Ssangyong reenters the PH automotive market with 2020 Korando

MANILA: When you hear of the brand SsangYong, what model of car would come to mind? None? That’s ok. Us too. The relatively new player in our automobile industry is still trying to gain a foothold in the Philippines by offering two new vehicles—the 2020 Tivoli crossover and the all-new Korando.

If you are unfamiliar with the automaker, SsangYong is a South Korean based automaker owned by the Indian automotive company Mahindra (Now it rings a bell?). Yes, the maker of the Mahindra Enforcer and Scorpio vehicles that our PNP are using owns the Ssangyong brand. And now it wants to establish its presence amongst bigger and more popular contenders by offering an SUV that has both the power and tech features.

Launched at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, the all-new Korando is a sporty-looking SUV with a trapezoid front grille that aligns with the fog lamp while the LED headlights with daylight running sit atop just below the bonnet. The sides are accentuated by aerodynamic arches for a modern look.

The flat roof sweeps down to the rear. The ‘floating roof’ vibe seems to be all the craze when designing SUV these days. At the back are a pair of polygonal tail lights with LEDs along with matching creases to complete the look. Matching black roof rails, spoiler, and 5-spoke allow wheels.

Inside the cabin, 2020 Korando specs greet the driver with an angular dashboard with a wraparound design. A digital instrument cluster, multi-function steering wheel, and a centre mounter infotainment display that is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible is accentuated by ambient lighting that can help set the driving mood. Plush leather seats come standard across models although power-adjustable seats are reserved for the top of the line model.

Under the hood is either a 1.6-litre turbodiesel or a 1.5-litre turbocharged gasoline engine. The diesel engine is capable of producing 134 hp of maximum power at 4,000 rpm and 324 Nm of peak torque at 1,500-2,000rpm. The gasoline engine, on the other hand, can produce 161 hp of maximum power at 5,000 rpm and 280 Nm of peak torque at 1,500-4,000 rpm. The engines are complemented by front-wheel drivetrain (2WD) and a six-speed automatic transmission across all variants.

There are three variants of SsangYong Korando to choose from: the 1.5T Sport, 1.6D Sport, and 1.6D Premium. The Korando 1.5T Sport uses the gasoline mill while the Korando 1.6D Sport and 1.6D Premium are both powered by diesel engines.

2020 Ssangyong Korando price are as follows:

• Korando 1.5T Sport: Php 1,290,000
• Korando 1.6D Sport: Php 1,578,000
• Korando 1.6D Premium: Php 1,770,000

Also Read: 2020 Ssangyong Rexton launched in PH, starts at Php 1,730,000