Kluger hybrid in OZ??

[Jhiony TKG2010]

Hi All,

In the US Kluger is available as hybrid. I wonder if this will be available in Australia or any inside information would be pleasing to know... ^_^

[2011 KX-S Cosmos Blue]

IMHO it will come here or at least a diesel version. However, if they said it was coming in 12 months it might stop people buying now. Thoughts - do peeps agree?

[CROCO]

I not sure whether they will wait untill the next new model, to bring out a hybrid, personally I think theres more chance of toyota bringing out a hybrid kluger than a diesel kluger , because the lexus rx350 is avaliable in a hybrid rx400h,and they share key engine and drivetrain components and platform as the kluger,just my thoughts.

When toyota shift all hylander, kluger production to the states next year I wonder will we get a new model kluger.

[Jhiony TKG2010]

Thanks for the reply guys...appreciated your input....it would be great if Kluger hybrid will be available in OZ...and Im sure when it does it won't be cheap....

[RICE RACING]

Hybrids are a con, I'd never ever own one, total false economy, actually far far worse for the environment (proven fact) and they are a total con job so far as cost to your pocket once you have to replace the batteries!

I would shoot myself before I would by a car that is powered by batteries.

Now a Mechanical Kinetic Energy Recovery System now that is real engineering and something that is actually FREE, when a maker brings this out in common cars like is used by Porsche in endurance racing and Williams in F1 I will think about "Hybrids" but battery electric Dildo cars???? no thanks! I'll leave that for the cougars and old 2$ pubbies to play with in the privacy of their own homes :)

[CROCO]

The biggest problem I have with hybrid is the life of the batteries and the cost to replace them all, now if they would last the life of the car I probadly give the hybrids a go to, but not at the moment.

Personally I afraid thats the way toyota will be going, all their cars will probadly be hybrid in the future and one day those bloody awfull electric cars, I think Im lucky to drive combustion engine powered cars and not electric cars, I know there getting better with power and range, but nothing will compair with the fuel powered cars we have now, we are the lucky generation that drive proper cars not electric gofer.

[wilsact]

I have a mate who works with a large company who run many vehicles including many camry hybrids. They love them and they have been the most reliable vehicles in their fleet which includes many other petrol and diesel vehicles. They are looking at replacing all diesels in the fleet with Hybrids over the coming year due to the much lower running costs. Gee when they first introduced them years ago, many workers still thought you needed to plug them in over night, but now they have a very high satisfaction level with their drivers.

The main problem with Hybrids is that there is so much misinformation and poor understanding about them.

For instance do a quick google or read up on the Toyota website and see how many battery packs have needed to be replaced worldwide by Toyota.

Only a handful. This is not new tech, the first Prius went on sale in 1997.

There are prius cabs in Australia that have done half a million faultless km's on the original battery pack.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Prius

Toyota even warranty the battery and hybrid components of their cars for 8 years or 160,000km!!! http://www.toyota.com.au/camry/features/the-camry-advantage/hybrid-battery-warranty

Much longer warranty than offered on most components in a car, so they are pretty confident they will last the life of the car.

Also when comparing fuel use don't just go off the flawed ADR stated numbers. Sure some diesels will match a Hybrid in highway or cruising consumption, but will get no where near one in stop start driving. Something alot of us do as 90% of our driving unfortunately.

Now think about the other benefits. No alternator, no plumbed aircon or heating that doesn't work when stationary or cold (they have electric ones), and the list goes on and on.

Hybrids add some complexity, but they also eliminate many other components that can fail during years of ownership.

There is a reason that BMW, Mercedes, and Audi as well as many others are now investing heavily getting on the Hybrid bandwagon.

Don't be afraid of this tech people, the day is fast approaching when itl be common place on even volume selling cars.

