Buying a used Toyota Kluger G50/G55 Series (2014-2017)

All hail the Great American SUV. Yes, the emblem on the back might denote Japanese heritage but the build plate says USA and so does pretty much every aspect of the G50/G55 Series Toyota Kluger.

Even in four-wheel drive form the Toyota Kluger doesn’t qualify as a bona fide off-roader. It is a spacious, floppy, family carry-all that will deal with a snowy road or some well-groomed gravel but forget the fire trails or fishing on a boggy beach.

The third incarnation of Kluger found its way to Australia early in 2014 and was greeted by news that the market-leading Ford Territory would soon disappear. That left only the Toyota Prado, from the same stable, as a serious rival in the battle for best-selling large SUV.

People who buy Klugers probably wouldn’t want the serious off-roadiness of a Prado anyway, but still like to look a bit adventurous. That’s why the revamped Toyota still offered an AWD option, brawny looks and decent ground clearance.

G50 Klugers (Highlander in other markets) are built in the US state of Indiana with US market expectations very much in mind. With or without political coercion, Toyota has tipped $US400 million ($A505m) into expanding the plant to maintain quality standards and achieve the volumes required by a booming export market.

The new Toyota Kluger was characterised by a reshaped nose and far busier front bumper than the previous model. In addition to providing protection from errant parkers, the new bar divided the upper and lower air-intakes, housed running lights and fog lights and also channelled air to the brakes. What a busy piece of plastic.

Model designations changed again upon arrival of the G50/55 Series in Australia. It seems buyers here are just more comfortable with simpler designations like GX and GXL, while Grande left little doubt as to its status.

The Kluger came with seven seats and all models could be specified with all-wheel drive. Versions that remained front-wheel drive only were designated GSU50R, while those that drove from both ends labelled GSU55R.

Other markets might have preferred other engines including a hybrid and 2.7-litre petrol, but here in Australia where we like proven devices: the 201kW 3.5-litre V6 remained the only one available.

The basic GX 2WD cost $40,990 plus on-road costs and buyers had to accept cloth seats and dual-zone air-conditioning, a six-speaker sound system with multifunction dash screen and multifunction steering wheel. GX wheels and those on the GXL were 18-inch alloys with a full-size spare.

Take a jump to $49,990 and there you would find the Kluger GXL, also with drive only to the front wheels but serious quantities of additional fittings for your money.

Open the doors and in addition to quality leather facings on the seats there are buttons for power adjustment and the seat heaters. Decorating the dash and premium steering wheel are controls for the more sophisticated entertainment system and a range of other functions.

Take a big breath for the next Kluger price hike because the jump to Grande level is a ripper and not a wee one. With all-wheel drive and every bit of kit that the builders could pack inside, a new one in 2015 listed at a whopping $67,990 plus ORCs, or $18,000 more than the 2WD GXL.

For the money you received 19-inch wheels, a sunroof, rear seat CD player and loads of other electronic gadgetry. Problem is, as age catches up with the third-generation Kluger, most of this stuff is disappearing over the technological hill and some systems may already have stopped working.

Radar-activated collision avoidance is useful for those who don’t pay attention in traffic but best not to rely on it just in case a bug (a real one) has died in a sensor and the system stops working.

This is just one factor when contemplating the price difference that still exists between a used Grande and a GXL.

Evaluating a vehicle for carsales will normally include a brief test drive, but our assessment of the Toyota Kluger was different.

It included several days in and around Adelaide with four and sometimes five full-size humans and their luggage aboard, and the big Toyota did it with ease.

Even the largest in our group when relegated to the ‘boot’ praised the shape and comfort of the folding seat and said that legroom wasn’t overly restrictive. A child seat or two would be easy to install and even when loaded with seven including an infant, there’s still enough space behind the third row of seats for a folded pram.

There are some big hills ringing the South Australian capital and the Kluger with its lusty 201kW V6 conquered them with ease.

Once you jettison the freeway, roads in the wine-producing regions can feel mighty narrow, however the Toyota with its excellent seating position and precise steering was easy to guide through narrow gaps without fear that the chunky tyres might drop off the blacktop.

Acceleration for something weighing all-up around 2.5 tonnes was pretty racy. Foot-flat launches were very audible as well, or were until the means of reactivating traction control was discovered.

Road tests reported that a G50 would hit 100km/h from standstill in 7.9 seconds and even laden we probably managed high-9s.

Hitting the sweet spot on the torque curve when overtaking was easy with the sports shifter dropping ratios faster and with more accuracy than kickdown could.

Owners of Klugers with 19-inch wheels and 55 Series tyres need to be careful in rough terrain because the rubber won’t filter bumps especially well and those rims are costly to replace.

Ride quality on sealed surfaces is good and AWD versions are going to make anyone look competent when driven within the limits on well-groomed gravel.

Tip one into a bend at speed though on a sealed or unsealed surface and they do tend to plough straight on.

Ground clearance is fine for proper gravel roads but avoid rough tracks and soft sand where lack of suspension travel and the single-range transmission are limiting factors.

Fuel consumption given the Kluger’s weight and engine capacity isn’t appalling, with 15L/100km likely to appear on the dash display during the peak-hour slog. On the highway that can tumble to around 9L/100km.

Safety in a vehicle that will likely be used as family transport is vital and you won't find many in this category with better crash-avoidance systems or occupant protection. All Klugers have ABS, stability and traction control and at least seven airbags with eight sensors.

WIL (Whiplash Injury Lessening) technology uses a shock absorber in the seat base linked by cable to move the head restraint, so it contacts the occupant's head more snugly the instant an impact is detected.

>> These are inherently reliable vehicles but not immune to abuse. Check for underbody damage, especially to the front stone-tray, sills and spare wheel carrier where one has been unwisely driven off-road.

>> Check also for torn boots on sliding axle joints which can let in dirt, sand and water, and can cause rapid wear and failure of the shaft.

>> Brakes work hard and even low-kilometre Klugers may be needing a new set of brake rotors and pads.

>> Leather trim in early versions could be dry and hard unless fed with a quality conditioner. If a car is showing noticeable interior wear you can pretty much guarantee that maintenance in other areas has also been neglected. Check the service books.

Used vehicle grading for Toyota Kluger
Design & Function: 15/20
Safety: 15/20
Practicality: 15/20
Value for Money: 12/20
Wow Factor: 13/20 (Grande)
Score: 70/100