Toyota Kluger v Hyundai Santa Fe v Kia Sorento hybrids compared
A test of Australia’s best hybrid SUVs shows there is more competition than ever for motoring families.
Sometimes small things come in big packages. That’s certainly the case under the bonnet of these three SUVs, which use hybrid power to deliver impressive efficiency from compact engines.
The combined size of the motors under the bonnet of the Toyota Kluger, Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe is just 5.7 litres – the same size as a single Holden Commodore V8 in years gone by. Here are three premium takes on the modern SUV theme.
Toyota Kluger Grande
It’s strange to think that you can move 21 people with the same engine capacity that used to shift a family of five. Stranger still, the combined fuel consumption of these three seven-seaters is roughly that of a thirsty V8 in the real world – all three of these wagons claim to sip less than 6L/100km. The remarkable efficiency of our trio is made possible by hybrid power.
No brand has done more for the hybrid cause than Toyota, which has a popular option in the seven-seat Kluger wagon. The 2.5-litre engine needs just 5.6L/100km of petrol to make a strong 184kW of power, sending drive to all four wheels with the help of electric motors in the front and rear.
It’s a proven, reliable unit famous for its simplicity.
Cheap to service, the Toyota costs just $265 per year to maintain. But it’s not cheap to buy. This well-appointed Kluger Grande model shown here is an eye-watering $90,000 drive-away. Loaded with kit, the Grande’s equipment list includes sofa-like heated and cooled leather seats for the driver and front passenger, a panoramic sunroof overhead and a sizeable 12.3-inch touchscreen hooked up to an 11-speaker JBL stereo.
Our range-topping test cars all have handy features such as powered tailgates and rear sun shades. The Kluger misses out on heated rear seats and it has the fiddliest mechanism for third-row access. Clambering into the back is a squeezy effort compared to the more generous openings of rival machines, and once in there you have less room and fewer features to play with. But passengers do benefit from suspension tuned with back-seaters in mind. It has the most gentle ride of this trio, but there’s also more pitch and roll movement than they might enjoy.
Kia Sorento GT-Line
Tauter than the Kluger, Kia’s Sorento takes a different approach. It’s the most precise machine to drive of this group, with sharper responses from its steering and suspension. That sort of approach is great for drivers, though perhaps less welcoming for folks in the back.
The sporty theme is evident through its sleek styling and a cabin trimmed in black leather, a dark headlining and paddle shifters for the steering wheel. Its seats are firmer than the Toyota, which is good if you want to get a feel for the road, but not great on road trips.
It has more toys than the Kluger – including heated seats in the back – and better access to the third row. Surplus USB points reflect a hi-tech approach that includes twin 12.3-inch wide-screen readouts, a head-up display and wireless phone mirroring.
The Sorento’s tiny motor would have been laughed out of showrooms in years gone by.
But the 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine is boosted by a turbocharger and electric motor that help it make 169kW and 350Nm. Better still, it needs just 5.7L/100km to do so. That’s an impressive figure, though keen observers will note it needs a little more fuel to make a little less power than the Toyota.
Priced from about $79,000 drive-away in all-wheel-drive trim, the Sorento undercuts the Kluger by a handy margin.
And Kia provides an extra two years of unlimited-kilometre warranty than these rivals. But it is the most expensive to service of this group – you need to budget $600 per year for maintenance.
Hyundai Santa Fe
A Korean cousin to the Sorento, Hyundai’s Santa Fe has a similar – but slightly better – hybrid engine. It’s a touch more efficient and more powerful, requiring 5.6L/100km to make 172kW and 367Nm. Servicing is almost $120 cheaper per year (but still dearer than the Toyota) and it has a larger boot. The latter stems from body styling that may not be to all tastes.
Though the front looks like some sort of cubic interpretation of a Land Rover Defender, we have mixed feelings about the boxy bum and low tail-lights. But any thoughts about the looks evaporate when you climb into the cabin.
It offers the easiest access to the third row, and the most space – particularly headroom – once you’re in there. It has similar heated rear seats and myriad power outlets as the Kia. And the front end is even better. The two-tone steering wheel, tan-coloured materials and soft-touch leather feel genuinely premium.
It matches the Kia’s tech count (panoramic screens, head-up display, wireless charging) and brings improved safety thanks to extra airbags to protect passengers.
A little dearer than the Kia at about $81,000 drive-away, it undercuts the Kluger by a handy margin.
In the same way that the Santa Fe splits rivals for price, the driving experience sits in the middle. Though it’s not comfortable as the Kluger or as sporty as the Sorento, the Santa Fe strikes an impressive balance as a polished hybrid SUV.
VERDICT
The Toyota doesn’t feel quite special enough to justify its price, while the sporty Sorento is a touch too serious. The Santa Fe hits the sweet spot as a premium take on the family SUV theme.
HYUNDAI SANTA FE CALLIGRAPHY
PRICE: From about $81,000 drive-away
ENGINE: 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder hybrid, 172kW and 367Nm
WARRANTY/SERVICE: Five years, unlimited km, $2405 for five years
SAFETY: 10 airbags, auto emergency braking, blind-spot and lane-keep assist, fatigue detection, radar cruise, speed-sign recognition, rear cross-traffic alert
THIRST: 5.6L/100km
SPARE: Full-size
LUGGAGE: 628 litres
KIA SORENTO GT-LINE
PRICE: About $79,000 drive-away
ENGINE: 1.6-litre turbo hybrid, 169kW and 350Nm
WARRANTY/SERVICING: 7-year/ unlimited km, $3004 for five years
SAFETY: Seven airbags, auto emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and 360-degree camera
THIRST: 5.7L/100km
SPARE: Full-size
BOOT: 608 litres
TOYOTA KLUGER GRANDE HYBRID
PRICE: About $90,000 drive-away
ENGINE: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol and three electric motors, 184kW
WARRANTY/SERVICING: Five years/unlimited km, $1325 over five years
SAFETY: Seven airbags, auto emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, 360 degree camera and radar cruise control
THIRST: 5.6L/100km
SPARE: Full size
LUGGAGE: 552 litres
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