Ssangyong Korando

Overview

Positioned between compact SUV Tivoli and full-size SUV Rexton, the Korando is currently in its fourth generation avatar and is the sole midsize SUV offered from Ssangyong in the Philippines. Promising the best of both the worlds of urban driving and off-road experience, the Ssangyong Korando is being offered in a choice of four colour options – Grand White, Dandy Blue, Cherry Red, and Silent Silver.

Interior & Features

On the inside of the Ssangyong Korando, things are a brilliant mix of futuristic as well as conventional design elements, which makes it equally acceptable by buyers of all age groups.

The most attractive aspect of the interior cabin here is the crisp and clear 10.25 inch LCD instrument console which makes up for a great driver’s view. The dual tone black and beige interior theme adds to the premium experience on the inside.

The centre console looks modest with a large touchscreen infotainment system at the centre, which is accompanied by a cluster of buttons for climate control in a trapezoidal panel below it. Given its size and price positioning, the Ssangyong Korando is rich in premium comfort and convenience features like electrically adjustable and ventilated front seats, heated outside rearview mirrors, electric sunroof and many more. Also, space levels are quite impressive on the inside, with an ample amount of room for five passengers as well as luggage in the boot compartment.

Exterior

Gone are the days when the Ssangyong Korando was labeled as an ugly and disproportionate looking SUV, as this fourth-generation model is certainly a looker. The Korando has grown bigger in size and has got some nice design elements to make it look more distinctive and modern.

At the front, the Ssangyong Korando looks aggressive with large angular full LED headlamps which incorporate LED turn indicators as well. There is a nice thin strip of chrome which elongates upwards towards sleek chrome grille in the middle. The tri-squared LED fog lamps too is a nice and unique touch to the front.

Move sideways, and the Ssangyong Korando impresses one with its bulky profile and crisp creases. The sleek chrome finish to the window waistline adds a premium touch to the side profile, while the large alloy wheels, black cladding downwards, big and functional roof rails and floating design for the roof beyond C-pillar are some traits which are gradually becoming a thing among modern SUVs.

At the rear, the Ssangyong Korando continues its visual bulk, only accentuated by the presence of large saber tooth-shaped LED tail lamps and a bow-shaped chrome element, which mimics the front chrome grille.

Ride & Handling

The Ssangyong Korando is more tuned for better urban driving with slightly softer suspension setup and light steering, which makes it an easy vehicle to steer around in urban traffic. However, the same steering setup is not enjoyable at high-speed driving conditions. The four-wheel-drive variant comes with additional drive modes to ensure that it glides over any kind of terrain flawlessly.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

The Ssangyong Korando has two petrol and one diesel engines on offer, all of which get a common 6-speed automatic transmission.

First, there is a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, which produces 163 PS of power and 280 Nm of torque. Then there is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, which belts out 136 PS of power and 324 Nm of torque. Both these engines get options of a 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic gearboxes as well as two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations in each.

The range-topping, 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine produces 149 PS of power and 197 Nm of torque, and gets a 6-speed automatic gearbox and two-wheel drive layout as standard.

Braking & Safety

The Ssangyong Korando is armed with a bundle of safety features like forward collision warning, lane departure warning, autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist system, blind-spot detection, exit assist function, safety distance alert, front vehicle start assist, lane change assist, high beam assist, electronic stability program, hill start assist, hill descent control and front, side, and curtain airbags.

Verdict

The Ssangyong Korando, for the practicality and amount of space and features it offers, is a great value for money package for all those kinds of buyers who want to upgrade from a compact hatchback or sedan and wants a more premium vehicle with a heightened stance.