Leaner and more powerful 2017 Toyota Kluger lands late February

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Toyota has announced its facelifted Kluger SUV will arrive in Australia late February, bringing refreshed styling, improved convenience and more power.

Powering the entire Kluger range, 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine gains improvement to power and torque thanks to direct-injection and new calibration. Toyota says the updated V6 delivers quicker acceleration and effortless overtaking with an increase in power of almost 8.5 per cent to 218kW while torque rises to 350Nm, up from the previous 201kW and 337Nm.

Bringing the Kluger more in line with others within the segment is a new 8-speed automatic transmission. The eight ratios, compared with six previously, benefit Kluger’s performance while improving fuel consumption and emissions by at least 10 per cent on the official combined cycle, says Toyota.

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Toyota has also lifted the level of standard features in the 2017 Kluger, with the mid-spec GXL variants now come standard with an 8-inch infotainment screen, satellite navigation, digital radio (DAB+)3 and a power back door with the convenience of an independently operated glass hatch.

Top-of-the range Kluger Grande expands its suite of safety features with rear-cross-traffic alert and supplements its lane departure alert with active steering assistance and sway warning.

Grande, newly specified with front parking sensors, also gains a panoramic view monitor that uses four cameras – front, rear and in the side mirrors – to take visibility and safety to new heights.

Styling updates convey a more elegant presence with the new front grille on GX and GXL variants featuring a silver-painted finish, while Grande receives a painted chrome finish.

Tail-lights have been redesigned for a sleeker look and now feature standard LEDs while the Grande is distinguished by a rear bumper chrome garnish.

Newly designed alloy wheels (including spares) are 18-inch with five double spokes on GX, 18-inch with seven outer and seven turbine-style inner spokes on GXL, and 19-inch with 12-outer and 12 black inner spokes on Grande. Three new exterior body colours include silver, brown and an additional red hue.

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Inside, Toyota has enhanced quality with higher grade materials, soft-touch surfaces, bright accents and greater refinement with silver metallic garnishes on GX and GXL. Grande is offered with silver woodgrain-look garnishes and blue LED ambient lighting around the dash and doors for a more premium ambience.

Like before, the 2017 Toyota Kluger is offered in two-wheel-drive and on-demand all-wheel-drive configurations.

Every Kluger is fitted with seven airbags, reversing camera, reverse-parking sensors, anti-skid brakes with brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution, stability and traction control, and hill-start assist control.

Other standard features include air-conditioning, cruise control, electric power steering, six-speaker display audio with Toyota Link5 connected mobility, front foglamps, privacy glass, power-adjustable exterior mirrors and a 72-litre fuel tank.

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In addition to its new features, GXL variants have additional features including three-zone climate-control air-conditioning, keyless entry and ignition, roof rails, premium steering wheel and shift knob, and leather-accented seats with heated front seats and a 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat.

Grande includes a suite of advanced safety features including a pre-collision safety system with autonomous emergency braking, active cruise control, lane departure alert, blind spot monitor and auto high beam.

Additional premium Grande features include a tilt-and-slide moonroof, ventilated front seats with two-position memory for the driver’s seat, nine-inch rear-seat entertainment system with Blu-ray player, heated exterior mirrors with memory function and puddle lamps, electro-chromatic interior mirror, second-row retractable sunshades and a back-guide monitor for the reversing camera.

Toyota has not released pricing information on the new Kluger at this stage, but expect it to stay relatively similar to the current figures.

2017 Toyota Kluger fuel consumption and emission improvement over 2016 model

2017 2WD2016 2WDGains2017 2WD2016 2WDGains2017 AWD2016 AWDGains
GX/GXLGrandeAll variants
Fuel consumption L/100kmComb.9.110.210.8%9.310.410.6%9.510.610.4%
Urban12.414.011.4%12.514.212.0%12.814.411.1%
Extra Urban7.28.010.0%7.48.29.8%7.68.49.5%
CO2 emissions grams/km21223710.5%21624010.0%22124610.2%

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