Jonathan Crouch thinks Ssangyong's Korando deserves a look if you're seeking an affordable family SUV, particularly now there's an EV version.

Ten Second Review

Ssangyong's Korando has previously been something of a fringe player in the value reaches of the mid-sized SUV class, but this MK4 model now aims to edge into the mainstream with the option of full-electric power. It's very affordable, well equipped, rather smart and in combustion form can tow up to 2.0-tonnes. Sounds promising.

Background

Buying a mid-sized family-shaped SUV can be an expensive business these days. The ones you can have for anywhere near £25,000 tend to offer weedy performance and a relatively cramped interior. It's far more typical to be paying getting on for £30,000 for a 'Qashqai'-class family hatchback-based Crossover of this kind and many plusher models sit in the £30,000-£35,000 bracket. So what are we to make of this fourth generation Ssangyong Korando? Prices are pitched from a genuine £20,000, with a really nice one pitched at under £27,000. Pluss there's a full-electric version from under £31,000. This model's also better equipped than most comparable rivals and in fossil fuel form can tow heavier loads. But all of this you'd maybe expect from a Ssangyong. Can this one though, offer a properly class-competitive proposition when it comes to things like fit and finish, drive dynamics, efficiency and safety? Let's find out.

Driving Experience

Three powertrains are now available to prospective Korando customers, but these days, all of them only drive the front wheels. The petrol choice is a 1.5-litre GDI-turbo unit with 163PS and 280Nm of torque. It's usually mated to 6-speed manual transmission but of uyou avoid base trim, it can alternatively be had with an auto gearbox. The other main choice (and the one that this car's core caravan-trailing and towing market will want) is the 1.6-litre diesel, which has to be had with an auto gearbox. Here, you get 136PS, but far more pulling power - 342Nm of it; enough to allow the car to pull up to 2.0-tonnes. If your Korando has the 6-speed automatic transmission, it'll also come with selectable 'Normal', 'Sport' and 'Winter' drive modes.  This fourth generation Korando has a firm ride that can sometimes get slightly unsettled by low speed bumps on poorer surfaces, but that's because SsangYong has intentionally chosen a slightly firmer set-up to reduce body roll through the bends. That's paid off. Aided by its relatively stiff chassis, this car flows from corner to corner with surprising poise, aiding the smoothness of cross country journeys. The alternative to the fossil fuel variants is the Korando e-Motion full-electric model. This uses a 61.5kWh battery (only 55.3kWh of that capacity usable) offering an unremarkable WLTP range of 211 miles. A 188bhp drive motor powers the front axle and the 62mph sprint occupies around 9 seconds en route to 97mph.

Design and Build

Ssangyong is starting of smartly modern yet brand-distinctive design, as evidenced here. The usual robust SUV silhouette is complemented by the rather smart "birds wing"-style front grille which has become a visual identifier for modern SsangYong models. Plus strong side lines are matched with curved shoulder creases that taper towards the rear of the car, as well as a colour-keyed bumper, a rear spoiler and a rear skid plate, all of which lend this compact SUV an air of understated sportiness. Dependent on trim level, Korando offers a selection of alloy wheel designs with 17, 18 or 19-inch rims. The e-Motion full-electric version sets itself apart with a sealed front grille. Inside, the integrated wrap-around dashboard design is said to have been inspired by the design of a classical string instrument. At the top of the range, you get the brand's innovative "Blaze Cockpit" package, which gives you a 10.25-inch digital cluster and a 9-inch centre-dash infotainment display with a colour choice of 34 infinity mood lighting options. There's only one body style option, a 5-seater - but you do get reasonable rear seat legroom. And a decently-sized 551-litre boot too, which is unaffected in size if you opt for the EV variant. Fold the rear bench and the load area extends to 1248-litres of space.

Market and Model

There are three Korando trim levels - 'ELX', 'Ventura' and 'Ultimate' and you can only have 2WD. The base £20,000 price only gets you a base-spec front-driven 1.5-litre 'ELX' petrol model; unfortunately, it's not possibly to have the 1.6-litre diesel with either of the two more affordable trim levels (or with manual transmission), so prices for the black pump-fuelled derivative kicks off at quite a lot more - from just under £31,000. The 1.5-litre petrol derivative is manual-only in base 'ELX' form, but there's the £1,500 option of auto transmission with 'Ventura' or 'Ultimate' trim. The full-electric 'e-Motion' version of this car costs quite a lot more of course, also only available in 2WD form. Prices start at around £30,500 after subtraction of the £1,500 government plug-in grant. You'll pay around £35,000 for mid-range 'Ventura' trim - and around £38,000 for top-spec 'Ultimate'-spec. Got that? Good. On to equipment. Even the base-spec 'ELX' comes with features like 17-inch alloy wheels and cruise control. All the diesel variants get heated front seats, fabric and faux-leather upholstery, front and rear parking sensors, a heated steering wheel, an 8-inch centre-dash infotainment screen with smartphone-mirroring ('Apple CarPlay'/'Android Auto'), a rear view camera and a full-sized spare wheel. Standard camera-driven safety features fitted as standard across the range include Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Autonomous Emergency Braking System (AEBS), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane keeping Assist (LKA) and Driver Attention Alert (DAA).

Cost of Ownership

You probably wouldn't expect a really capable SUV like this one to be anything near class-leading in terms of its fuel and CO2 efficiency stats - and this one isn't - but its figures to get nearer to the prevailing class standard than those of its predecessor. The petrol manual version manages a WLTP-rated combined cycle fuel showing of 37.2mpg and a CO2 showing of 172g/km. That's with a manual gearbox; you'll do significantly worse with auto transmission. The diesel auto manages 46.3mpg and 159g/km. The e-Motion full EV version has a 211 mile WLTP-rated driving range and there's rapid charging potential at up to 100kW. As with all Ssangyong models, there's the peace of mind of a seven year/150,000 mile warranty. Where the Korando runs into trickier territory is in the area of residual values. With its limited dealer network and almost non-existent promotional budget, there's no getting away from the fact that public awareness of this vehicle is virtually nil. That can only have a detrimental effect on residual values which will never be as punchy as big name vehicles like the Nissan Qashqai, the SEAT Ateca or the Toyota RAV4. Some recompense comes with modest insurance ratings.

Summary

'Korea can do'. That's apparently what 'Korando' means - and it seems appropriate. After all, it's hard to think of a car maker that has come so far, so quickly as Ssangyong. This Korando remains very accessibly priced and feels even more class-competitive in this fourth generation guise. Yes, as the brand itself would admit, this remains a work in progress. But the signs with this car are that this Korean marque is learning quickly just what European customers really want. So how to summarise? Well we'd say that this Ssangyong is a difficult option to ignore if you need a really capable car of this kind. It can powerfully tow, will more comfortably transport five people than direct rivals can and offers up plenty of kit on a tight budget. You'll just have to get used to explaining to people what it is. And who knows, you might even end up suggesting that they try one.