Toyota Australia has quietly rolled out another price increase for the 2025 Toyota Kluger, its three-row family SUV, pushing the starting price nearly $8000 higher than it was just 12 months ago. The latest adjustments, effective from June 1, 2025, add up to $1490 across the lineup, reinforcing the trend of rising costs for new vehicles in Australia.
The higher cost of hybrid-only
Last year, Toyota discontinued the non-hybrid Kluger, making the 2.5-litre petrol-electric powertrain standard across the range, a move that immediately increased the entry price. Now, with fresh inflationary pressures and increased production costs, the Toyota Kluger is even more expensive, with the base GX model jumping from $60,290 to $62,410 before on-road costs are applied.
2025 Toyota Kluger variant-wise prices:
| Model | Price before on-road costs | Price increase |
| Toyota Kluger GX | $62,410 | +$1,490 |
| Toyota Kluger GXL | $71,930 | +$1,490 |
| Toyota Kluger Grande | $84,080 | +$1,220 |
That’s a 2.5% increase for the base model, building on the price changes that followed Toyota’s move to a hybrid-only Kluger range.
What’s new for 2025?
Toyota hasn’t made sweeping changes, but there are a few small upgrades for the Kluger SUV to soften the blow:
- Tyre pressure monitoring system now standard across all grades.
- GX and GXL models now get the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster (previously exclusive to the Grande).
Still, these tweaks don’t fully justify the price hike, especially when Toyota Kluger sales are down 24.8% year-to-date (just 2,125 units sold by April 2025). Compared to Toyota’s RAV4, Prado, and LandCruiser, the Toyota Kluger is lagging, perhaps a sign that buyers are feeling the pinch.
Why are prices going up?
Toyota Australia blames “increased costs and inflationary pressures both here and overseas.” The Toyota Kluger is imported from the U.S., meaning currency fluctuations, shipping costs, and global supply chain issues all play a role.
This isn’t unique to the Toyota Kluger, either. Toyota has been phasing out petrol-only trims across the lineup, with the Corolla, RAV4, Yaris Cross, and Corolla Cross now hybrid-only in Australia. While this shift aligns with Toyota’s carbon-neutral goals, it also means higher upfront costs for consumers. These electrified options will likely keep Toyota’s lineup within the limits of the NVES while still being able to sell diesel-powered utes, and offer a more practical solution than forcing battery electric vehicles on buyers.
Is the Toyota Kluger still a good buy?
The Toyota Kluger remains a solid choice for families needing space and reliability. Toyota’s strong resale value and attractive service costs are also strong incentives over choosing competitors. The hybrid system delivers better fuel efficiency than the old V6, and standard AWD adds versatility.
However, rivals like the Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-80, and Nissan Pathfinder offer competitive pricing and more standard features in some cases. If you’re budget-conscious, it might be worth cross-shopping before committing.
Final thoughts
Toyota’s hybrid-only strategy makes sense for the future, but rising prices could push buyers away. With the Toyota Kluger already struggling in sales, this latest increase might make it even harder to justify against newer, more affordable alternatives.
What do you think? Is the Toyota Kluger still worth it at this price, or are you looking elsewhere? Let us know in the comments!
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