Toyota Kluger drops V6 petrol engine
Toyota’s petrol V6 is nearing the end of the line as turbo-four slots into Kluger with MY23 upgradeJust a year after the fourth-generation Toyota Kluger launched in Australia, the Japanese brand has announced that its popular seven-seat family SUV will lose its petrol V6 in favour of a new turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
Headlining a wave of range-wide upgrades to the 2023 Toyota Kluger, which is due in showrooms early next year, the decision is set to mark the official retirement of the V6 petrol engine from Toyota’s passenger car and SUV line-up, following similar moves with the HiLux, Prado and Camry respectively in recent years.
Further afield, the development could trigger the demise of V6 petrol power across several Lexus models locally fitted with the same engine.
Toyota Australia has been contacted for comment.
Instead, Toyota says the new 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol offers “a newly developed turbocharger, optimised fuel injection system and long stroke to deliver excellent response and high output”.
The turbo-petrol makes 198kW and 420Nm, a 20kW deficit against the outgoing petrol V6 but a 70Nm improvement in torque.
Toyota hasn’t yet released official fuel economy details, but in the US the four-cylinder appears no more efficient than the V6, consuming 9.8L/100km on the official combined cycle. That compares to 8.7L/100km for the V6 on Australia’s ADR 81/02 standard.
On paper, however, the four-cylinder looks as though it will deliver an improvement in emissions compared with the V6.
The four-pot will be available in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive grades in Australia, both matched standard to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
“The new powertrain will be available across the range in GX, GXL and Grande guise, and will be offered alongside the popular and efficient Hybrid AWD grades,” Toyota Australia said.
The new powertrain joins numerous other upgrades to the Kluger for 2023, including the adoption of Toyota Connected Service which brings technology like automatic collision notification, SOS emergency call and stolen vehicle tracking.
Entry GX versions of the Kluger will receive a 7.0-inch centre touch-screen display (previously 4.2-inch), while GXL derivatives and above upgrade from an 8.0-inch display to a 12.3-inch touch-screen.
Toyota says it will release pricing and specification details for the 2023 Toyota Kluger closer to its anticipated launch in the first quarter of next year.
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