BYD Shark 6 vs Toyota Kluger

What's the difference?

BYD’s Shark 6 continues to break new ground with its work-focused Dynamic PHEV cab-chassis, which impresses with its quiet operation, spirited acceleration, excellent handling, single-digit fuel economy and generous standard equipment at a competitive price. However, its tow rating is one tonne less than PHEV ute rivals which could be a deal breaker for some.

The Toyota Kluger GXL Hybrid has been the ultimate SUV this week, as it fits my gear and family in comfort, the on-road handling is excellent and the fuel usage makes owning this long term actually feasible.

This is a great example of a mid-spec seven-seater that is both functional and comfortable. There’s lots to satisfy here and even though it hasn’t been updated, it may be a case of ‘if it aint broke, don’t fix it’.

The Shark 6 projects a bold grille and headlight treatment that appears to draw inspiration from full-size US pick-ups, but with an LED-enhanced ‘technical’ look consistent with its hybrid drivetrain.

Like its stablemates, the cab-chassis version rides on a 3260mm wheelbase with generous length/width/height dimensions similar to a Ford Ranger.

The interior with its synthetic leather seating has a high-quality look and feel, with brightly contrasting red air-vent/cupholder surrounds and exposed red stitching along numerous seams throughout the cabin adding to its visual appeal.

The Kluger epitomes what a large SUV was originally meant to look like. A big body and with enough ground clearance to earn the tag, but the shape is all long lines and gently curving panelling and that makes it look sleek rather than rugged.

Make no mistake, the Kluger is large at 4966mm long, 1930mm wide and 1755mm tall. It's only only 24mm shorter in its length than its big 4WD Toyota Prado cousin. It's size and road presence assures you that it's capable, but it's not trying to convince you it's a 4WD.

Despite not seeing any design updates, the Kluger still feels relevant and more than holds its own when it comes to kerbside handsomeness.

On the inside, the black synthetic leather trims, softly padded touchpoints and interesting dashboard make the cabin both pleasant to look at and spend time in.

The 12.3-inch multimedia display looks lovely with its clear graphics, but it’s still nice to see some traditional elements - like the gear selector, analogue instrument cluster (with a 7.0-inch digital display) and lots of buttons and dials to play with.

Interestingly, there isn’t a traditional transmission tunnel, which means you get a practical flat floor in the middle row and, thus, more legroom for middle seaters. 

It's a forgiving cabin that lots of different drivers will find something to like in.

With its hefty 2600kg kerb weight (without tray) and 3500kg GVM, the Shark 6 Dynamic has a 900kg payload rating which, after deducting the weight of the aluminium tray (150kg) and towbar assembly (50kg) as fitted to our test vehicle, lowers the remaining payload to 700kg.

It’s also rated to tow up to 2500kg of braked trailer which is 1000kg or one tonne less than the category benchmark and all PHEV ute rivals. And with its 5750kg GCM rating (or how much weight it can legally carry and tow at the same time), towing its maximum trailer weight would leave 650kg of vehicle payload capacity which drops to 450kg after deducting the combined weight of the tray/towbar.

And that 450kg of payload could easily be used up by the weight of four large tradies before you could think about loading their gear, so it’s important to be aware of these weight ratings if you’re planning to tow heavy trailers.

The optional aluminium tray is designed in partnership and manufactured by Aussie aftermarket off-road equipment specialist, Ironman. According to our tape measure, its internal dimensions are 1680mm length and 1810mm width with 260mm-deep drop-sides.

It has a sturdy tubular aluminium front bulkhead topped by vertical load retainers on each side plus external rope rails and eight internal load anchorage points.

The driver's side lockable storage box tucked up behind the rear wheel is integral with the cab-chassis structure and therefore separate from the tray, which allows any tray or service body to be mounted above it without compromising the propulsion battery's charge port and trio of V2L three-pin sockets mounted inside. The matching passenger-side storage box differs only in being part of the tray structure and therefore removable.

