Ride and Handling

[DHOUS]

Early roadtests and more recently in the Melbourne Age, the motoring writers have not embraced the Kluger as well as we might expect.

most common is the criticism of the ride and handling, quote, the kluger should win hands down until it starts to move.

lacks low down torque

poor ride quality

poor handling, body roll like windscreen wipers??

This was a comparison with the Territory, Holden sports Wagon and the Kluger. They took them down the great ocean road which is hilly and windy.

I think the ride is the best I have experienced, and as I have always been a small and medium car owner I found the Kluger a little bit of a handfull until I got used to it, I believe it handles well for its size and high centre of gravity, I am not real keen on the steering and agree with the writers on this issue.

I would be keen to hear some comments from Members, and if there is a problem how do we solve it, RICEY and TAKA should be able to give a good contribution and look forward to it.

Regards

Don

[aardvark]

I am more than happy with the ride and handling of my Kluger. It's not a frikken sports car and shouldn't be treated like one. Any writer who wants to compare the handling of the Kluger with the Holden Sportwagon is obviously a c*%khead!!

I'd like to see them fit 7 people into an MX5.

[Taka]

I have driven the Kluger on the Great Ocean road.

You will not be able to break the land speed record but certainly on the speed limit (80kmh), the car handles with a lot of capability to spare. I can follow many sports cars along those road as long as they don't go over the speed limit, coz I am there to BE-HAVE ;).

Yes there is a lot of roll that no journalist will like. Ricey and I will be able to see pass that and feel the car more. After all, that is all we do on the race track - to feel the car.

I cannot agree of poor ride quality. It is very comfy on long trip. Power is just right and when you are used to Honda VTEC engine and NA rotaries, this is a lot of torque. Maybe the roll make them uncomfortable.

To fix: Sway bars upgrade.

EDIT: I have not driven Territorist or Honda Wagon, but I have driven the Landrover Disco 3 and it feels very similar.

The best handling SUV is X6, but you don't want that!

Edited September 4, 2008 by Taka

[holmesie]

I drove the Terrorist and Kluger back-to-back and have to say the Terri is a very impressive handling vehicle...

BUT the Kluger has SO much MORE going for it B)

Like aardvark says, it's not a sports car so why expect it to handle like one! Coming from a modified Subaru Forester, I'm actually NOT disappointed with the handling and ride quality of the Kluger (although I DID ring Whiteline to ask about stiffer swaybars).

Cheers

[Taka]

DID ring Whiteline about sway bar?

Answer is?

Hey it is not that far from country NSW to Sydney as a guinea pig

[Kruzenvax]

Hmm... Territory, Holden? All made locally... Well - we have it disussed here before: nothis rides like Territory: period (I'm sarcastic here)

[holmesie]

DID ring Whiteline about sway bar?

Answer is?

Hey it is not that far from country NSW to Sydney as a guinea pig

Their response at the time was there is nothing available, nor anything planned in the near future BUT that didn't mean it would be never

Hmmm I didn't think about offering to be the test mule, I might have to call them again ;)

Edited September 5, 2008 by holmesie

[Taka]

The guy got the RX-8 inside. They fitted one in a day, and he drives out telling the world about it because it was FREE!

Mind you they have a few bugs they had to fix after 6 months or so... but it was FREE

[PC XT]

As I said before its never been a sports handler the XT run rings around it, when it comes to cornering even in stock form but if you know how to drive to its limits and not go over them you should be fine