Toyota has announced a raft of improvements for its popular large SUV offering, the Kluger. Launching in the first quarter of 2023, the 2023 Toyota Kluger will include technical, safety and equipment upgrades.

Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley said the new turbocharged engine will provide an engaging driving experience for customers.

“With superb torque and response, we expect the addition of this strong new engine will make the popular Kluger family SUV an even more enticing prospect for buyers,” Mr Hanley said.

The V6 engine has been replaced by a new turbocharged four cylinder engine, which has outputs of 198KW and 420Nm of torque. The power is down 20kW from the outgoing V6 to 198kW, but the torque has grown 70Nm to 420Nm. Toyota is sprucing gains in efficiency and responsiveness over the outgoing V6. The new engine will continue to be offered with an eight-speed automatic transmission in both 2WD and AWD guises. Buyers will also continue to be offered the option of the more efficient hybrid four cylinder drivetrain. 

All updated Kluger models will come with Toyota’s Connected Services, which the carmaker has been gradually introducing throughout its whole range. The system has an integrated SIM card, which communicates between each Kluger and Toyota’s emergency command centre. Drivers can request emergency assistance manually, or the system will automatically call the command centre if a collision is detected. It also allows owners to request tracking of their Kluger in the instance it is stolen. 

Technological improvements have also been announced. The GX grade will receives an upgrade to the 7.0-inch multi-information display that’s currently offered on the GXL and above. We assume the Grande will get a 12.3-inch digital display, as seen on updated Highlanders overseas (as the Kluger is known outside Australia). The GXL and Grande will receive a 12.3-touchscreen infotainment display as well, up from the existing 8.0-inch unit. There’s also a wireless phone charger.

Toyota will be announcing more details of the updated model closer to its early 2023 launch, however the announcement is important given the current production delays – it’s likely buyers who place orders now will receive this updated model. 

The 2023 Toyota Kluger will go on sale in 2023, with local pricing and specifications to be announced ahead of then. Stay tuned to DiscoverAuto for the latest automotive news and reviews.

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