Seating is spacious and comfortable for the driver and front passenger while the rear bench seat is equally accommodating, given I’m 186cm and when seated behind the driver’s seat set in my position I still have ample knee and headroom.

Head clearance is also sufficient when seated in the central position, which is enhanced with a flat floor to avoid having to straddle a transmission tunnel. However, shoulder room for a trio of adults is tight, so travelling with three in the rear seat is best limited to short drives.

Cabin storage for front seat occupants includes a bottle holder and bin in each front door, an overhead glasses holder plus a glove box and dash storage shelf on the passenger side. The centre console has wireless phone charging and two USB ports up front, a pair of cupholders in the centre and a lidded box at the back containing a 12V accessory socket.

Rear passengers also get a bottle holder and bin in each door, plus pockets on the rear of both front seat backrests and a fold-down centre armrest with two cupholders. The rear of the centre console offers adjustable air-vents, two more USB ports and another 230V V2L three-pin plug socket to power numerous domestic appliances inside the cabin.

The bench seat’s base cushion can be raised and stored vertically if more internal luggage space is required but there’s no under-floor storage.

The Kluger is both practical and comfortable for passengers as each row gets a great amount of head- and legroom – yes, even third-rowers, but the low level of amenities in that row will render it a 'sometimes seat' for adults or older kids.

The 208mm ground clearance, wide door apertures and low-sitting seats makes it a very easy SUV to get in and out of, even for kids. The access to the third row is also good as the 60/40 split middle bench seat can be slid forward.

The electric front seats offer lots of adjustments, including lumbar support on the drivers side, but both seats get heating. They’re also well-padded and quite comfortable on a longer journey.

The outboard seats on the middle row offer the most comfort as they have longer under-thigh support, but the entire row benefits from heavy padding and the seat backs can recline.

The third row offers a curious 60/40 split and is wide enough for two adults to not be squished like sardines.

Although the Kluger is a seven-seater, families will be bummed that there are no child seat anchor points in the third row. But the middle row has two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top-tether anchor points. It is more than wide enough to accommodate three seats side by side and you’ll have enough room for the front passenger when a rearward facing child seat is installed, too.

Individual storage is above average for the class, but the front row gets the best of it. There are two handy shelves built-into the dash, a glove box, a deep middle console (that swallows my arm) and cubbies in the centre console that include a phone cradle and two cupholders. There's also a sunglasses holder and little cubby beside the driver's knee.

In the middle row, you get two map pockets, two cupholders in a fold down armrest, and a drink holder in each door. While the third row gets a couple of cupholders.

Amenities are well-rounded for the most part, with the three-zone climate control and well-positioned directional air vents in the roof for the back two rows. Middle-rowers also get reading lights and two USB-C ports.

Technology is easy to use and looks great as the 12.3-inch display uses the same multimedia system as Lexus. The built-in satellite navigation is simple to set up and shows clear directions with lots of route customisations available.

There is wired Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, but you do have to initially connect the CarPlay via a cable.

Rounding out the cabin is the great-size boot that offers 241L with all seats in use, but that can jump up to 552L when the third row is stored.

The level loading space makes it easy to slide larger items in and out of, and there’s a handy underfloor storage compartments for smaller items. You get a full-size spare tyre underneath the car and a powered tailgate in this model.

You have to love a simple three-grade line up with variant names that aren't hard to say! The Kluger starts with the base GX, mid-spec GXL and then the flagship Grande model.

All Kluger models share the same all-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain, and our test model is the mid-spec GXL, which is priced from $70,440 before on-road costs.

Its price positions it in the middle of its seven-seat hybrid rivals; the Hyundai Santa Fe Elite ($65,000 MSRP) and the Kia Sorento GT-Line AWD ($73,330 MSRP), but it should be noted that the Sorento hybrid is only offered in one high-spec grade level and the Kluger can’t always match the Sorento’s plush features.

The GXL is still fairly well-specified and includes eight-way powered front seats with heating, adjustable lumbar support (driver's seat), black synthetic leather upholstery, a powered tailgate, rain-sensing wipers, dusk-sensing LED headlights, keyless entry/start and a full-sized spare tyre.

