SsangYong Korando – worth considering

Are you thinking about a medium-sized SUV with good equipment, with four-wheel drive and above all for reasonable money?!
Then you should pay attention to the new Koranda …

In the last generation, the SsangYong Korando already offered excellent driving characteristics and robustness, which is also necessary in the field. This is something that the active person looks for and the brand fan loves.
The first generation in the 80s was somewhat copied Jeep Willis, and the second generation in 1996 already had its own shapes and in our country it did not go well with the eye of the European customer, trained mainly by German uniform production. The third generation, which was not sold in our country, already had a slightly Italian design by Guigar, but it also did not catch on too much.

So, after plans to return to our market, the Korean car company has really missed the design needs of the Western world and tried to design a new model so that it can be universally used even in a crowded and especially demanding market, which Europe certainly is. In 2019, customer needs are already focused on dynamic-looking SUVs and especially on low consumption or numerous assistance systems, at a high level. Korando adapted to this very well, and in the test we convinced ourselves that it definitely makes sense to pay attention to it.

The overall look is not extravagant or unbalanced in any way, but on the other hand, it is not very special and memorable either. In the tested white color, the distinctive front FullLED lights and the radiator grille stand out and add a bit of interest to the car, but in darker shades the grille blends in more and the details disappear. We have to praise the almost straight front hood, which is clearly visible from the driver's seat and thus gives you a very good estimate of the space in front of you. From the rear, the Korando is interesting with the graphics of the lights and the chrome line under the rear window. Otherwise, it's a classic line drawing of neutrality for a neutral market.

What it excels in design can be seen in the interior. Some plastics are hard, but that's about the only thing that could be called cheap here. That SsangYong has set the bar high can be seen not only in the precise workshop processing of the dashboard, but also in the equipment. Not only the comfortable and well-designed seats contribute to the uniqueness of the vehicle's interior environment, but also the ambient lighting in the doors and on the dashboard, which you can customize in up to 34 color combinations or blending colors. It is processed with infinite mirror technology. It is also worth mentioning the 10-inch digital instrument panel, which is available in the second level of equipment for an extra charge and is standard in the two highest levels. It has great graphics, animations and a range of display options including mobile phone mirroring.

The 9-inch central touchscreen is included in the basic equipment, including the rear parking camera. It's just a shame that he doesn't know Slovak and his control isn't exactly intuitive. However, we have to praise its speed and seamless connectivity with AndroidAuto and AppleCar Play. The equipment also includes heating of the front and rear seats, ventilation of the front seats, wireless smartphone charging, and steering wheel heating.

Automatic two-zone air conditioning with air ionizer is already included in the price from the second level of equipment, and we could continue calculating similar elements for customer comfort for a long time. Only keyless locking and starting can be purchased only in the third level of equipment, but in combination with the electric opening of the fifth door.

There is plenty of space for the crew. You sit rather higher behind the steering wheel and the steering wheel has an ideal diameter and logically arranged buttons. Two adults or three children can comfortably sit on the back bench. Even with the optional electric sunroof, the roof is higher in the rear, giving you more headroom.

In the bowels of the rear part hides an above-average luggage compartment with a volume of 551 liters, surpassing even the simply-clever Karoq. In addition, the suitcase has a double bottom separated by partitions that can be easily combined to create stops for shopping if you simply don't want something to fly and hit you every time you accelerate or brake. Here we also find practical hooks for hanging bags, metal hinged eyelets, or a charging socket.

We tested Korando in an attractive combination of diesel engine, automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. You always pay extra for automatic and 4×4 in every equipment level, but on the other hand – thanks to this, you can choose the highest equipment even with 4×2 drive and manual transmission. In addition to diesel, there is also a 1.5 petrol unit with a power of 120 kW (163 hp). The diesel 1.6 E-XDi has exactly 100 kw (136k), and certainly more powerful engines could be found in this class, but this portion of power is completely sufficient for comfortable family travel. Thanks to the maximum torque of 324 Nm already at 1,500 revolutions, the Korand definitely does not lack power for overtaking at any speed. For us, a big plus is the absence of the Start-Stop system, so it is a prerequisite for longer engine and accessory life.

The diesel engine is very well muffled in the Koranda and does not produce the classic commonrail rumble like some other brands. Even so that even after the first kilometers, the disinterested passenger did not know that it was a diesel unit. It also gets along well with the six-speed Aisin automatic, but it sometimes downshifts late and needs to be helped using the paddles under the steering wheel or switching to manual mode. The resulting consumption rose to about 8 liters instead of the promised 6.5 liters, but considering the top equipment, four-wheel drive and automatic, it's still a great number. Let's not forget to point out that the Korando had less than 1100 km on the tachometer at the time it was taken over for the test. We would just like a bigger tank – 47 liters is still less than most of the competition, so visits to the gas station will be more frequent.

Korando bets on a slightly relaxed character, and this is also reflected in the tuning of the chassis. Just like the engine, the chassis is designed for a quiet ride, and the shock absorbers are tuned rather comfortably. It handles regular unevenness with clarity and doesn't hit anything anywhere, but it leans a little more in a fast corner. Otherwise, the chassis feels harder and smells more like the German school than the French casualness of the PSA model.

As for the aforementioned assistants, we can find a perfectly tuned adaptive cruise control. This, in combination with active lane keeping, works as a unit with an asterisk and we rank it among the best assistants on the market. It has predictive logic, it does not brake unnecessarily and it also reacts to traffic in the lane into which you want to pass when turning. SsangYong deserves credit for what it can surprise everyone with in both the basic and premium packages. You already get cruise control, six airbags, a multimedia system with a touch screen or a rain and light sensor as standard. The SAFETY PACK includes Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Lane Change Assist (LCA), Exit Assist (EAF), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) and the ACC PACK brings the aforementioned adaptive cruise control and electronic parking brake (only in combination with an automatic transmission).

The SsangYong Korando is (finally) a nice, robust and well-built SUV that will offer you the highest level of equipment that most brands start with at a very good price. In addition, you get a warranty of 5 years or 100,000 km and this is really worth considering and at least trying before deciding to spend your money on this category of car…

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