Toyota Kluger (2000-2007) Expert Review

The Kluger's interior belongs unmistakably to another era.

There are buttons. There are dials. There is no giant tablet dominating the dashboard. And frankly, after spending enough time inside modern cars where every function requires navigating three menus, the Kluger's simplicity has a certain charm.

The driving position is high and visibility is good. The large glass area makes the vehicle easy to place on the road, which is particularly useful in Bangladesh's chaotic traffic.

The seven-seat cabin is the main attraction. The first two rows are comfortable, while the third row provides useful additional capacity when needed. Fold the rear seats and the Kluger becomes a considerably more practical cargo carrier.

Toyota's factory specification offered full-auto air-conditioning, power windows, central locking and other useful equipment. Higher grades could add leather, power driver's seating and sunroof equipment.

But there is no escaping the age.

The original infotainment system is primitive by modern standards. Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and USB connectivity were not part of the original technology package. Many Bangladesh-market cars therefore receive aftermarket head units.

The same applies to reverse cameras and parking sensors.

Cabin quality was respectable for its era, but plastics and switchgear now feel distinctly old-fashioned.

The important thing is that the basic architecture remains practical.

The Kluger has a respectable basic safety package for its age, but expecting modern crash-avoidance technology would be rather like asking a Nokia 3310 to run Instagram.

Toyota equipped representative versions with dual front airbags, ABS, Brake Assist, EBD, front seat-belt pretensioners and force limiters, rear three-point seat belts and child-seat attachment provisions.

An engine immobilizer and anti-theft system were also available as standard equipment on representative Japanese grades.

Side airbags were available on some versions, but they were not universally standard. This distinction is important because Bangladesh-market Klugers can come from different specifications and grades.

Modern ADAS is essentially absent.

There is no factory autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, traffic-sign recognition or automatic high-beam assistance.

That does not make the Kluger inherently unsafe.

It simply means the driver has to do the driving.

The high seating position provides good visibility, while the substantial body and SUV proportions give occupants a reassuring feeling of protection. But that should not be confused with the crash protection technology available in a modern Toyota.

For a 20-plus-year-old vehicle, condition is also a safety issue.

Worn tyres, old brake components, tired suspension, damaged airbags or poorly repaired accident structures can matter far more than the original specification.

The Kluger drives with the relaxed character expected from an early-2000s Toyota family SUV.

The 2.4-litre 2AZ-FE produces 160 PS and 221 Nm, which is enough to move the seven-seat SUV without difficulty but not enough to make anyone mistake it for a performance car.

The four-speed automatic is the most obvious reminder of its age. Modern transmissions have eight, nine or ten ratios and occasionally more software than a small office. The Kluger has four.

Yet it works.

Around town, the automatic transmission is smooth and predictable, while the naturally aspirated petrol engine delivers linear power. There is no turbocharger to wait for and no complicated hybrid system to understand.

The price for that simplicity is fuel consumption.

In Bangladesh, around 7–9 km/L in city traffic and 10–12 km/L on highways is a realistic expectation for the 2.4. Heavy Dhaka congestion can make the numbers worse, particularly with the AC working continuously.

The ride is one of the Kluger's better qualities. The suspension has enough travel to handle ordinary broken surfaces without turning the cabin into a percussion instrument.

Highway driving is relaxed and stable, although the four-speed gearbox means overtaking requires more planning than in a modern SUV.

Four-wheel-drive versions offer additional traction on slippery surfaces, but the Kluger is not a serious off-road vehicle.

Ultimately, the Kluger's driving appeal is simplicity: comfortable, predictable, spacious and mechanically straightforward.