[Jhiony TKG2010]

I have a mate who works with a large company who run many vehicles including many camry hybrids. They love them and they have been the most reliable vehicles in their fleet which includes many other petrol and diesel vehicles. They are looking at replacing all diesels in the fleet with Hybrids over the coming year due to the much lower running costs. Gee when they first introduced them years ago, many workers still thought you needed to plug them in over night, but now they have a very high satisfaction level with their drivers.

The main problem with Hybrids is that there is so much misinformation and poor understanding about them.

For instance do a quick google or read up on the Toyota website and see how many battery packs have needed to be replaced worldwide by Toyota.

Only a handful. This is not new tech, the first Prius went on sale in 1997.

There are prius cabs in Australia that have done half a million faultless km's on the original battery pack.

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Toyota_Prius

Toyota even warranty the battery and hybrid components of their cars for 8 years or 160,000km!!! http://www.toyota.co...attery-warranty

Much longer warranty than offered on most components in a car, so they are pretty confident they will last the life of the car.

Also when comparing fuel use don't just go off the flawed ADR stated numbers. Sure some diesels will match a Hybrid in highway or cruising consumption, but will get no where near one in stop start driving. Something alot of us do as 90% of our driving unfortunately.

Now think about the other benefits. No alternator, no plumbed aircon or heating that doesn't work when stationary or cold (they have electric ones), and the list goes on and on.

Hybrids add some complexity, but they also eliminate many other components that can fail during years of ownership.

There is a reason that BMW, Mercedes, and Audi as well as many others are now investing heavily getting on the Hybrid bandwagon.

Don't be afraid of this tech people, the day is fast approaching when itl be common place on even volume selling cars.

Cheers for input Wil! Based on your comments, hybrids are still perceived to be costly to run especially the battery! I think it really comes down to personal preferences especially if you never own a hybrid before....

[CROCO]

I have a mate who works with a large company who run many vehicles including many camry hybrids. They love them and they have been the most reliable vehicles in their fleet which includes many other petrol and diesel vehicles. They are looking at replacing all diesels in the fleet with Hybrids over the coming year due to the much lower running costs. Gee when they first introduced them years ago, many workers still thought you needed to plug them in over night, but now they have a very high satisfaction level with their drivers.

The main problem with Hybrids is that there is so much misinformation and poor understanding about them.

For instance do a quick google or read up on the Toyota website and see how many battery packs have needed to be replaced worldwide by Toyota.

Only a handful. This is not new tech, the first Prius went on sale in 1997.

There are prius cabs in Australia that have done half a million faultless km's on the original battery pack.

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Toyota_Prius

Toyota even warranty the battery and hybrid components of their cars for 8 years or 160,000km!!! http://www.toyota.co...attery-warranty

Much longer warranty than offered on most components in a car, so they are pretty confident they will last the life of the car.

Also when comparing fuel use don't just go off the flawed ADR stated numbers. Sure some diesels will match a Hybrid in highway or cruising consumption, but will get no where near one in stop start driving. Something alot of us do as 90% of our driving unfortunately.

Now think about the other benefits. No alternator, no plumbed aircon or heating that doesn't work when stationary or cold (they have electric ones), and the list goes on and on.

Hybrids add some complexity, but they also eliminate many other components that can fail during years of ownership.

There is a reason that BMW, Mercedes, and Audi as well as many others are now investing heavily getting on the Hybrid bandwagon.

Don't be afraid of this tech people, the day is fast approaching when itl be common place on even volume selling cars.

Will your probadly right mate, I didnt realise how reliable the hybrids were, but I think your right with the hybrids being more common in main stream cars in the future, theres a lot of these hybrid camrys around, there getting around like belly buttons, so maybe the hybrids are starting to catch on and priuses there getting very popular as taxis, aswell as the hybrid camrys.

Hopefully those stupid electric cars wont be mainstream automotive, because it will be a coldday in hell before I would buy one of those things.

[wilsact]

Timely article......

http://www.news.com.au/business/cool-and-green-hybrid-car-sales-surge-to-australian-record/story-e6frfm1i-1226441599395

Edited August 2, 2012 by wilsact