Road Test: Toyota Kluger

Review by Peter Maniatis - 17/December/2008

When Toyota launched the first generation Kluger in Australia a few years ago, the Ford Territory was the highest selling mid-sized SUV on the market.

It seemed that nothing could dent the Territory's domination of its class.

But when Toyota launched the second generation Kluger in late 2007, it clawed back a lot of ground on the Territory.

Today we're testing the entry-level Kluger KX-R and it's not hard to see why it's still such a popular model.

I don't think the name is this vehicles strongest point, but beyond that there's a lot to appreciate and after driving the vehicle all week, it doesn't feel like an entry-level model. 

This family SUV is well equipped, coming with 17-inch alloy wheels as standard which give it a good grounding, and the body design holds up well.

Other features that would normally be optional are standard across the Kluger range, such as a reversing camera, seven airbags and stability control.

With this sort of standard features list it's not surprising Toyota is winning over so many SUV buyers, and we thought it was about time to put the top selling Toyota to the test.

Well, you have to give it to Toyota. It really knows how to engineer a car. 

The Japanese company often gets branded as a mundane car makers, but having driven most of the Kluger's rivals I can say that this vehicle is quite lively.

This car feels effortless to drive and is very easy going for a big 4WD. Ride quality is text-book Toyota - smooth and comfy all the way.

Steering wheel controls make accessing the car's features nice and easy when on the run, plus the CD stereo isn't too bad.

The V6 engine in this machine makes you feel as if you are driving a small compact car and though I wouldn't say it's super-powerful, it is refined and responsive which makes driving nice and relaxed. 

Did I mention effortless a moment a go? I did.

With 201 kilowatts of power the 3.5-litre engine (which is a widely used unit and can be found in other Toyota and Lexus cars) has got a good top end if you rev it, but the mid-range torque isn't as forceful as some of its rivals.

Peak torque of 337Nm hits at 4700rpm which is more than enough for most situations, but if you've got a full load of passengers and luggage it does lose some of its athleticism.

It does run of standard unleaded (91RON) fuel though, which can save you a few dollars at the petrol station when it comes time to fill up..

The V6's power is delivered to the front wheels via a 5-speed automatic transmission that is pretty good in most situations. If you want four-wheel drive, it's not a problem; all models in the Kluger range can also be optioned with AWD, which costs an extra $4500.

Toyota cites fuel consumption of 11 litres per 100km/h but we didn't achieve figures quite that low

When I think about, most drivers not only want a powerful engine for the sake of muscle, but in these bigger cars and SUVs, you want that get up and go to really move you when you're in a hurry.

According to Toyota the Kluger goes from zero to 100km/h in 8.0 seconds, which if you ask me is fast. Fast for an SUV at any rate.

Inside, the luxury appointments (and we drove the base model) are noticeable. 

Bigger seats for good luxurious Aussie bottoms are in there, and the detailed trip computer lets you know how your fuel economy has been going. 

The rear view cameras help to keep everyone safe and are especially reassuring when you've got little ones running around.

Overall the interior is nicely equipped. It looks and feels good and everything's been laid out sensibly so you rarely have to hunt for the controls, whether air conditioning or the trip computer buttons.

Some of the negatives – it feels big ('cause it is). The Toyota Kluger is almost 4.8 metres long but it's also very wide, measuring 1.91 metres from east to west.

At first it felt big and bulky which ensured cautious driving but after a few days I got used to the dimensions, but when parking next to other cars in the supermarket car park I did feel closer than normal most of the time. 

I had the pleasure of being driven home one night (a few too many sherbets) and was pleasantly surprised that in the back seat I was able to recline back and enjoy the comforts of Business Class limo-style transportation. 

I mean, there's massive space for all sorts of things in this car, like the kids – and their toys and their school bags - equipment for work and play. 

Like a good old fashioned station wagon, the Kluger can lug round a lot of junk thanks to large interior and cavernous boot.

There's a real 'wow' factor for interior space, absolutely, and the Kluger drives very smoothly which can be attributed to the independent "car-like" front and rear suspension setups.

There is also scope for adventuring in this vehicle, particularly the 4WD versions, and if you wanted to take it off-road you could as there's a fair bit of ground clearance and the 5-speed automatic has a bit of smarts about it.

If you've got a trailer the Kluger can oblige, able to tow up to 700kg (2000kg if the trailer has brakes).

This car is also very Toyota-ish. 

It smells like a Toyota as soon as you get into it and it feels like a Toyota as you drive it. 

The interior is very Toyota-feeling in its textures and design, and by that I mean it's well put together and has a sturdy, long-lasting feel.

Depending on what kind of driver you are what sort of vehicle you're looking for, this Toyota-ness could be a pro or a con but for the most part I think it's a good thing. I came away from driving the Kluger with very positive feelings.

It may not whet your appetite for fast and furious driving, but it is reliable, safe and robust and this mental idea of security adds to a sense of positivity when behind the wheel.

The Toyota Kluger's external styling is so much more accessible than the previous (first generation) version for the budding city slicker and school ferrying types.

It looks more purposeful and more modern and the angular design should age well. 

And you can tell they're a hit with families, evidenced by the increasing number of Kluger's we saw at school when picking up the kids. Seems that word of mouth is still an effective promotional tool.

Overall: 4/5

Toyota has done a lot of consumer research in putting the Kluger together and in my opinion it has done a very thorough job it.

It fulfills almost every requirement of the modern family. It's safe, fairly economical, has heaps of room and you can have 2- or 4-wheel drive, 5- or 7-seats, and the accessories list is extensive and caters to a wide range of needs.

Some people may deride the Kluger for lacking character and simply being a vessel to transport people and objects from A to B, but for many drivers this is more than adequate. Ultimately the Toyota Kluger does have a bit of character, noticeable in areas like the engine responsiveness and smoothness.

At the end of the day the Toyota Kluger does a lot of things very well, and with pricing from under $40k it gets two thumbs up from this driver.