This must be the best looking Toyota Surf In Malaysia right now.
We have admired this SUV for years as it has some great features for its time and it looked very much like the classic Hilux with a cab at the rear.
At its launch this was Toyota’s answer to the popular Pajero but it was never offcially sold in Malaysia and instead a small number of units were imported in by AP Holders in the 1990’s. You will be able to find a majority of units running around in Borneo (sabah and sarawak).
We spotted this excellent looking Toyota Surf recently on a city highway and was amazed on how well preserved this unit was and running smoothly as we followed it for a few minutes along the highway.
The last time we saw a Surf looking this good was almost a decade ago and now this excellent unit is running in Klang Valley.
Some history on this Toyota 4×4. The Surf was introduced as a 2WD, also a 4WD and with a family sports-utility version known as the SSR-G.
This particular unit looks like a 1995-1999 model Surf SSR-G, based on the livery and badges. Which means it carries a 3RZ 16-valve 2.7 litre four (150bhp at 4,500 rpm) engine.
All versions of the Toyota Surfs ride on the same suspension arrangement which is MacPherson struts and wishbones at the front with coil springs, trailing arms and a live axle at the rear. The top-of-the-range SSR-G model comes with Dual Control Suspension, which lets you select between two preset damper rates.
On the centre console there is a switch and you can use it to get stiff damping as the damper rates become noticeably firmer. Like most off-road 4×4’s from that era, the Surf will deliver some form of rough travel with the wheel, brake and suspension assembly moving as you meet uneven tarmac. Just like a pickup truck.
This Toyota Surf has seats for five people with a low roof height. Front passengers get an almost car-like impression with the dashboard and seats coming from a passenger vehicle. Rear passengers will feel a little cramped when there are three adults sitting.
The drivers seat has adjustable lumbar and bottom cushion angle adjustments available. Plus the steering wheel has a tilt adjustable steering column.
This is Japanese imported 4×4 and so you will get from the showroom a cassette player with a 6 stack CD changer and dashboard cup holders, climate control, power windows, central locking, (retractable) power mirrors and grab handles on the a-pillar to assit in getting up to this high riding 4×4 (assuming it is all factory original).
Meanwhile, when the Surf was new the roof console came with map lights and displays for ambient temperature, barometric pressure/altitude and also a compass for off road directions. The instrument cluster incorporated basic meters like a tachometer, speedometer, odometer/trip meter, fuel level and also a temperature gauge.
Values today are quite varied and we have seen it advertised for as low as RM18,000 and another time RM32,000 with both vehicles residing in Borneo. If there is a unit like this for sale in Semenanjung Malaysia, please inform us as we know some people who love this Toyota Surf.
Today, its modern sibling is the Toyota 4Runner which is sold around the globe but not in ASEAN nations for some reason.
