Does anyone else remember the days when SUVs were more for outdoor types?  Being able to remember this probably shows your age a bit, as SUVs today are well and truly the domain of the busy suburban family, whether or not they’re outdoorsy. The 2014 Toyota Kluger well and truly reflects this trend. I wouldn’t be in the least bit surprised if the design brief used to bring the Kluger up-to-date was “make the perfect car for the typical Australian family.”

With older SUVs, the typical family driver had a few headaches to cope with. Things like manipulating the tailgate with a skittery shopping trolley in one hand and a squirmy toddler on your hip on the other side, or working out who really started the fight in the back seat while you’re driving. Reversing could also be a real hazard. Even if children or dogs were out of the way, there was a chance that you could back into a tricycle or similar left on the driveway, as it was hard to see out of the back of a really big SUV clearly. Thankfully, these are problems that the 2014 Toyota Kluger has tried to fix.

The automatically opening and closing power rear door is found in the Grande models of the 2014 Toyota Kluger. This is operated via a button on your key fob, like the automatic tailgate systems found in many cars made after 2010. However, the 2014 Toyota Kluger also throws in a memory function on the power door, so you can open it to your preferred height (great for tall people).

As for the problems with reversing, all models of the the 2014 Toyota Kluger has a wide-angle reversing camera and reverse parking sensors. This makes manoeuvring a generously sized vehicle into a parking space easier – no more annoying your fellow parkers by wonky parking that takes up two spaces.  The Grande model also throws in a back guide monitor that superimposes lines onto what the reversing camera is displaying, with these lines showing you exactly where you’re heading with the steering wheel where you’ve got it.

The 2014 Toyota Kluger also helps you have eyes in the back of your head for dealing with what’s going on in the back seat. You know how buses have those big mirrors that allow the driver to see what’s going on behind her/him? Well, the 2014 Toyota Kluger has a mirror mounted in an overhead panel above the driver that gives you a great view of the back seat. This means that you can see exactly what your children are up to and you are more likely to know who hit whom first. The official Toyota name for this glass is the “Conversation Mirror” but most parents could refer to this as the “I’ve Got My Eye On You, Mr/Miss” mirror.

Now, the primary purpose of a family car is to get everyone from A to B in comfort and at least a moderate bit of style. This is something that the 2014 Toyota Kluger does very well indeed, and it has more than just a modicum of good looks. Although a big 7-seater is never going to look as sleek as a little sports coupé, the 2014 Toyota Kluger tries its best and has plenty of aesthetically pleasing curves; a nice bold stance perched on attractive alloy wheels (size depends on the model: 18 inches in the GX and GXL, 19 inches in the Grande); body coloured mirrors, bumper and door handles; a roofline spoiler that reminds you that SUV stands for Sports Utility Vehicle; and discreet but very handy roof rails.

Choice is everything, and there are plenty of variants to pick from with the 2014 Toyota Kluger. For all three main variant types, (GX, GXL and Grande), you can select from part-time 4×4 (AWD) or 2WD. The top of the range is the Grande AWD, with the GX 2WD at the opposite end of the spectrum.

Even the 2WD GX variant of the 2014 Toyota Kluger offers you plenty of car for your money. It’s got air-con, cruise control, dusk-sensing headlights, steering wheel mounted audio controls for the six-speaker sound system, Bluetooth prep, an auxiliary power socket, and a very good active safety system incorporating ABS brakes on all wheels, EBD, traction control and stability control.  The GXL takes it up another notch with bucket front seats, with lumbar and thigh support for the driver, automatic three-zone climate control, and improved trim for the gear knob, door and dashboard.  Go for the 2014 Toyota Kluger Grande and you get even more: a moonroof, a rear seat entertainment system (i.e. a display screen) and satellite navigation.

No matter which variant of 2014 Toyota Kluger you pick, you’ll get the same engine in all of them. The engine in question is a 3.5-litre V6 petrol unit with VVTI and DOHC that performs very nicely with 201 kW of power at 6200 rpm and 337 Nm torque at 4700 – good for hauling around the caravan or the trailer.  Automatic six-speed transmission is standard on all models, with a differential lock in the AWD variants.

The 2014 Toyota Kluger is a seven-seater, but the second and third rows can all fold flat when needed. This means that if necessary, it can be used as a trade vehicle instead of a family vehicle. Or maybe you can use it as both.

Current model series include:

• Toyota Kluger GX 2WD
• Toyota Kluger GXL 2WD
• Toyota Kluger Grande 2WD
• Toyota Kluger GX AWD
• Toyota Kluger GXL AWD
• Toyota Kluger Grande AWD

For any more information on the 2014 Toyota Kluger, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quotes requests out to our national network of Toyota dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!