and VSC.

It’s not explicit, but UMWT’s video seems to be a reminder for interested parties to wait for the better deal, which comes with a factory five-year unlimited-mileage warranty and “guaranteed parts supply for the next 10 years.” Other benefits include a fully-localised infotainment system with switchgear. Of course, UMWT’s highly-specified Harrier is also the latest facelifted model with the turbo engine, but the catch is that you’ll have to wait awhile for it.

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