SSANGYONG KORANDO

What is it?

It was nearly 40 years ago in 1983 when the first generation of Korando rolled off the production line, and the Jeep licensed CJ-5 couldn’t be more different from this, the fourth generation Korando that stands before us today.

This well styled and modern SUV has certainly got its work cut out to tempt you away from the usual suspects in its sector, the Karoq and Qashqai, and the likes. However, the Korando has an ace up its sleeve. As well as being equally practical, if not more, it’s important to remind you that it comes with SsangYong’s 7-year/ 150,000 mile warranty - that’s 50,000 miles more than Kia!

On the road

Powered by the 161bhp 1.5 GDIturbo petrol engine with the auto’ box, I’d be fibbing if I said it was sprightly, but you know what, it doesn’t need to be, it isn’t designed to be a sports car, and what it lacks in oomph it makes up for with a comfortable and relaxing drive. It’s quiet too, it did a great job of muting out the world outside.

On twisty roads the steering is responsive and fairly accurate, and because the suspension offers a fair bit of control this in turn means you have quite a bit of confidence as you weave your way through the corners.

Around town it’s equally at home and handles pot holes and tight parking spaces with ease.

The Korando also comes with three selectable drive modes. Normal mode balances the need for fuel economy and power. Sport mode delivers extra power and heavier steering, whilst Winter mode starts Korando in 2nd gear to prevent tyre slippage on icy roads.

Off road

Sadly, the Korando is no longer available in AWD within the UK, which is a shame as the last time I borrowed one I had quite a bit of fun as it was very capable off the beaten track. With this in mind what laning I did in this latest model was quite tame.

The Korando’s suspension, however, remained quite subtle over a variety of loose stones and smallish rocks, with no harsh clunks, and ground clearance, although not huge, was more than enough along with generous approach and departure angle of 18º and 24.5º.

If you do find yourself in a bit of trouble, on the right hand side of the gearshift you’ll find both a hill-descent control switch and traction control. In addition, as I mentioned on the previous page, Winter mode starts the Korando in 2nd gear to prevent tyre slippage and works quite well in mud and on wet grass.

I don’t know if it was part of the design or simply a coincidence, but the shape of the curve at the bottom of the front doors is enough to catch mud from the tyres and stop it from being flung up into the door handles, which is a nice touch whether they meant it or not.

SsangYong have always been a favourite within the caravan fraternity, and the petrol Koarndo will tow 1,500kg, whilst the diesel automatic will manage 2,000kg.

Interior

Whatever the journey, the Korando always proved to be a comfortable and pleasant place to be, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re up front or in the back.

The front seats are comfortable and wide enough for a fat lad like me, being high offers you a good view of the road ahead, which is helped by the low bonnet. The dash layout looks and feels classy, much more interesting and pleasing to the eye than the equivalent Škoda.

SsangYong have put a lot of effort in to give the Korando a rich and quality feel, with a soft-touch dash and solid feeling dials and switches.

Oh, and dependant on trim level the seats are also heated, ventilated and powered.

Those in the back also have plenty of shoulder and head space, and for extra long passengers there’s room under the front seats for feet.

When it comes to practicality there’s oodles of useful storage areas under the armrest between the front seats and a pair of cupholders behind the gear selector. The door pockets are a good size and there are cupholders in the rear armrest, too.

Open the tailgate and you’re confronted with more emptiness than you can shake a stick at. In addition there’s also a heightadjustable boot floor that eliminates any load lip, handy for heavy and awkwardly shaped loads.

The rear seats can also be folded completely flat to create an even bigger area that should accommodate any flatpack furniture, fridges and even better to sleep on.

Engine and transmission

SsangYong give you the choice of either of petrol or diesel power in your Korando. The 1.5 GDI-turbo petrol, as tested, is available with a manual or automatic gearbox, while the 1.6 diesel engine is automatic-only.

The newly developed Euro 6D-T compliant 1.6 litre diesel engine produces 136PS max power and 324Nm max torque and achieves a CO2 emission level of 164 (WLTP) and economy of up to 45.2mpg on the WLTP combined cycle and achieves 0-62mph in 12.0 seconds.

The Euro 6D-T compliant 1.5 GDI-turbo petrol engine which produces 163PS max power with and 280Nm of torque at 1,5004,000 RPM.

Safety stuff

The new Korando has a 5*Euro-NCAP safety rating, and internally has six airbags on all models and an emergency call system, reversing camera, alarm, immobiliser, tyre pressure monitoring system. Then there’s rain sensing wipers, automatic headlamps, automatic speed sensing door locks, electronic parking brake with auto hold, front seatbelt pre-tensioners, parking aids front and rear and ISO FIX.

The vehicle boasts Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), Traction Control System (TCS), Active Rollover Protection (ARP), ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Autonomous Emergency Braking System (AEBS), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane keeping Assist (LKA), Front Vehicle Start Alert (FVSA), Safety Distance Alert (SDA), Driver Attention Alert (DAA), and Emergency Stop Signal (ESS).

Models

There are three Korando models to choose from:

Korando ELX from £21,495

The Korando ELX is powered by the 1.5 GDI-turbo petrol engine with manual transmission. Finished in a smart woven cloth trim, it includes 17” alloys with allweather tyres, electronic cruise control, DAB/RDS/Bluetooth radio, six airbags, auto lights and wipers and a range of advanced safety equipment and many more features.

Korando Ventura from £24,845 (manual) £26,345 (automatic)

The Korando Ventura, is powered by the 1.5 GDI-turbo petrol engine with manual transmission, and adds combined Faux leather with deluxe fabric seat upholstery, 18” diamond cut alloy wheels with standard tyres, heated front seats, front and rear parking sensors, electronic parking brake, 10.25” full LCD cluster, 8” touchscreen with Apple CarPlay / Auto Android, and many more features.

Korando Ultimate from £27,895

The top-spec Korando Ultimate is available in three variants. There is a petrol 2WD derivative available with manual and automatic transmissions or diesel engine and with automatic transmission, in 4WD only. The highest specification model in the Korando range features luxurious soft leather seats throughout (with driver’s lumbar support) a dual-zone air conditioning system and a range of advanced safety equipment. Add to this the premium in-car infotainment with a 9" LCD multimedia display with touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android auto, makes a spirited deluxe crossover vehicle at an affordable price. The Ultimate boasts 19” diamond cut alloy wheels, smart keyless start, rear privacy glass, LED multi-focus headlights, 10.25” full digital cluster and mood lighting and a power tailgate

Conclusion

Just before the Korando was collected I sat inside for one last time to mull over my thoughts and decided that apart from lacking in bhp and 4WD, there wasn’t anything I could criticise it with. It’s a good looking car with a smart and comfortable interior. It drives well, oozes practicality and comes with plenty of standard kit, and of course SsangYong’s industry leading 7-year, 150,00mile warranty.