Ssangyong has been making a bit of a name for itself in the world of SUVs and cross-over vehicles, and with the new Korando, the double dragon (which is the best translation of “Ssangyong”) have done it again. The Ssangyong Korando is a very snazzy looking SUV that is bound to have quite a bit of appeal.

Let’s start with the looks of the Ssangyong Korando. The Ssangyong Korando has the chunky, sculptured looks of the 2010s (or whatever you call the current decade) rather than the (rather bland, according to some) smooth lines of previous years. The overall appearance of a Ssangyong Korando is similar to that of a bull terrier: punchy, compact and aggressive but endearing and practical at the same time. The Ssangyong Korando comes seven different colours, some of which can be found on bull terriers (white, black and three shades of grey) and some which can’t (red and blue), except that dogs aren’t usually metallic. Dogs don’t tend to have twin rear exhausts or alloy wheels, either, but the Ssangyong Korando does 16 inches in the basic S model, 17 in the SX and 18 inches in the SPR.

But are those aggressive looks all show (as they are in my bull terrier) or are they for real? Well, judge for yourself. The Ssangyong Korando’s 2.0 litre diesel unit (Ssangyong prides itself on its diesel powerplants, and good on them) has a maximum power output of 129 kW at 4000 rpm and reached the top of the torque curve at 360 Nm in the 2000–3000 rpm range. Couple that up to a six-speed manual transmission (with auto available in the SX and SPR) and you have a lot of fun on tap.

Another aspect that could be questioned in the Ssangyong Korando is its off-road capacity. After all, the Ssangyong Korando looks like an AWD. And if you’re talking about the SX or the SPR, you’d be right, as these two do indeed have AWD ability; the S, however, is a front-wheel drive. Ground clearance in the Ssangyong Korando is 180 mm at the front and 195 mm at the rear, so this SUV can go quite a few places without getting into trouble, although I wouldn’t call it a serious bush-basher.

What you get on the inside of the Ssangyong Korando really depends on which variant you choose. But the level of specs in the “basic” Ssangyong Korando S isn’t exactly Spartan: air conditioning, Bluetooth preparation, leather-trimmed steering wheel and gearstick, and cruise control. The SX upgrades the air-con to climate control and illuminates a few more mirrors (and adds in front fog lamps, but they’re not in the interior). The luxury SPR has all that the SX has, plus a sunroof, leather seats (electrically adjustable) and rear parking assist, as well as a few exterior upgrades, such as an air spoiler and automatically folding side mirrors. All variants of the Ssangyong Korando boast power steering, fast glass, a six-speaker audio system with CD/MP3 and an auxiliary jack, 8 cup holders and lumbar support for the driver.

It is pleasing to note that all models of the Ssangyong Korando have the same safety features. These include ABS brakes, EBD, brake assist, traction control, active rollover protection, dual front, curtain and side airbags, and child seat preparation. The spare tyre’s a decent full-sized job, not an itty-bitty space saver.

You can get five people into the Ssangyong Korando and the boot space is reasonable, so this would make a decent choice of vehicle for a family. The Korando would also be good as a commercial vehicle, especially as the rear seats can be folded flat for extra room. The Ssangyong Korando’s probably not going to appeal to the upmarket end or to the supercar set; but then, it wasn’t intended to. Expect to see the Ssangyong Korando in the driveways of suburban family homes in Australia once it gets here.

The current model series includes the:

• Ssangyong Korando S 2WD
• Ssangyong Korando SX AWD
• Ssangyong Korando SPR AWD

For any more information on the Ssangyong Korando, 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 quote requests out to our national network of Ssangyong dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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