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Toyota
Kluger
XU70·
2021-2026
suv-soft
Top pick
Price (AUD)
$38k-$75k
Body styles
5-door 7-seat wagon
Drivetrain
Front-wheel drive (V6 only), On-demand AWD (V6 with electronic coupling; Hybrid with rear electric motor / E-Four)
Origin
Japan
Built in
USA (Princeton, Indiana) for most AU stock; some early Japan-built
Overview
The fourth-generation Kluger (XU70, launched in Australia mid-2021) is Toyota's big TNGA-K seven-seat soft-roader, sold in GX, GXL and Grande grades. Unlike many rivals it deliberately avoids the high-risk drivetrains of the class: there is NO turbo, NO dual-clutch and NO conventional CVT under the V6, and no diesel was offered. Two AU powertrains only - the long-serving 3.5L 2GR-FKS naturally aspirated petrol V6 (218kW/350Nm) bolted to a conventional 8-speed torque-converter automatic in front- or on-demand all-wheel drive, and the 2.5L A25A-FXS Atkinson-cycle petrol-electric hybrid (142kW engine, 184kW combined system) using a planetary-gear power-split eCVT and AWD-only E-Four (a dedicated rear electric motor, no propshaft). Both share the same Takata-free, chain-driven, port-and-direct dual-injection philosophy, and the hybrid in particular has an outstanding reliability reputation with real-world economy near its 5.6 L/100km claim. The XU70 is one of the safer used large-SUV buys in Australia: the buyer's caveats are mostly recalls (second-row seat recliner, front seat-back frames, front bumper cover, a 2023 driver-airbag wiring issue) and minor quality/electronic niggles rather than catastrophic engine or transmission failures. The hybrid commands a price premium and is the value-and-economy pick; the V6 is the tow-and-tradition pick. Both are rated to tow 2000kg braked.
Engines & variants
3.5L 2GR-FKS petrol V6
Engine
3.5L naturally aspirated DOHC 24-valve V6 with D-4S dual (port + direct) injection and Dual VVT-i
Config
V6 NA
Displacement
3456cc
Power
218kW @ 6600rpm
Torque
350Nm @ 4700rpm
Drivetrain
FWD or on-demand AWD (electronic coupling)
Economy
8.7 L/100km (FWD) / 8.8-8.9 L/100km (AWD) combined (real-world ~10-12)
Tow (braked)
2000kg
Tow (unbraked)
700kg
Transmission
8AT (8-speed torque-converter automatic)
Timing chain / belt / gear
Timing chain (no scheduled belt replacement)
Pros
- Proven, smooth, torquey V6 with no turbo, DPF or DCT to fail
- Conventional 8-speed torque-converter auto - not a CVT or dual-clutch
- D-4S dual injection greatly reduces the intake-carbon problem of pure direct-injection
- Strong 2000kg braked tow rating and effortless highway performance
- Timing chain; one of the most reliable engines in the large-SUV class
Cons
- Thirsty in town compared with the hybrid (real-world 11-12 L/100km)
- Discontinued in Australia from ~2024 as the range went hybrid-only
- No diesel torque for heavy/frequent towing despite the 2000kg rating
- Higher running costs than the hybrid over a typical family lifetime
Known problems
low
Front bumper cover detachment (recall YGG74)
Recall campaign YGG74 (Nov 2023) covers 2021-23 XU70 Kluger and Kluger Hybrid fitted with a resin front lower bumper cover whose mounting tabs could detach after a minor impact, with a risk the cover comes loose on the road.
Fix: Confirm the YGG74 recall has been completed at a Toyota dealer; rectification is free.
medium
Second-row seat recliner / front seat-back frame recalls
Campaign XGG05 (Jun 2022) covered 2021 cars whose front seat-back frames were not made to the minimum radius criteria, and a later second-row recliner-mechanism action (~34,000 cars) addressed a recliner that may not fully engage, allowing the seatback to move unexpectedly - a crash-safety concern.
Fix: Run the VIN through Toyota's recall checker and confirm the seat-frame and recliner campaigns were completed.
low
Direct/port (D-4S) intake and oil-consumption housekeeping
The 2GR-FKS is robust, but the broader 2GR family is known for some oil consumption and, on pure-DI use, intake-valve carbon. The D-4S dual-injection on this engine washes the valves and largely avoids the carbon issue, but high-km cars should be checked for oil use.
Fix: Check oil level and for consumption on inspection; keep to clean oil and 15,000km/12-month intervals; intake clean only if symptomatic.
