Andy's Sport Utility Vehicles: How to differenciate if you're buying a Toyota Harrier or Lexus RX? -Part One-

Caption : Toyota Harrier in Premium L-package, note the six-spoke sport rims instead of the normal 5-spoke sport rims for non-Premium L-package.

If you, like me, have been to car dealers looking for reconditioned (ie grey exports - will be explained further in another article, let's just concentrate on the differences of the Toyota Harrier and Lexus RX first) Toyota Harrier, you would realize that the car dealers have lots of Lexus RX selling alongside the Toyota Harriers. And more often than not, the prices of these Lexus RX are no higher than that of the Toyota Harrier.

Caption : Dimensions of Toyota Harrier and Lexus RX are exactly the same.

"Surely there must be some kind of pricing mistake?", you may wonder. A similar year Lexus RX would have cost tens of thousands more than that of the Toyota Harrier due to the premium badge and higher specifications, so the nett-depreciated prices of Lexus RX should be still higher than that of the Toyota Harrier.

Caption : Rear spoiler is standard on L- and Premium L-package.

Caption : Note the bigger 18' sport rims and roof rail on the Lexus RX.

But look closer and you may then realize that the Lexus RX on sale in these recond car dealers, are really Toyota Harrier in the higher specs like L-Package and Premium L-Package. Some of the more "savvy" car dealers may even inform that the "L" in the higher-spec packages refer to Lexus.

Caption : The Toyota Harrier was purely for JDM with generous OEM specs.

Actually, the Toyota Harrier was specifically for the JDM OEM market, while the Lexus RX was for the international market. In fact, if you show a picture of the second-generation Lexus RX to a typical Japanese on the streets, he or she would likely identify the Lexus RX as a Toyota Harrier. Simply because the Lexus RX was not on sale in the Japanese market, only the Toyota Harrier.

Caption : Amongst the more popular Toyota Harrier colours were pearl white. Note the half-walnut steering wheel also used for the Lexus RX model..

Caption : The Toyota Harrier in Black Mica. Note the more conventional steering wheel.

From the re-badging exercise, the better spec Toyota Harrier L- and Premium L-packages eventually became the Lexus RX SUVs for the internatinal community, where it was well-received in USA, UK and SEA regions. And because Japanese typically change their cars on a 3-year cycle, the excess "unwanted" secondhand cars are auctioned off to companies whom bring them to countries all over the world as recond vehicles. And therefore, thanks to this arrangement, we come to learn of the Toyota Harrier's existences.