The 2021 Toyota Kluger range of configurations is currently priced from $28,990.
Carsguide Family reviewer Nedahl Stelio had this to say at the time: So who wins? The Toyota Kluger has it all over the Toyota Prado when it comes to design and style, and the driving is a much smoother experience. They tie on interior space and practicality, but the Prado comes out on top with safety because of those third-row airbags.
You can read the full review here.
The 2021 Toyota Kluger carries a braked towing capacity of up to 2000 Kg, but check to ensure this applies to the configuration you're considering.
The Toyota Kluger is also known as Toyota Highlander in markets outside Australia.
The Toyota Kluger 2021 prices range from $31,350 for the basic trim level SUV Gx (4X2) to $83,600 for the top of the range SUV Grande +res +ppnt Hybrid AWD.
In the Kluger's second row legroom is limo-like, thanks in no small part to a lengthy 2790mm wheelbase. There’s plenty of headroom, with enough shoulder room for three adults to sit abreast in reasonable comfort. A second row fold-and-slide function allows relatively easy access to the third row, but those two rearmost positions are best for pre-teenagers.
Believe it or not, 17 litres is on the high side of things, but not out of the question in a Kluger that is driven exclusively in stop-start urban traffic. I know the official fuel consumption figure for the car is 11L/100km, but there are a few things to keep in mind with that. The first is that this is a combined urban/highway figure, so it will always be lower than the urban number. Also, this figure is achieved on a test that actually bears very little relationship with driving in the real world.
You need to keep in mind that this is a relatively large petrol engine, hauling a hefty (1900kg-plus) car around. If your Kluger is the all-wheel-drive version, there’s also a fair bit of driveline friction to overcome. Even when cruising down a highway, this will never be a frugal vehicle as the aerodynamics mean it’s moving an awful lot of air at 100km/h. Don’t forget, either, that driving style has a huge effect on how much fuel you use.
If you’re concerned, have the car tuned and serviced. Fresh spark plugs and clean filters might make a difference to your fuel use.
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Toyota and other car-makers had a terrible patch of quality problems with paint finishes around this time. White cars seemed to be the worst, but some other colours also started peeling for no apparent reason. When it happens, the paint can come adrift in huge sheets.
I believe the problem was eventually traced to a problem in the chemistry of the paint applied at the factory, so it would be worth checking with Toyota to see if your car was one of the affected one.
If an automatic car-wash has caused this damage, then the operator of the car-wash is the body you need to be talking to. If you’re not happy with the response form Toyota or anybody else, you can have the car independently inspected to determine whether your car has bad paint or has been somehow damaged.
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The 2022 Kluger does have Android Auto (and Apple CarPlay) but there’s a catch. While the Kluger’s Apple CarPlay will pair with a phone via Bluetooth, the Android Auto system needs the phone to be tethered to the car via USB cable. Try it again with a cable and you should have success. But it’s far from being as convenient as a Bluetooth set-up.
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All Klugers feature, air-conditioning, alloy wheels, active cruise control, six-speaker audio (with Bluetooth connectivity), keyless entry and start, auto headlights, LED DRLs and tail-lights, front fog lights, a multimedia display, a reversing camera and rear parking distance control. rear privacy glass, and a trip computer. Higher models add even more standard equipment.
There are five new paint colours: Graphite metallic, Atomic Rush red mica, Liquorice Brown Mica, Saturn Blue metallic and Galena Blue metallic. Carrying over from the previous model are Crystal pearl, Silver Storm metallic and Eclipse Black.
As for the boot space, with the third row in place there’s 241 litres of cargo capacity and with them folded flat into the floor the luggage room opens up to 552 litres. These figures may seem small compared to capacities of other SUVs, but Toyota says these measurements are calculated up to the beltline of the Kluger which is the top of the rear seats, while other car-makers sometimes measure to the roof.
The Kluger's interior design is clean and simple, with a sweeping, layered dash design wrapping around the multimedia screen integrated into the centre stack. Touches of chrome and brushed metal-effect finishes add visual interest and a quality feel.
At around 2.0 tonnes the Toyota Kluger is anything but a lightweight. However, you can expect its 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine to power it from 0-100km/h in roughly 9.0sec.