TOYOTA KLUGER Review

Summary:

What we like: Sensible

What we don't like: Nothing exceptional

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TOYOTA KLUGER review in detail:

The 2008 Toyota Kluger gets a bigger engine and some nifty seat configurations but still might have trouble with so much competition in the market. If the redesigned Toyota Kluger is to succeed, it has its work cut out for it. It needs to transport and entertain youngsters and swallow cargo. It needs to be safe, comfortable and luxurious, and it needs to do all these things without breaking the bank — in car payments or at the pump. A tall order, no doubt, but the leading midsize SUV competitors really have gotten that good.

The Kluger makes the grade on all counts, though it doesn't excel in any one area. Provided it can maintain its outstanding resale value and reliability, it should prove a smart — if not particularly captivating — choice for years to come.

Toyota's California design studios sculpted the exterior, which is bigger in all major dimensions than the old Kluger

Toyota has spent many years building a reputation for outstanding quality, and absent any serious competition, the new Kluger might have maintained that reputation. The competition is nothing if not serious, though, and SUVs like the Mazda CX-9 boast some impressively upmarket interiors. In comparison, Toyota falls a bit short.

All Toyota Klugers get the 3.5-liter V-6 from the Camry. Acceleration is adequate off the line and stronger as the engine revs. The transmission helps things along, holding gears and rarely shifting prematurely. Hard acceleration can prompt some abrupt transitions among lower gears — better for acceleration, worse for comfort — but most of the time the shifts are smooth enough to pass undetected. The drivetrain feels best on the highway, where it downshifts with minimal gear hunting.

The optional four-wheel drive is transparent to the driver. It incorporates a center differential to split power 50/50 between the front and rear wheels all of the time. Four-wheel-drive models have a downhill assist function. Press a dashboard button, and it will slow the SUV to a crawl down steep grades. The feature seems a bit disingenuous: There is no low gear for offroad rock crawling, which means you should probably avoid anywhere treacherous enough to require the downhill assist.