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SsangYong Korando road test report

SsangYong Korando

SsangYong is taking a gently, gently approach with its Korando. It’s not aiming for the volume sails of the likes of the Nissan Qashqai, but instead looking for those who need an SUV or crossover for a deliberate purpose such as towing. It’s a sound policy, but one that sells the Korando a little short as it is measures up well against the likes of the Chevrolet Captiva or Mitsubishi Outlander.

Road Test Reports Says 3.5 star rating
A front-facing image of the SsangYong Korando

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ALISDAIR SUTTIE SAYS

Performance Performance - 3 stars

In a straight line, the Korando goes from rest to 62mph in 9.9 seconds, which is brisk enough for the SsangYong not to be embarrassed in any situation. This figure remains the same whether you choose the six-speed manual or automatic gearboxes, though neither is particularly rewarding to use. The manual has a slovenly shift and the ratios are a little unevenly spread, which combines with the engine’s lacklustre low-rev delivery to make the Korando feel sluggish off the mark. Go for the auto and it gets around the gearing issues of the manual but the shifts are not as smooth as in some of the competition and the engine still needs to be revved more than sometimes feels comfortable to get the best from it. Once on the move, the Korando improves and cruises with ease at the legal maximum, though again the engine can seem strained when asked to dish up some overtaking oomph. With 175bhp and 266lb.ft of shove from the 2.0-litre turbodiesel, the Korando makes a decent tow car and is able to heft trailers up to 2000kg, putting it ahead of many rivals. Our only concern here is again the power delivery of the engine, which stacks its peak punch between 2000- and 3000rpm where many of its rivals offer up peak torque from around 1600rpm for a more relaxed drive.

Ride & Handling Ride & Handling - 3 stars

There’s a choice of front- or four-wheel drive Korando models, with all-wheel drive reserved for the higher spec EX models. The only time you’ll be able to tell the difference between the two drivetrains is if you encounter slippery conditions where all-wheel drive will have a natural advantage or when towing a fully laden trailer. In every other respect, we found the two coped with lumps and grazes in the road with the same reasonable ability. There’s a slight bounciness to the suspension of the Korando, but nothing existing drivers of SUVs will find off-putting. While it may not have the panache of a Land Rover Freelander through corners or across scarred surfaces, the Korando does a decent job of absorbing the UK’s poor roads. There’s more lean in bends noticeable in the Korando than in the likes of the Nissan Qashqai or Ford Kuga, but the SsangYong has a relaxing gait when cruising that makes it a more than able motorway machine. In town, the raised driving position helps with good all-round vision, while speed bumps are not a concern in the Korando. More of a concern is the amount of engine noise when accelerating through the gears. There’s just too much of a crude edge to the Korando’s 2.0-litre turbodiesel unless it’s at a cruise, which holds it back from being considered alongside the class best. However, wind and road noise are both well contained and conversation with passengers in the back set is not a problem, so the Korando should work well as a family car.

Build Quality & Reliability Build Quality & Reliability - 4 stars

With a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty as standard, there’s no doubting SsangYong’s level of confidence in the Korando’s reliability. We’re sure this faith will be rewarded as the company has built up a strong following among mini-cab drivers with its other products, which is a sure fire sign these cars are cheap to run and last the course. We’re not quite as convinced of the interior’s mix of plastics and materials. While they should prove long-lived, they don’t have the same tactile feel as a Nissan Qashqai’s, which is a shame as the Korando’s cabin is an otherwise appealing place to be.

Safety & Security Safety & Security - 5 stars

SsangYong has not skimped when it comes to the amount of standard safety and security kit it’s decked out the Korando with. Every model comes with twin front, side and curtain airbags, ABS anti-lock brakes, ESP traction and stability control, active anti-whiplash headrests for the front seats, Isofix child seat mounts and Hill Start Assist to prevent the car from rolling backwards when taking off on a steep incline. All five occupants are provided with three-point seat belts. There’s also a top notch alarm and immobiliser, deadlocks and all but the entry level Korando come with rear privacy glass to keep prying eyes from seeing into the rear of the car.

Space & Practicality Space & Practicality - 5 stars

If there is a single reason for choosing a SsangYong Korando over some of its rivals, this is it. Where other SUVs and crossovers in the same class feel compromised in trying to be more than one car for all occasions, the Korando gets round this problem by offering acres of space. The driver has plenty of elbow room to his or her right-hand side, masses of headroom and the driver’s seat has more than enough adjustment for all shapes and sizes of owner. Electric seat adjustment is standard for the driver’s pew on all but the entry model of Korando, as are heated front seats. The dash is clear and uncluttered, with large rotary dials for the ventilation and steering wheel controls on all models to operate the stereo. There’s also an MP3 and Bluetooth connection in every Korando. Rounding off the practicality in the front seats, there are large door bins and plenty of other storage areas dotted around to keep loose items from rattling free or being left exposed to passing thieves. Moving into the rear seats, the bench has ample seating for three in comfort and there’s plentiful room for heads and limbs. Similarly, the boot is a generous with 486-litres of space when the rear seats are in position. Fold the 60/40 split and tip rear bench and the Korando frees up a long, wide and flat cargo bed that is more than up to most DIYers demands.

Ownership & Value Ownership & Value - 3 stars

The Korando misses out on a higher score here for a couple of reasons. First off, its residual values will not be as strong as some of its competitors’, so private buyers will need to be careful about negotiating a good deal on the new price. Secondly, the emissions of the front-drive, manual gearbox models are reasonable at 157- and 159g/km for the S and ES models respectively. However, the more desirable automatic version of the front-drive Korando weighs in with carbon dioxide emissions of 194g/km which attract a hefty penalty when it comes to paying road tax. The 4x4 models are also hamstrung by emissions as the manual version has 169g/km CO2 output and the automatic gearbox-equipped model a whopping 199g/km. This is a shame as the Korando is an appealing prospect in other ways thanks to its long and generous list of standard equipment and impressive warranty cover that stretches for five years and unlimited miles. All models come with a high count of safety and security kit, and all have remote keyless entry, electric windows all round, cruise control, chilled air, alloy wheels and parking sensors. Move up from the entry-level model and every other Korando has leather upholstery, electrically adjusted driver’s seat, heated front seats and sunroof.

Submitted: 07/02/2012 13:54:36

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