What is it?
Steering is lovely and sharp and without the wallowing around corners as you might expect. This may have something to do with the high-strength steel construction as the Korando is stiffer than its competitors, featuring 74% high density steel, which not only gives greatly improved body strength but also reduced weight.
On the road
It also comes with three selectable drive modes. Normal mode balances the need for fuel economy and power, this default mode is utilised for day-to-day driving and is not indicated on the dashboard. Sport mode delivers extra power, whilst Winter mode starts Korando in 2nd gear to prevent tyre slippage on icy roads. Non-4x4 models come with an auto-stop system to save fuel and lower CO2.
Now in its fourth generation, the all-new Korando has changed a bit over the years, from the first Jeep licensed CJ-5 which rolled off the production line in 1969 to this, a well styled modern C segment SUV that is built with the modern active family in mind.
As I’ll get to later, the only vehicle that’s currently available is the 136ps, 1.6ltr turbo diesel, and when mated to the latest AISIN 3rd generation 6-speed automatic transmission it proves to be smooth and hassle free along the twisty country lanes surrounding Blenheim Palace. It’s quiet too, the Korando does a good job of muting out the world outside, including the typical diesel clatter. Actually, ‘clatter’ is the wrong word to use as the new diesel feels quite sophisticated.
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Overall, dashing along country lanes and dawdling through small villages, the Korando behaved just as well and if not better than some of its more expensive rivals, I actually wanted to drive it the 3.5 hours home instead of the Subaru Forester I’d driven down in.
