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With the Toyota Harrier now available in Singapore, shoppers here looking for an SUV from one of the largest mass-market manufacturers in the world now have a more luxurious cousin to the RAV4 to choose from.

And boy, does this Harrier attempt to push the boundaries of what a car with a mass-market badge can offer.

Let them eat cake

Walk up to the Toyota Harrier and you'll find that it makes a very good first impression. Standout exterior features include the slim head lights and sloping roofline, which give the car an air of elegance and tie it aesthetically to its predatory namesake, despite its significant mass.

Jump into the cabin, and the car continues to impress. Hybrid variants of the Harrier have their seats upholstered in Toyota Genuine Leather which is a delight to touch, while the cushioning underneath them is equally yielding.

This soft treatment also extends to numerous contact points such as on the centre console, armrest, and door cards, making the interior of the Harrier a tactilely luxurious experience.

And if its premium features you're after, this Luxury variant of the hybrid doesn't fail, sporting a large moonroof that extends into the second row.

Better yet, its use of electro-chromic glass (which can transform from nearly clear to a semi-opaque frost at the touch of a button) are sure to impress any passenger. I couldn't detect any difference in the amount of heat radiating through the roof in either setting.

Also new and exclusive to this Luxury variant is the digital rear-view mirror, which unfortunately does not offer the high-resolutions we have come to expect from our phones and other devices, but more critically does cut out a significant amount of glare, and has a high refresh rate to boot.

Power to the people

The Toyota Harrier is also great once you're on the road. With a healthy 215bhp delivering a zero to 100km/h sprint time of 8.1 seconds, this SUV will easily perform quick take-offs even when there is limited road space available.

And despite being paired to an eCVT, the Harrier only allows a fair amount of its engine's deeper notes into the cabin during hard driving. It is sufficiently muted and will hardly ever become grating.

Insulation elsewhere is likewise excellent, with only some wind noise noticeable around the wing mirrors once you're at highway speeds. Drive more sensibly and the car is not only quiet, but will offer mighty fuel economy as well, with the average fuel consumption standing at 19.6km/L after our two days with the car.

Popular revolution

Of course, those shopping for an SUV will expect plenty of practicality as well, and the Toyota Harrier delivers.

There is plenty of knee and legroom for passengers in the second row, although the seat cushions here are a little harder than those at the front.

And if ferrying family is what you're planning for this Harrier, you'll also be glad to know that the car delivers a fairly comfortable ride, gliding over large rounded bumps with generous levels of suspension travel to offer. It does however, transmit a fair share of vibration from road ruts and sharper edges into the cabin.

Boot space also stands at 396 litres, which is shy of the RAV4's 547-litre rear despite both cars sitting on the same platform. I rekon it's down to that sloping roof.

Crowd pleaser

At $173,888, this high-spec hybrid variant is asking for a fair bit more than its close rival, the recently facelifted Honda CR-V, which is currently priced at $163,999.

If you're willing to pay that extra for the innovative roof and rear-view mirror, and don't need a third row of seats, the Harrier makes for a very sound choice with its luxurious cabin and accomplished drivetrain.

And if you're not, the Premium hybrid variant is also available, and can be yours from a more competitive $164,888 (prices as of 18 February 2021).

Both will do well to insulate you from the sting of the recent fuel duty hike, and I think that's one feature that will really appeal, regardless of whether you're looking for a mass-market SUV, or something a little more luxurious.

Need another look at the new Toyota Harrier's sleek exterior? Join us in our video review as well!

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