I can indeed give @Panthera Tigris a lived experience analsys of the pros and cons of a Kluger; thanks Chumpford.
Had 2 of them; both AWD Grandes. First was a 2011 Japanese manufacture. Did approx. 150K in 5.5 years. Did not miss a beat; great car. Then I had a 2017 USA manufacture and did slightly lesser kms; approx. 130K in 5.5 years. Both were great cars but I did prefer the USA version. Better looking car and had 8 speed transmission as opposed to 5 speed in the older Japanese model. Both cars pretty heavy on fuel but what do you expect in a petrol AWD that weighs around 2 ton. Reckon on average around 11.5l per 100km. The best thing about the Kluger is the interior space and design; incredible on both versions I had and so much storage space. There is also so much interior room in these cars. I don't know how they do it but even though they are smaller than Landcruisers and Prados they actually have more interior space. This was confirmed by a Toyota dealer when I test drove the 300 series Landcruiser and new Kluger back to back.
I never towed with my Klugers so can't comment but others I know have towed items well within the cars capabilities and handled it well. But as it is not diesel fuel consumption will be more of an issue. Otherwise I can highly recommend a Kluger from my experience. Like all Toyotas they are extremely reliable and resale value is outstanding. You will pay more because of that but worth it for the reliability and you'll reap the rewards when you sell down the track.
I would recommend paying more for AWD especially with towing. I have driven FWD versions (company cars) and the torque steer is not great; especially in the wet.
I'd stay away from German cars. They look good and have awesome technology; it might sound like a good idea at the time but they don't seem as reliable as Toyotas or other Japanese brands and are dear as poison if you need to fix them.
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