There is also 12 months of complimentary access to Toyota Connected Services, which allows you remote access, via the myToyota Connect app, to safety and security features, multimedia connect and driving insights.

The other technology is well showcased in the 12.3-inch multimedia display that has touchscreen functionality, in-built satellite navigation, wired Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth and digital radio. You also get a single USB-A port, three USB-C ports, two 12-volt sockets and three-zone climate control.

The hybrid drivetrain provides permanent all-wheel drive courtesy of its two electric motors, with the front motor producing up to 170kW/310Nm driving the front wheels and the rear motor providing up to 150kW/340Nm driving the rears.

These motors are teamed with a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing up to 135kW/260Nm, which serves dual roles as a generator to maintain charge in the 29.58kWh ‘Blade’ lithium-ion battery and to assist with driving the front wheels as required. It can also perform both roles simultaneously.

Charging of the propulsion battery is assisted by regenerative braking served in a choice of standard or high strength, along with three energy management settings from pure EV mode to full Hybrid (HEV) mode.

The combined official output is up to 321kW/650Nm. There are also three drive modes comprising Eco/Normal/Sport plus different all-terrain settings to optimise performance in Mud/Sand/Snow/Mountain.

The plug-in propulsion battery can be charged using either the AC Type 2 (7.0kW) port or DC CCS/2 (55kW) port.

Our test vehicle features a traditional body-on-frame chassis design, combined with double-wishbone front and rear suspension which enhances ride and handling. There’s also rack-and-pinion steering and four-wheel disc brakes.

The turning circle is a compact 11 metres, combined with off-road credentials including 230mm of unladen ground clearance with 31 degrees approach/17 degrees ramp-over/19.3 degrees departure angles.

Its standard wading depth is capped at 530mm (compared to the ute's 700mm) to allow for the lower height of the electrical components located in the driver's side storage box.

All Kluger grades are all-wheel-drives with a smooth continuously variable transmission. They share the same 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid powertrain that produces up to 184kW of power. Toyota does not quote a combined torque output.

At first look, these outputs may look underwhelming, but the on-road experience has shown that it’s more than enough to move the Klugers big body around without it feeling underpowered.

The Kluger has a braked towing capacity of up to 2000kg, which means you can hook up most of your weekend adventure toys!

BYD claims combined average fuel consumption for the petrol engine as low as 2.0L/100km with 25-100 per cent SoC (State of Charge) which spikes to 7.9L/100km when SoC drops below 25 per cent.

It also claims a battery-only driving range of up to 100km and up to 800km when the dual motors and battery are assisting the petrol engine in hybrid mode. However, these figures are based on NEDC certification, which is renowned for its optimism compared to more realistic WLTP ratings.

We covered 352km during our test comprising a mix of city, suburban and regional roads plus some highway driving, of which about one third was hauling a near-maximum payload.

This included an initial 67km in pure EV mode, which depleted the battery’s charge from 92 per cent (when we collected the vehicle) to 34 per cent. It then automatically switched to HEV (hybrid) mode for the remainder of the test during which the engine charged the battery to its 70 per cent limit (for engine charging) set by BYD.

At the completion of testing the onboard computer claimed average petrol consumption of 8.1L/100km and a remaining hybrid range of 282km, suggesting a real-world driving range (including some heavy load hauling) of around 650km from the 60-litre petrol tank.

The Kluger may be massive but it has an excellent combined fuel cycle usage of just 5.6L/100km because of its hybrid powertrain.

Combined with its large 65L fuel tank, you should see a theoretical driving range of up to 1160km, which is really good for a family SUV and rivals diesel models of the same size.

I’ve been super pleased with the fuel usage of our test model because despite doing quite a few long distance trips, which is where hybrids are usually the most inefficient, I’ve managed a real world usage of only 5.8L/100km! That is a great result.

The Kluger only accepts a minimum 95RON unleaded premium petrol.

Large handles on the A- (and B-) pillars assist climbing aboard, where most drivers will find a comfortable and supportive seating position enhanced by a large left footrest and thick-rimmed leather-wrapped steering wheel.

