Anyone familiar with the current generation MPV Rodius from the South Korean SsangYong knows that it is not exactly the queen of automotive beauty. SsangYong took the criticism to heart and presented a new generation yesterday.
It will be called Korando Turismo (Rodius in Europe) and is the direct successor to the much-criticized MPV. When I mentioned design and a conscious car company at the beginning, I meant it literally. Perhaps only the size refers to the original car. The front part has been completely redesigned, which carries the brand's new design elements. After all, they also appear on the back. The most important change, however, is the abandonment of the strange recess of the rear window into the side of the car.
While the exterior underwent a complete revolution, the interior received a more significant facelift rather than completely new shapes. This is evident not only in the shape of the center panel, but also when looking at the alarm clocks or the steering wheel. In any case, the new Turismo has a newly arranged position of the controls, modified ventilation outlets or a completely new panel in front of the steering wheel. The materials should also be improved , and most importantly, the interior doesn't look so cheap anymore!
A huge advantage of the previous Rodius and the new Turismo is the variability and size of the interior. At 5130 mm long, the MPV boasts several layout options. You can transport 7, 9 or even up to 11 passengers to your destination! After that, however, a driver's license for a larger car than just a passenger car will probably be necessary. It will also be needed if you fold down all the seats. 3,240 liters of luggage space makes the Turismo a genuine van.
Only one engine will appear under the hood in Europe – a 2.0 e-XDi four-cylinder diesel engine with a capacity of 155 hp . The engine will be available with a 6-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed T-Tronic automatic. In selected markets outside of Europe, a six-cylinder 3.2 petrol engine will also be available under the hood. It is also important to mention that both the diesel and petrol variants will offer four-wheel drive.
The car company is keeping the price to itself for now, but we won't have to wait much longer. The European specification will be shown in full display already on 5.3 at the Palexpo exhibition center in Geneva . Until then, we have to make do with the information that the domestic market will receive three levels of equipment (LT, GT and RT) and prices in conversion from CZK 430,000.
##Korando##
