Toyota Kluger 2015 Problems

You've missed my pick, and our current Car of the Year, the Kia Sorento. It's better than any of your contenders and a top car that gets The Tick from me.

Getting the Jeep would be overkill if you don't go off-road and it seems you've answered your own question in favour of the Nissan. I give the Pathfinder The Tick and it tops the Kluger for me.

The running costs will be much the same for all three cars you mention, but the Grand Carnival is probably the better bet given your needs for carrying three teenagers and two young kids. The rear seats in the Prado and Kluger are probably not as suitable.

With modern stability control systems and on-demand all-wheel-drive you are far less likely to get caught out with understeer (where the nose of the car pushes wide) than you once were. Having said that, the Kluger — and the LandCruiser for that matter — aren't city-friendly vehicles. If you no longer need to tow but still like the safety net of all-wheel-drive, why not look at a Subaru Outback or Forester?

Toyota spokesman told us that there have been "no service campaigns or recalls related to the components referenced", but he would like to have a member of his team reach out to gather more information on your "concerns and organize a time to give the vehicle a thorough inspection." I suggest you contact Toyota's customer service people and arrange for that inspection. Other than that you could consult suspension experts like Pedders to see what they might be able to suggest.

 The top-of-the-line Grande did, but the GX and GXL didn’t.

Definitely not the Captiva. The Kluger will cost more because of the Toyota badge. I'd favour a Territory — but make sure it's had necessary upgrades to the ball joints. As an alternative, a Hyundai Santa Fe would be a good choice.

The Kluger released in 2014 was initially only fitted with navigation in the flagship Grande model. But the facelift of the model in 2017 saw navigation become standard on the mid-spec GXL model, so that model now looks like the most cost-effective way into a Kluger with factory-fitted navigation.

The Territory was good at first but has been completely overtaken by a range of rivals. Your decision to buy Australian is great but you're in a very small minority and the Territory is no longer a CarsGuide choice for quality or long-term ownership.

The Kia Carnival gets The Tick, every time, in that price range. And with four kids you will find that a proper people-mover gives far more flexibility than an SUV or even a converted van.