It’s not only quiet to drive but feels refined and solidly built. It also has excellent ride quality and agile handling thanks to the disciplined tuning of its double-wishbone suspension and nicely weighted steering which belie the fact you’re riding high in a 2.7-tonne all-terrain ute.

Near-instant torque from the dual electric motors also helps to mask its bulk which combined with permanent all-wheel drive allows triple-digit speeds to be reached in less than six seconds.

We did most of our test in the ‘Normal’ (default) drive mode, as it provides a happy medium between the heightened response of ‘Sport’ and the slightly subdued ‘Eco’ modes.

To test its GVM rating, we loaded 650kg into the load tub which with driver and about half a tank of petrol was lineball with its payload limit. The rear suspension compressed almost 60mm with the upper rear suspension arms close to nudging their rubber bump-stops, but there was no hard bottoming-out detected on our test route.

As displayed live on the energy management screen, the petrol engine maintained the minimum battery charge needed to feed the electric motors while also providing drive to the front wheels as required. At times the 1.5-litre engine sounded like it was working very hard doing this, but it did prove effective in performing these dual roles.

The heavily-loaded test vehicle also made light work of our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km set-climb, which was no surprise given we had up to 650Nm of torque to work with.

However, the hybrid system with its single-speed transmission produces minimal engine-braking (even with the maximum regenerative brake setting) which is an important consideration if you regularly carry and/or tow heavy loads, particularly in hilly terrain.

The engine can sound like it’s under pressure, but that doesn’t translate to underwhelming power delivery. The GXL has enough grunt to make it a comfortable open-roader that’s confident on hills and overtaking.

The steering is light for such a big SUV, but with its 11.4m turning circle, it’s every parents dream when doing the school run or navigating small lanes or parks for after-school activities. It’s almost stupidly easy to drive and feels much smaller than what it is, even in the city.

Visibility is mostly good because of the large windows, but the B-pillar is larger than I’d like and I found myself checking my blind spots carefully. 

The ride comfort is really good and suspension is forgiving on the worst of the bumps without feeling like it floats on the road. Road noise is low, even at higher speeds, but occasionally you get a weird wind whistle through the air vents. 

Even those usually put off by a large SUV, should find this comfortable to get around in. Parking it is the only time you really notice its bulk. While the reversing camera is great quality, a 360-degree view system would have been much better.

The Toyota Kluger has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2021 and scored highly across its individual assessment scores. However, it only features seven airbags, which is a bit low for a car of this size, but the curtain airbags extend to the third row, which is good. 

The Kluger has lots of safety equipment, including daytime running lights, hill-start assist, seatbelt warning (all seats), lane departure alert, lane-keeping aid, traffic sign recognition, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, a reversing camera (with guidelines) and front and rear parking sensors.

The Kluger does miss out on family friendly safety items, like child-presence alert and side exit assist. The adaptive cruise control isn’t as well tuned as I’d like as it doesn't hold it's speed all that well, slows down too soon behind a vehicle, and sometimes can be sluggish to return to a normal speed once a vehicle has left its 'radar'.

The GXL has AEB with car, pedestrian, cyclist and junction turning assist and is operational from 10-80km/h (up to 180km/h for car), but it is usual to see that starting point sit closer to 5.0km/h.

Comes standard with a six-year/150,000km vehicle warranty (Ford has recently topped this with seven years/unlimited km if Ford dealer serviced) and separate eight-year/160,000km propulsion battery warranty. There’s also 12 months of complimentary roadside assistance from the date of purchase.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/20,000km, whichever occurs first. Capped pricing for the first six scheduled services totals $2945 or an average of $491.00 annually. BYD has an evolving national network of around 120-150 dealerships spanning all states and territories, including many regional areas.

The Kluger is offered with Toyota’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, but that can be extended to seven years if you service on time and with a Toyota service centre, which makes it competitive against some rivals.

There’s a five-year capped-price servicing program available, with services costing just $285, which is cheap for the class. Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.