TOYOTA has confirmed the new 7-seat Kluger SUV will offer hybrid and petrol engine options when it arrives in Australia in the first half of next year, embracing a similar dual power train strategy to the Yaris Cross SUV and latest generation C-HR and RAV4.
It will be the first time a hybrid power train has been offered in the Kluger in Australia, with the hybrid range now accounting for more than one in every five Toyota sales.
Built in the United States, the newest Kluger will provide customers with the choice of a 2.5 litre new-generation hybrid system or a 3.5 litre V6 petrol engine. The Kluger’s total hybrid system power output is expected to be 179kW when it arrives in Australia.
Offering excellent fuel economy and low emissions, its performance is supplemented by electric motors and a hybrid battery located under the second-row seats. The petrol variant is powered by a quad-cam V6 and is expected to deliver 218kW.
Connected to a direct shift eight speed automatic transmission, the 2021 Kluger will also offer front and all-wheel-drive (AWD) traction alternatives for the V6, with the hybrid drive train equipped exclusively with an intelligent AWD system.
The fourth generation Kluger sits on the Toyota New Global Architecture GA-K platform, providing multiple benefits for dynamics, safety and styling. It has enabled engineers to develop a lightweight and highly rigid body shell with a low centre of gravity.
It’s a feature that provides the new SUV with nimble handling and comfortable driving around town, and on the highway. The new Kluger will be equipped with advanced Toyota Safety Sense active safety technologies to help prevent or mitigate collisions as well.
The Kluger’s new platform has also allowed designers to craft a longer, more distinctive body that delivers a more flexible interior, with expanded cargo space and a more tailored ambience.
Toyota Australia VP of sales and marketing, Sean Hanley, said the hybrid Kluger is a logical step for a company that has sold more than 15 million hybrid vehicles globally, including in excess of 135,000 in Australia.
Further information on the next generation Toyota Kluger, including pricing, will be announced closer to it’s launch.