2.5L A25A-FXS hybrid (AWD E-Four)
Engine
2.5L Atkinson-cycle DOHC 16-valve petrol four (D-4S dual injection) with front + rear motor-generators and a NiMH/Li-ion hybrid drive battery
Config
I4 Atkinson + electric (series-parallel hybrid)
Displacement
2487cc
Power
142kW @ 6000rpm (petrol) / 184kW combined system
Torque
242Nm @ 4400rpm (petrol)
Drivetrain
AWD only (E-Four - dedicated rear electric motor, no propshaft)
Economy
5.6 L/100km combined (real-world ~6-7)
Tow (braked)
2000kg
Tow (unbraked)
700kg
Transmission
eCVT (planetary-gear power-split, electronically controlled)
Timing chain / belt / gear
Timing chain (no scheduled belt replacement)
Pros
- Outstanding real-world economy (~6 L/100km) in a large 7-seat AWD SUV
- Toyota HSD power-split eCVT is NOT a belt/pulley CVT - it has no clutches or belts and is exceptionally reliable
- E-Four AWD via rear motor avoids propshaft/coupling wear of mechanical AWD
- Atkinson D-4S engine resists intake carbon; proven Toyota hybrid mechanicals
- Still rated to 2000kg braked towing; quiet, refined drivetrain
Cons
- Hybrid drive battery will eventually degrade and is costly to replace out of warranty
- Price premium over the V6 when new; AWD-only (no FWD hybrid)
- eCVT droning under hard acceleration; less outright urge than the V6
- Regenerative-brake feel and rare brake-system niggles reported by some owners
Known problems
medium
Hybrid drive-battery degradation
Like all Toyota hybrids the high-voltage drive battery slowly loses capacity, eventually reducing EV assist and economy. Toyota's hybrid battery warranty (up to ~10 years with annual health checks) covers most cars, and real-world failures on this generation are rare and late, but it is the defining long-term cost of any used hybrid.
Fix: Keep up the annual hybrid health check to extend the warranty; reconditioned/replacement batteries are available; budget for it on very high-km cars.
low
Front bumper cover detachment (recall YGG74)
Same YGG74 recall as the V6 - the resin front lower bumper cover on 2021-23 Kluger Hybrid can detach at the mounting tabs after a minor impact.
Fix: Confirm YGG74 has been completed via Toyota's VIN recall check; free rectification.
medium
Driver-airbag wiring / seat-recliner recalls
Campaign YGG39 (Oct 2023) addressed a driver-side airbag wiring-harness connection issue on 2023 Klugers that could prevent the airbag deploying, and the second-row recliner action also applies to hybrid grades.
Fix: Run the VIN through Toyota recall checks and confirm the airbag-wiring and recliner campaigns are completed.
Common problems (all variants)
medium
Second-row seat recliner may not fully engage (safety recall)
A large recall (~34,000+ AU cars) covered a second-row seat recliner mechanism that might not fully engage when the seatback is adjusted, allowing the seat back to move inadvertently - a restraint/crash-safety concern on this family-focused SUV.
Fix: Confirm the recliner recall has been completed through Toyota's VIN recall checker before purchase.
low
Door seal / dust ingress
Owners on AU review sites report dust entering through door seals on unsealed-road use, with dust accumulating inside doors and around lower trim.
Fix: Inspect and replace/realign door seals under warranty if affected; clean drain points.
low
Lane-keeping / driver-assist intrusiveness
Some owners find the lane-trace/lane-departure and pre-collision assist over-eager or distracting on Australian roads and lane markings, a common Toyota Safety Sense complaint rather than a fault.
Fix: Adjust or switch off the relevant assist via menus; software updates have refined behaviour on later cars.
low
Interior rattles, trim and key-fob battery niggles
Reported quality niggles include dashboard/trim rattles, occasional leather-stitching complaints, and smart-key fob batteries failing within about a year.
Fix: Have rattles traced and trim re-secured under warranty; replace the key-fob coin cell (cheap DIY).
low
Infotainment / connectivity glitches
The 8-inch (GX/GXL) and 12.3-inch (Grande) Toyota infotainment can suffer Bluetooth/Apple CarPlay-Android Auto dropouts, occasional freezes and laggy responses, typical of this Toyota head-unit generation.
Fix: Apply software/map updates at the dealer; re-pair phones; head-unit replacement only if hardware-faulty under warranty.