Toyota Kluger FAQs

Check out real-world situations relating to the Toyota Kluger here, particularly what our experts have to say about them.

• I can't find a GCM limit on my Kluger AWD. If we were to tow at close to the maximum... what would our remaining payload be in the Kluger?

  This is a very important issue as exceeding the Gross Combination Mass (GCM) is a distinct possibility in modern vehicles with high towing limits. Even if the towed trailer comes in under the permissible weight limit, if you’re heavily loaded the car towing it, you can easily be outside the GCM limit, leaving yourself open to all sorts of legal and insurance hassles if it goes wrong.

  If you check your owner’s manual, you’ll find that the all-wheel-drive Kluger has a GCM of 4685kg. So, on that basis, you could tow a 1900kg caravan and load the Kluger up to the tune of about 700kg and still be legal. However, that 700kg load in the Kluger includes everything, including the humans. That arithmetic also assumes that the caravan is not carrying a single extra thing that’s not part of the actual van. That includes water in the on-board tank, gas bottles, an extra spare tyre and any other luggage. As you can see, a 1900 caravan, despite the 2000kg towing limit, might have you sailing pretty close to the legislative wind.

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• What is the longevity of diesel-powered SUV and Passenger vehicles in Australia?

  Of all the technology you’re considering right now, the only one that sounds any real alarm bells is that of the double-clutch transmission. It’s not that Kia’s version of the DCT is worse than many others – nor is it the worst of the lot – but there have been complaints over the operation and lifespan of these units generally. Sometimes the fault is a software glitch, but in other DCTs – particularly the dry-clutch variety – the problems are mechanical and can lead to catastrophic failures.

  With that said, it’s also true that Kia in Australia offers a fantastic factory warranty, so you should have no worries for at least the first seven years. It’s also the case that Kia Australia takes its reputation very seriously and is one of the better companies when it comes to sorting out faults and problems with its products. We’re pretty big fans here at Carsguide of the current Toyota hybrid technology, and it’s looking like the new Kluger Hybrid will be just as popular as Toyota’s other hybrid offerings. Perhaps more so as the non-hybrid Kluger can be thirsty.

  As for the requirement for premium ULP, when you consider that the Kluger Hybrid will, around the city and suburbs where most of them will spend the vast majority of their lives, use about two thirds of the fuel of the V6 Kluger (maybe even a bit less than that) then the extra cost per litre is more than compensated for by the reduced cost per kilometre. And in case you were worried about Toyota’s hybrid tech, the new Kluger Hybrid comes with up to 10 years of warranty on the battery-pack provided the vehicle is serviced correctly and inspected once a year.

  The other thing you might consider is the next-size-down Toyota hybrid, the RAV4. This is quite a spacious vehicle these days and offers excellent fuel efficiency and driveability. It’s cheaper than the Kluger, too. Definitely worth a look. Overall, the broader view is that a petrol hybrid vehicle is more future-proof than a conventional turbo-diesel.

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• Why does my 2011 Toyota Kluger turn off when I turn sharp corners?

  It could very well be that there’s something amiss in the car’s ignition barrel (which lives on the steering column, remember) or its wiring and connectors that is causing the power to the ignition to be cut when you turn the wheel. The problem could also be a short-circuit somewhere in the wiring in the column (and there’s plenty of it) that is causing the problem. Either way, you need to get it fixed immediately, as having a car cut out when you least expect it is can lead to all sorts of extremely dangerous situations.

  Another possibility is that there’s something wrong with the car’s power steering system which is overloading at the point you turn the wheel hard and causing the engine to stall. Again, it needs to be fixed now and I wouldn’t be driving the car anywhere other than to a workshop for diagnosis.

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