We love the XU80 Toyota Harrier, but here are 3 things you can't unsee
Jason · Jan 30, 2022 10:00 AM
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It's an open secret that the team at WapCar.my is quite fond of the XU80 Toyota Harrier. It is a brilliant ambassador to how Toyota does luxury (yes, they CAN do luxury). The Harrier is refined, great to drive, and comfortable all at once. The perfect real-world luxury SUV, if you ask us.
The XU80 Harrier's best angle
In fact, we were actually rather reluctant when time came to hand back the keys to UMW Toyota (UMWT). It's not all a bed of roses though. Much as we adore the XU80 Harrier, there are some design decisions about the car that we found rather odd.
Harrier bird motif on the door trim, still classy
Now, these are not necessarily deal breakers in any way, but they will probably make you go, "Why on earth would Toyota do this?!" Here are three things we found rather strange in the XU80 Toyota Harrier.
This oddity was readily apparent because it's one of the first things you use when getting into the Harrier. Sure, you'd expect a car costing RM 249k to come standard with keyless ignition, and it does. Problem is, the button itself doesn't feel very well integrated to the rest of the Harrier's brilliant interior.
Look at how awkward the push-start button placement is
Usually, push start buttons are placed in a manner where it sits flush with the rest of the interior trim. That's patently not the case here, as you can tell from the picture above. Not only does it not sit flush, the entire panel surrounding the button just looks like an afterthought. It really really looks out of place in a car with such an asking price.
With the Electric Parking Brake switch also there, things get a bit messy
Just look at it, the wireless charger tray area is robbed of space because of the need to place the push start button where there would otherwise be a practical, usable storage space. Add to that is the fact that the entire panel just looks like someone forgot to include it in the first place, and decided to just tack it on. The simple and elegant solution would've been to place the button either close to the steering wheel, or just next to the gear selector.
If you're behind in an SUV, can you see the indicators?
We're not entirely sure why car makers decide to place the indicators and reverse lamps away from the main lamp cluster, even if the XU80 Harrier is not first nor only car to do so (the Hyundai Kona is another culprit). In the Harrier's case, the rear indicator and reverse light sits on the lower side sections of the rear bumper. Why?
Hyundai Kona also has separate indicator and reverse lamps, albeit slightly higher
From a visibility standpoint, surely it's easier for other road users to see if said lamps were mounted higher or integrated into the main taillamp cluster. This is especially if other road users are in close proximity in traffic, or worse, in parking situations. It's really difficult to see the Harrier's indicators and reverse lamps in these situations.
Still a magnificent angle come night time
Granted, the Harrier is a taller car, and the design of the rear taillamps are magnificent (you could just stand and admire the Harrier's rump all day), but to sacrifice visibility at its expense might not be the wisest thing to do. Furthermore, those LED indicator and reverse light strips are really thin too, further compounding the problem.
Of all the oddities listed here, this one probably hits home the hardest for this writer. This is because we have been singing endless praise about how the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform prioritises the driver. Yes, the XU80 Harrier is really a lovely steer, if you did not know this already, SUV or not.
Bar the offset steering, everything about the driving position is superb
And with most TNGA-underpinned cars, the driving position of the XU80 Harrier is near perfect, but for one thing. That would be that it's steering wheel is slightly offset to the left. It's not immediately obvious, but once you've seen it, you cannot unsee it.
Floor-hinged throttle is a joy to use
As we at WapCar.my have panned modern Mercedeses for having this very same offset steering (albeit to a lesser degree in the XU80 Harrier), we must be fair and objective to other cars as well. This offset steering position dents what is otherwise a very good driving position. The seats are supportive, and the myriad of adjustments allow you to find the right driving position for any size. Shame, that there's no adjustment to make the steering go an inch to the right.
To reiterate again, these aforementioned things are by no means a dealbreaker to putting a XU80 Toyota Harrier in your garage. For the money, there are not many SUVs in its class that will match it for sheer refinement, comfort and chassis finesse, even if it's hopelessly outgunned in the performance department.
Instead, the reason for pointing these things out is in the hope that car makers can find a remedy for the facelift (or next-gen). It's a slim chance, but well you never know, right?
But then again, what's a car without some flaws? That's what gives it 'character'. We'd still happily live with the minor idiosyncrasies if that means we get to live with a XU80 Toyota Harrier (in Slate Grey Metallic, please). Now, where do I find RM 249k to put one in my garage?
Jason's foremost passion is all things automotive, where he spent his formative working years as a Product Planner and Trainer. An Advanced Driving Instructor by training and an all-round enthusiast, Jason loves going into intricate details about driving dynamics. Will drive anything with 4 wheels and a steering.
