New Toyota Kluger lands from $47,650 plus costs

ELEVEN months after first confirming its new-generation Kluger would be going hybrid, Toyota Australia has detailed its new line-up with the base model GX petrol set to enter showrooms priced from $47,650 plus on-roads.

Available from June, the fourth-gen Kluger line-up will be made up of nine variants, all of which are underpinned by the Toyota New Global Architecture GA-K platform which has resulted in an extra 60mm being added to the wheelbase and overall length – now measuring 2850mm and 4966mm respectively.

Other key dimensions including the width (1930mm) and height (1755mm) have also been increased over the outgoing model.

In terms of styling, the new model has been brought more into line with the rest of the local portfolio in being more chiselled and angular in its appearance, now resembling an upscaled RAV4.

With the GX opening the account from $47,650, the range has been split into three distinct trim levels – with two engines and two drive configurations – and reaches all the way up to $75,400 plus costs for the flagship Grande AWD hybrid.

Standard equipment on the base model includes cloth trim, an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, DAB+ digital radio and Bluetooth connectivity, keyless entry and start, dual-zone climate control, 18-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights and five USB ports.

Stepping up to the GXL (from $56,850) adds heated front seats, tri-zone climate control, synthetic leather upholstery, power tailgate and satellite navigation while the top-spec Grande (from $68,900) trim builds on that further with a panoramic roof, 20-inch alloys, hands-free opening tailgate, ventilated front seats, head-up display, panoramic view monitor, leather-accented seats and an 11-speaker JBL audio system.

Building on the prices listed above, all-wheel-drive can be had across the petrol range for an extra $4000 while the hybrid versions are priced a further $2500 upstream again.

Power in the petrol variants comes courtesy of an updated 3.5-litre V6 mill, still good for 218kW/350Nm, however it now requires a minimum of 95 RON premium unleaded to do so.

Drive is still sent to the wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Combined fuel consumption for the bent-six is pegged at between 8.7 and 8.9 litres per 100km depending on the variant.

To help keep that economy figure as low as possible, Toyota has fitted the all-paw GX and GXL variants with a new ‘dynamic torque control’ all-wheel-drive system which, like most on-demand systems, can essentially disconnect the rear driveline when maximum traction is unnecessary.

When grip is needed, it can send up to 50 per cent of the torque to the rear axle.

The Grande AWD steps things up however with its torque vectoring system able to split the torque between the left and right rear wheels as needed.

All AWD variants score a multi-terrain select system with ‘rock and dirt’ and ‘mud and sand’ modes to help adapt the vehicle parameters to the surface at hand.

Just like the one found in the updated Camry range, the Kluger’s new hybrid powertrain is based around a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (142kW/242Nm) and hooked up to an electronic continuously variable transmission (e-CVT).

The internal combustion engine is then boosted by three electric motors to produce a combined 184kW, put to the ground via an on-demand ‘e-Four AWD system’.

Unlike the petrol AWDs, the e-Four system can allow up to 80 per cent of the engine’s drive to be channelled to the rear axle, a feature complemented by the ‘trail’ drive mode – eco, normal and sport modes are also fitted.

When all is said and done, Toyota says the hybrid will sip 5.6L/100km and emit 128 grams of CO2 per kilometre.

Under the skin, all new Klugers ride on newly developed multi-link front and rear suspension with stopping duties coming courtesy of ventilated discs front (340mm) and rear (338mm).

Standard safety features across the range now include road sign assist, emergency steering assist and intersection turn assistance as well as the existing pre-collision safety system with pedestrian and cyclist detection (day), active cruise control, lane trace assist, automatic high beam, blind spot monitoring with rear-cross traffic alert, reversing camera, seven airbags and parking sensors front and rear.

According to Toyota Australia sales and marketing vice-president Sean Hanley, the addition of a hybrid powertrain to the Kluger range demonstrates the brand’s commitment to driving sustainability forward.

“The popularity of SUVs continues to grow and the new Kluger hybrid models mean that families can have all the space, comfort, refinement and versatility of a large SUV with a low environmental impact,” he said.

“In addition to that, the stylish new look, improved safety and high level of advanced technology makes the Kluger the perfect SUV for the modern family”.

Toyota Australia has sold 587 Klugers so far this year ending March, accounting for just 2.3 per cent of the sub-$70,000 large SUV segment, a segment it shares with the all-conquering Prado (3977/15.8%) and rugged Fortuner (682/2.7%).

Discounting the ute-based offerings within the segment, the Kluger is still behind the eight-ball on sales with the Subaru Outback (2503/9.9%), Mazda CX-8 (1505/6.0%) and CX-9 (1785/7.1%), Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace (1370/5.4%), Hyundai Santa Fe (1706/6.8%) and Kia Sorento (1,754/7.0%) all comfortably out-selling the outgoing model.

2021 Toyota Kluger pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs