A few days ago, Toyota unveiled the Harrier plug-in hybrid in Japan. The Harrier PHEV, known as the Venza in the USA, gave us a glimpse of the upcoming plug-in version of the model, which is currently only available with a traditional hybrid setup in the USA.

The PHEV powertrain bumps the power up to 302 horsepower, which should make it quite entertaining in a straight line. Unfortunately, it's not much to look at. The Venza is 190 inches of generic SUV, but Japan-based Modellista now has a solution to the problem.

Modellista has a history of making dull Toyotas more interesting to look at.

Starting at the front, you'll notice the extended bumper and prominent splitter. Modellista also added a few chrome bits and incorporated additional LED lights between the badge and the headlights. Modellista's LEDs mimic the shape and layout of the OEM LEDs incorporated into the headlights, and the effect is fairly elegant.

The side skirts are quite substantial and add several more lines lower down the car. The bottom part of the skirt complements the convex lines of the car nicely, and they stick out just enough to add some more visual width to the Venza.

The rear bumper is a lot more aggressive thanks to chrome inserts and a quad exhaust pipe layout. These exhaust cutouts are obviously fake as the Venza PHEV does not have an actual quad pipe system, but it looks cool.

Other options include chrome inserts for the grille, wing mirrors, D-pillars and tailgate. You can further enhance the rear with a small lip spoiler. The good news is that these options, including the LED inserts, are available for the normal Venza as well. You don't need the PHEV to fit this body kit. It works as well on the standard Venza, which is already available in the USA.

The more upmarket options include 20-inch alloys, side puddle lights, an ambient lighting kit, and real stainless steel inserts for the interior. Modellista also borrowed some inspiration from Rolls-Royce, as you can also buy a wood grain floor for the trunk.

The unpainted body panels (front and rear bumper plus side skirts) cost $1,999. An illuminated grille costs around $520, while the chrome exterior inserts cost from $115 to $250.

Most of the pricing is not available yet, but Modellista does have several distributors in the USA, and it won't be long before the first shipment arrives.

As for power upgrades, there aren't any. Modellista is Toyota's in-house tuner and only does body kits, with fruitier exhausts being the most the company is allowed to do. The Gazoo Racing department is in charge of developing go-faster models, and Toyota likely wants to keep the two brands as far apart as possible.