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Sayonara to the Toyota Kluger V6! Turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine confirmed for Mazda CX-9, Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorrento rival

Toyota’s 2023 Kluger line-up will see the removal of the 3.5-litre petrol V6 in favour of a new 2.4-litre engine.

Toyota Australia has confirmed a new 2.4-litre turbo-petrol engine for its popular Kluger large SUV, which will replace the 3.5-litre V6 from early next year.

Punching out approximately (Toyota is yet to lock in local specs) 198kW of power and 420Nm of torque, the new four-cylinder engine is down on power but up on torque compared with the V6 (218kW/350Nm).

However, while fuel economy figures for the new turbocharged engine are yet to be detailed, it is expected the four-cylinder will be much more efficient than the outgoing V6’s 8.7 litres per 100km rating.

Paired to the new engine is an eight-speed automatic transmission, which will send drive to either the front or all-four wheels across three grades – either GX, GXL or Grande.

The new engine will join the 2.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid powertrain that carries over as before.

However, the turbo-petrol engine will also usher in a range-wide update to the Kluger, gaining Toyota Connected Services that will contact emergency services in the event of an accident, stolen vehicle tracking and automatic collision notification.

A larger 7.0-inch display will also replace the 4.2-inch screen on GX grades going forward, while GXL variants also score a bigger 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen (up from 8.0 inches).

With the changes in mind, it is expected the 2023 Toyota Kluger will jump up in price, but the brand is yet to detail full pricing and spec changes.

For reference, the current car starts at $47,650 before on-road costs for the V6-powered 2WD GX, and tops out with the $75,500 Hybrid AWD Grande.

The new Kluger line-up is destined for Australian showrooms in the first quarter of 2023.