The Toyota Kluger is the name used in Australia and New Zealand for the model sold elsewhere as the Toyota Highlander, a mid-size crossover SUV. The 2019 Kluger belongs to the third generation, coded XU50, which went on sale in Australia in 2014 and was built in the United States for that market. Production of the XU50 ran from late 2013 until late 2019, so the 2019 model is the final version of the third generation before the larger, redesigned fourth-generation SUV arrived for 2020.
The Third Generation and the 2019 Model
The XU50 Highlander was unveiled at the New York International Auto Show in March 2013 and reached dealerships in early 2014, replacing a boxier predecessor with a longer, wider body and a more conventional crossover shape. For the Australian market it was sourced from Toyota’s Princeton, Indiana, plant. A significant facelift arrived for the 2017 model year, bringing an eight-speed automatic in place of the earlier six-speed and a revised V6 with Toyota’s D-4S direct-injection system. The 2019 Kluger therefore represents the facelifted XU50 line, which also gained Toyota Safety Sense as standard equipment.
Interior and Equipment
The Kluger seats up to eight people across three rows in most configurations, with a sliding second row that improves access to the third row. Materials and soft-touch trim were upgraded over the previous generation, and higher trims added leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, a power tailgate and a panoramic glass roof in some markets. Infotainment ran through Toyota’s Entune system with a touchscreen, and up to 12 JBL speakers were offered. The third-generation model also introduced lane-departure warning, pre-collision warning and blind-spot monitoring. The interior image above reflects the layout shared with the US-market Highlander.
Exterior and Dimensions
The Kluger measures about 4,865 mm (191.5 in) long, 1,925 mm (75.8 in) wide and 1,730 mm (68.1 in) tall, on a 2,790 mm (109.8 in) wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 2,005 kg (4,420 lb) in V6 form. Ground clearance is about 203 mm (8.0 in). The 2019 Kluger Black Edition offered darkened exterior trim and larger wheels as a styling variant, while standard models rode on alloy wheels with tires up to 245/55 R19 on higher grades.
Engines and Transmissions
The 2019 Kluger used a 3.5-liter V6, coded 2GR-FKS after the 2016 facelift, that produced 218 kW (about 292 hp) at 6,600 rpm and 350 Nm of torque at 4,700 rpm in Australian specification, driving through an eight-speed automatic transmission. In the United States, where the same vehicle was sold as the Highlander, the V6 was rated at 295 hp (220 kW) and 263 lb-ft, and a hybrid option paired the 3.5-liter V6 with electric motors for a combined 306 hp through an eCVT. Earlier, pre-facelift third-generation models used a 2GR-FE V6 rated at 270 hp in the US.
Most versions drove the front wheels, with all-wheel drive available as an option on V6 models and standard on the hybrid. The hybrid was not offered in Australia on the XU50 generation, where the Kluger was V6-only. The 2019 four-cylinder Highlander sold in some markets used a 2.7-liter 1AR-FE engine rated at about 185 hp.
Fuel Economy
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the 2019 Highlander with the 3.5-liter V6 and eight-speed automatic returned about 20 to 21 mpg city, 27 mpg highway and 23 mpg combined with front-wheel drive, and 19 to 20 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined with all-wheel drive. The hybrid all-wheel-drive version was rated at about 29 mpg city, 27 mpg highway and 28 mpg combined. Toyota’s Australian figure for the 2019 Kluger V6 was 9.5 L/100km on the combined cycle.
Availability and Pricing
The 2019 Kluger was sold in Australia and New Zealand in front- and all-wheel-drive V6 form, with pricing for the Australian Black Edition starting at A$59,970 before on-road costs. In the United States the equivalent Highlander was sold from about $31,830 to $47,510 depending on trim and powertrain. The XU50 generation ended in 2019 and was replaced by the fourth-generation Highlander, which Toyota unveiled at the New York auto show in April 2019 with a 3.5-liter V6 and a 2.5-liter hybrid. Related coverage on this site includes the 2019 Toyota Harrier Redesign and Price.
Safety
The third-generation Highlander earned strong crash-test results, including an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award in the United States for several model years. Standard safety equipment across the range included stability control, anti-lock brakes, a driver’s knee airbag and side-curtain airbags for all three rows, and the 2017 facelift added the Toyota Safety Sense suite of driver-assistance systems. Switchable all-wheel drive and hill-start and downhill assist were available on AWD versions.
Trim Levels and Range
In Australia the third-generation Kluger was offered in grades that ran from the entry model through mid-range variants to a top Grand flagship, with front- and all-wheel drive available across much of the range and seating for seven or eight depending on configuration. A styling-focused Black Edition joined the lineup in 2019 with darkened trim and larger alloy wheels. In the United States the equivalent Highlander came in LE, XLE, SE and Limited trims, plus hybrid versions and a sportier XSE in the later part of the run.
Because the Kluger was produced in the United States and shipped to Australia and New Zealand, Australian buyers received a North American-built vehicle with local suspension and equipment tuning. The model competed in the large SUV segment against vehicles such as the Mazda CX-9 and, in Australia, the Toyota Prado.
