Between the Surf and Harrier, which one is the better option?

The Toyota Hilux Surf is a better option because of its better resale value and utility attributes . FILE PHOTO

Hi Paul,
I am planning to buy a bigger car to replace my Toyota Premio and the options I have are; Toyota Hilux, Surf, Harrier and Prado TX ranging from 1998 to 2000s.
Since I am operating on a budget (Shs25m to Shs30m), the Prado TX seems to be off my list, as it is expensive compared to the Surf and Harrier.
Which car is better: The Surf 98 or Harrier 98 considering the basic factors of maintenance, strength, power, fuel economy, ground clearance/off road capability, and resale value. Kindly advise on any other factors that I should consider.
Mubiru Mukaay.

Mubiru, your choice between the Toyota Hilux Surf and Harrier will be influenced by your utility and cargo needs, drivability or handling on or off road, economy as well as maintenance and resale value. Hilux Surf comes with two petrol engines: petrol 3RZ 2.7 Litre and 5VZ 3.4L V6 Diesel 1KZ 3.0 Litre while the Harrier has the petrol 2.4 L straight 4 and 1MFZE 3.0 Litre V6. The used petrol engines with mileages above 100-150,000 kms are easier to maintain while the diesel engine offers more mileage per litre of fuel. The Harrier’s DOHC 3.0 litre petrol engine is more economical and powerful (Engine output: Harrier 3.0L: 156 kw / Surf 3.4L 136kw) compared to Surf’s 2.7 and 3.4 litre engines. This is due to the Variable Valve Timing intelligent system (VVTi) which automatically alters the camshaft lift profile to increase engine fuel efficiency and power. Maintenance and repair parts for both models are readily available and affordable.
The Hilux Surf is a semi utility vehicle mounted on the chunky full length Hilux pickup platform (frame on chassis) while the Harrier’s body integrates the chassis in a monocoque construction (chassis in the frame). Surf enjoys a higher ground clearance of 240mm (compared to Harrier’s 210mm). This difference in build structures makes the Hilux Surf stronger and suitable for multi role (utility work and passenger transport) on both tarmacked roads and off road in the field or up country. On the other hand, the Harrier is more comfortable to drive and offers better road holding during high speed travel due to aero dynamics and handling thanks to the integrated chassis frame. The Surf is fitted with a more fit for purpose four wheel drive system with the 2WD/4WD High and 4WD Low gear ranges with differential lock. Harrier only offers four wheel drive on some models and it is not the heavy duty type. Whereas the Surf has a bigger external profile, the Harrier’s interior is more spacious and comfortable with better legroom and head room. The Surf has a better resale value because of its utility attributes.

I have a Toyota Raum 2000 Model. I wanted you to clarify on this, when does it consume less fuel, when overdrive is off or on?
Evelyn

Hi Evelyn, your car consumes less fuel when your Over Drive (O/D) facility is on. When you switch on the Over Drive, the O/D OFF amber light on your dash board will not display. Over Drive or O/D feature on some automatic transmissions works like the fifth gear on a manual transmission. O/D facility allows your transmission to shift to highest gear which reduces the load on your engine and subsequently improves your fuel economy. Use of O/D is recommended for highway driving because the traffic speed will allow shifting to the highest gear. O/D ought to be switched off when driving in slow urban traffic or uphill because the slow traffic or road gradients will not allow the O/D to provide the fifth gear and gears will keep shifting down. Note that you can switch the O/D on or off while you drive. When you switch on the O/D you will notice that the engine revolution counter will drop down to confirm a reduction of engine load and an improvement of fuel economy.

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Paul Kaganzi

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