The pre-facelift SsangYong Korando was a very anonymous-looking crossover, though it did come with a decent diesel engine, all-wheel drive, lots of space and practical touches that reviewers were quite fond of.
Now, the revised and refreshed version, first seen as a Korean model, has made its debut in the UK, where it starts from £14,995.
Most noticeably, its front end has been redesigned quite successfully, though it’s not a head-turner by any means, it now even has LED daytime running lights on higher trim models. New 16- and 17-inch rim designs are available too, as are new body colors: Sunrise red, Cosmic blue and Carbonic grey, Space black, Grand white and Silent silver.
The dash layout, while still simple and clutter-free, has seen a notable attempt at a redesign, along with several other inside areas. New are soft-touch plastics, matte wood grain inserts as well as extra cupholders , mobile phone tray and flip-down sunglasses holder.
Under the bonnet, it retains the trusty 2.0-liter diesel unit that can be had in two power outputs: 146 and 172 hp – the latter only in conjunction with an automatic gearbox, while the weaker one only gets a manual; both come with six-speeds. Oddly enough, while differing in top end punch, both versions have the same 360 Nm or 265 lb-ft of torque served between 2,000 – 3,000 rpm.
Handily, its makers insist that it can handle going off-road too if all-wheel drive is selected (from £16,495), claiming that “unlike its competitors a very high percentage of customers choose their Korando with 4×4.”
The Korando comes with a full complement of electronic aids, though it has none of the active ones that involve cameras or the vehicle stopping on its own. It’s one of the few real rivals to the Dacia Duster, though it’s still not bulletproof.
By Andrei Nedelea
PHOTO GALLERY
