Toyota Kluger Grande AWD 2018 off-road review

The Grande has the same engine – the 3.5-litre V6 petrol – as the rest of the Kluger range. It produces 218kW at 6600rpm and 350Nm at 4700rpm and is matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission. This is a generally lively combination, although there's some lag between foot-down and getting the 2100kg (approximate weight) Grande off the mark from a standstill.

The 3.5-litre V6 petrol produces 218kW/350Nm. (image credit: Marcus Craft)

It's an easy-in, easy-out affair, with grab handles at each door and second-row seats that are easily tipped forward and then slide out of the way, so your third-row passengers (those unfortunate two) can clamber in.

Upfront, as well as the usual glove box storage space, there are some nice touches like the narrow-slit space with a rubber grip base in the dash for keys, phones and more, and there’s a cavernous centre console accessed by two small sliding doors, with a removable tray inside as well as a power outlet. It doubles as an arm-rest when the doors are closed if you get the urge.

Upfront, there’s a cavernous centre console accessed by two small sliding doors, with a removable tray inside as well as a power outlet. (image credit: Marcus Craft)

For those into cupholders: there are two up front; two in the second row (in the fold-down armrest) and third-row passengers get four (two each side in moulded recesses). As for bottle holders, there are two for the front row (in the door pockets) and two in the second row (also in the door pockets).

With regards to comfort, the front-row seats are adequately cushioned and bolstered; the second row is supportive enough; and third-row passengers get the straight-up-and-down treatment in two rather simple seats which unfold for sitting or fold flat to maximise storage space. No surprise there, because rear seats often feel like a grudging afterthought.

There is a fold-down DVD/Blu-ray player screen just forward of the second-row seats, with three sets of headphones to go with it.

The Grande offers plenty of visibility all-round from a nice and high driver position, and that seat is power-adjustable every which way but loose. The steering wheel is manually adjustable for height and reach, too.

Once you're on the move, after disengaging the foot-operated parking brake (which is sometimes unwilling to completely disengage), the Grande confirms itself as a nice, smooth drive, with its 2790mm wheelbase, coil springs and long-travel suspension helping the cause along.

The Grande rides on 19-inch wheels and Toyo A20 Open Country tyres, which were fine for our drive loops as we never strayed far off the beaten track (gravel roads and brief patches of coastal-bush sand were the worst of it). The steering is light, almost too light at times, but offers reasonable feedback in most scenarios. 

The V6 engine evenly delivers power on the go easily enough, but, as mentioned, takes its time to push you off the mark. It's very quiet, with little to no engine noise intruding on the cabin hush. The auto is easy to use, but seems more comfortable when in sport mode.

The Kluger's part-time AWD system generally defaults to front-wheel drive (to reduce fuel consumption) but will switch to AWD mode to deliver the optimum torque split – up to 50/50 – between the front and rear axles. It's certainly effective but somehow feels more traditionally clunky, less seamless, than something like Mazda's AWD system.

In our two 'watch out for that 'roo!' emergency-braking set-ups – one on bitumen, one on gravel – the Grande pulled up well enough, although its disc brakes seemed a bit too soft at initial take-up for my liking.

This Kluger is claimed to use 9.5L/100km of ULP. Our daily driving figure was 13.5L/100km. Our off-road touring figure was 13.7L/100km on well-maintained gravel tracks with some driving through brief patches of coastal sand. It has a 72-litre fuel tank.

The Kluger Grande has a three year/100,000km warranty, and arrives with a fixed-price servicing plan.

Recommended service intervals are set at every six months/10,000km and cost $180 each service for the first 36 months/60,000km.