The Toyota Harrier is a mid-size crossover SUV sold since December 1997 by Toyota in Japan. In export markets, the Harrier was rebadged as the Lexus RX from March 1998. At this stage, Toyota did not retail the Lexus brand to its Japanese customers. Second generation models arrived to Japan in February 2003, paralleled with the Lexus for export. However, when the third generation Lexus RX arrived in late 2008 the Harrier continued on in second generation form unchanged. Lexus had now made its debut in Japan as an independent marque, thus the third generation RX sold there in the same livery as its export brethren. It was not until 2013 that Toyota refreshed the Harrier, although it morphed into an independent model line constructed on a separate platform from the Lexus RX, but retaining a visual link with the RX.
