SsangYong in Korean means two or twin dragons and legend has it that their strength comes from an inseparable relationship. Over the past couple of years they might well have felt inclined to pop out and incinerate a few foes on behalf of “their company”. With or without supernatural help however the firm has survived and its new Korando and first compact SUV heralds, it is said, a new era.

SsangYong was the first foreign Chinese automotive acquisition a few years ago but that unravelled. The company became insolvent at the beginning of 2009 but was refinanced by the end of the year and production re-started. Now majority owned by India’s Mahindra & Mahindra, the UK importer too recently attracted a new proprietor.  The Korando therefore leads the re-launch of the company here.

__A licence agreement in the 1990s allowed SsangYong to produce Mercedes-Benz engines and transmissions under licence. Four wheel drive (Jeeps for the US Army in the 1960s) and credible off-roaders have been a principal product: Musso now Rexton has a separate chassis, transfer box, high/low ratio gears.

The Korando breaks with the past. The 2.0 litre Diesel is native Korean and it’s basically a ‘high-rise’ front wheel drive five door hatch with a 4x4 variant – i.e. a typical contemporary ‘crossover’. As if to make the point, the styling is the work of Italdesign founder, Giorgetto Giugiaro. Clean and understated if conservative - in-your-face it might not be but it does have a hint of ‘premium’ about it.

Typical too are the ‘fake SUV’ two-wheel drive variants (‘S’ and ‘ES’) – EX is the 4x4.  Automatic is available on the ES and EX. The diesel revs pretty freely, has “best in class torque” but the six-speed manual remains clearly the car of choice.

The auto ‘box costs more money (EX Auto is £1,550 dearer than the EX manual) and sends the CO2 figure up sharply (194g/km as opposed to 169g/km) leading to ‘Band J’ Road Tax: £445 first year, £245 thereafter. The ‘Band H’ manual first year fee is £265, £190 in subsequent years.  (FWD 4x2 models are ‘Band G’ and £165 throughout.) If the EX 4x4 was 5g/km lower it too would be a ‘Band G’ car.

However, the Korando is “the most powerful towing car in its class” with a braked trailer maximum of 2,000kg and towbar limit of 80kg. This does imply some build rigidity in addition to a decent power output. Default mode is FWD/4x2 but a Haldex-type torque-on-demand unit on the rear axle dials in rear wheel drive as required. For bad conditions or going off-road, there’s a 50-50 lock-up switch.

Apart from a bigger engine and more power, the Korando is taller and has a longer wheelbase than class rivals from Hyundai, Kia, Nissan and Mitsubishi so more room in the back. It’s also cheaper yet every model includes alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, electric heated door mirrors with puddle lamps, in-windscreen electric de-icer and roof rails. Hill Start Assist is there too and all the usual electronic safety aids: ABS/EBD braking; ESP/ARP stability and anti-rollover. 

It also comes with a five-year warranty and no mileage limit. Metallic paint is £500 extra and £999 buys a touch-screen SatNav with iPod, Bluetooth and CD/DVD/RDS applications.  The ‘headlines’ therefore make good reading.

But the world has moved on. The ride is comfortable but steering, cornering and body control are unexceptional. Diesels have a narrow rev-band but here you have to catch the torque produced to make the best of it. High-ish CO2 does not just mean heavier tax, it could imply an engine which is not as efficient as it might be (it is Euro V compliant however). Cabin fit and finish is OK but nothing special.

The Korando then has to sell on kit and price. For those looking for a front-drive ‘SUV lookalike’ (i.e.a hatch with attitude) there are better propositions among the usual suspects. The 4x4 EX manual has appeal, some ability and comes from a company which knows a thing or two about 4x4 vehicles. It’s an encouraging sign for the future.  In the meantime dealers will have to work hard on those albeit competitive asking prices to turn then into much keener transaction prices.

By Huw Thomas
First published in Welsh Farmer, the newspaper of the National Farmers Union of Wales.