Kluger 4x4 sales top Territory AWD

Still holding your breath, waiting for the Kluger to overtake Territory in sales?

You can exhale. It will likely happen, but not until early next year, according to Toyota.

Current production of the Kluger SUV cannot keep up with the demand, either in Australia or in the US, where it's known as the Highlander.

We figure Toyota stuck with the 'Kluger' name for the new model because it's not like we're short of 'XLander' SUVs...think Freelander, Outlander...

That's by the by. Whether you like the name or not, there's plenty of evidence that Australians like the car itself.

Toyota tells us that Kluger 4x4 models have actually outsold Ford's Territory 4x4 models for the past three months and it's only the Ford's RWD variants that hold back the Kluger from taking the top spot in not only the medium SUV segment, but also grabbing the glory for the top-selling SUV of any kind in the country.

That's quite a change of fortune for a vehicle that, in the previous 4WD-only configuration, was regarded as an expensive underachiever compared with the Territory.

For October, sales of the Kluger numbered 1173 units sold, versus 1190 for the Territory. Given that Toyota surmised the FWD Kluger would outsell the 4WD Kluger -- based on Ford's experience with the Territory -- and Ford's sales of the RWD Territory alone are barely enough to give Ford dominance of the market segment, the greater problem for Toyota would seem to be finding enough production capacity or space on the boat for the 4x2 models.

Toyota's press release, in which the company also announced that total sales for October had exceeded the aggregate total of sales for Holden and Ford in the same month, mentioned that the Kluger had sold 1173 units, but didn't mention how that compared with Territory.

"If Kluger had beaten Territory, we would have told you..." said a Toyota spokesperson with a smile.

Toyota is banking on improved supply for the Kluger early next year. It's not certain that Territory sales will suffer more with improved availability across the Kluger range, since Territory sales have remained fairly steady even with two brand new competitors (Kluger and Holden's Captiva) and fluctuating fuel prices over the past twelve months.

Still, if you're in the market for a cheap 'Terri', January might be a good time to go knocking on the door of your local Ford dealer.