Why the New Hybrid Kluger is not just a “soccer mum car"

The new Hybrid Kluger is more than just a “soccer mum car” and for fitting the team in.  It’s about you and your comfort! And when you’re sitting in the driver's seat of the new Kluger, you are the captain of this domain.  Roomy, comfortable and with all things you need at your fingertips.  You really feel like this is your space and the passengers are..... well, in their own first-class section of the car, not in the captain’s cabin. 

Let’s face it, if you are the “mum taxi,” you spend a heck of a lot of time in this space – so you want to be comfortable and you want it to be EASY.  Up front in your own little cocoon, you have plenty of handy spots for “all the things.”  The all-important coffee cup and water bottle holder, a slick central console box, and loads of little spaces for your phone, wallet, spare pen, snacks and all the other necessities a busy person needs.   

With 8-way power adjustable seating and lumbar support for the driver standard in the GXL and the Grande, you know that you can get it just right for your body and settle in for the long haul.  And just because that soccer team in the back is hot and sweaty from playing hard doesn’t mean that you have to freeze.  The Hybrid Kluger comes with 3-zone automatic climate control air-conditioning, standard across all models, so pop on your favourite tunes and get cosy for the trip home while the troops in the back cool down. 

Driving from A to B does not have to be a chore

Your car might be your “office” away from the office, or the glorified afterschool taxi.  Either way, once you’ve got yourself settled into the driver’s seat, there is still the business of getting the driving done.  You may need to get from A to B on a schedule, throw in a C and back to A (trying to avoid any and all delays), and then somewhere in there, respond to a call about Johnnie’s forgotten “sport uniform,” and then organise dinner.  It’s busy but it doesn’t have to be a chore.   

Sometimes it feels like there are never enough hours in the day.  And truly, if you are non-stop on the hop for work up and down the Sunshine Coast, you can wrap up some of the straggling ends of business on the run.  Hook up your Android or iPhone to the 8” colour touchscreen display via Bluetooth and stay on top of your day with handsfree messaging and telephone calls on the go. Cruise along to your favourite tunes or put some of those solitary (or not so solitary) hours in the car to use and listen to your favourite podcasts or audiobooks.   

No-one wants to be late to the next appointment.  Find the fastest route and avoid Sunshine Coast traffic hazards with Sat Nav standard on the GXL and the Grande. It’s so convenient, just hop in and it’s there without having to worry about your phone interfering with the directions.    

I’m not gonna lie, the heads up display on the Grande Kluger Hybrid is NICE.  It’s a great little snapshot of your driving situation right there on the windscreen.  However, if yours is a “middle of the road” kinda family like mine, don’t feel like you are going to miss out.  All that information is very much available on the standard dash of the GX and GXL.  How fast are you going, what’s the current speed limit, how efficiently are you driving the Hybrid, are you staying in your lane, how many more kilometres can you go before you absolutely must fill up? You won’t be left wondering.  It’s all right there in front of you on the standard dash.  And don't worry about accidently whizzing through a school zone on an unfamiliar road – Road Sign Assist will let you know of speed changes in advance.  

Getting the team there in one piece

Part of getting to your destination in one piece is confidence.  A driver who is nervous can tend to drift a little in the lane – especially if they are feeling intimidated by the semi-trailer next to them.  When you are in the driver’s seat of the Kluger, you can’t help but feel confident that you are safe on the road.   There is that little bit of extra height and size that comes with being in an SUV, but importantly, the Kluger feels “solid” and connected to the road.  Also, there are a bunch of handy features to remind you where the safest place in the lane is! 

Getting up and down the Sunny Coast highway could not be easier.  With active cruise control, there is no more accidental creep on the car in front of you – the dynamic cruise control monitors the traffic ahead to keep a safe distance from the car ahead.  Lane trace assist can sense that “nervous” or inattentive drift and apply partial force to the steering wheel to keep you on track.  With traffic hectic on the highway (and in the ‘burbs for that matter), it can sometimes be easy to miss a speed change as you keep your attention on the crazy around you. Thankfully, Road Sign Assist can help with that – alerting you to changes in the speed limit (especially helpful if you happen to miss the lowered speed limit sign as I have on occasion). 

As always, Toyota takes safety to the next level.  There are all the usual ABS braking and air bags that you would come to expect as standard in this day and age across the board.  Seat belt warnings to ensure the whole team is strapped in and stowed away.  But it’s Toyota Safety Sense standard across the Kluger Hybrid range which is impressive.  With the pre-collision safety system with pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, lane departure alert and steering assist, active cruise control, lane trace assist, road sign assist, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert, parking sensors, reversing cameras and all the other whiz bang safety features, you could be forgiven for thinking that the Toyota designers are leaving drivers with very little excuses for those “parking by feel” dings and scrapes! 

Your safety is Toyota’s number one priority – and it feels like it in the Kluger. 

How will you make the Kluger Hybrid work for you?

Yes, this car is all about you.  Your comfort.  Your safety.  Your convenience.  And your needs. You need a car that will fit “the team”.  A car that offers fantastic fuel economy. A car that gives you the freedom to take the family where it needs to go with ease. 

The Kluger is a roomy car.  Not just for the driver.  The Kluger is a spacious 5-seater or roomy 7-seater for the family.  This is going to save you some headaches.  With the flexible seating (especially with the second row sliding up to 180mm to adjust the space as you need it), you know that you aren’t going to be hearing the complaints of “He’s squashing me” coming from the rear of the vehicle as you navigate your everyday life. 

If you are the “soccer mum” and you are doing the many kilometres that it takes to keep up with work, school runs, training and weekend matches and tournaments all over South East Queensland, the Hybrid Kluger could be your ideal car.  This seven-seater has an impressively low combined fuel consumption of 5.6L/100km (or 6L/100km in urban conditions) as compared to 8.9L/100km for the Petrol Kluger. This alone will help your hip pocket. 

Got a budding cyclist in the family, or a family dog that comes on vacation with you?  With roof racks, towbar, side steps, cargo barriers and more available as optional accessories, there is no reason that the Kluger can’t be configured to your needs. 

Not convinced that the New Hybrid Kluger is the right family car for you?  

Arrange your test drive at Ken Mills Toyota and try it for yourself.  You won’t be disappointed!