All-new SsangYong Korando SUV prices and specs revealed

The new SsangYong Korando is now on sale with a starting price of £19,995. The latest version of SsangYong’s mid-size SUV is available in four trim levels and you can choose from two engines and gearboxes.

The new model features a fresh exterior design, new engines and interior, along with updated tech. The Korean manufacturer aims to steal sales away from the Peugeot 3008, Renault Kadjar and Nissan Qashqai.

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The entry-level ELX model comes reasonably well-equipped with cruise control, Bluetooth, DAB radio, alloy wheels, auto lights and wipers, and a range of safety features. Stepping up to Ventura (£22,995) brings faux leather upholstery, larger alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors, heated front seats, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple and Android smartphone mirroring. These trims are only offered with a petrol engine, a manual gearbox and front-wheel-drive.

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The Pioneer model, starting at £26,495, features a heated steering wheel, a reversing camera, all-weather tyres and a full-size spare wheel but loses the digital instrument cluster. Only available with the 1.6-litre diesel engine, it’s aimed at caravan owners and buyers that will tow regularly.

Top-spec Ultimate brings leather seats, two-zone air conditioning, a larger touchscreen, keyless start, LED headlights, a power tailgate and more. It’s the only trim that’s available with a choice of powertrain and starts at the same price as the Pioneer.

A 1.6-litre diesel with 134bhp and a 161bhp 1.5-litre petrol are the two engines available, although the latter won’t be available to buy until December. The diesel is only offered with a six-speed automatic gearbox and manages 48.7mpg, 144g/km of CO2 emissions and 0-62mph in 12 seconds. Economy and performance figures for the petrol engine are yet to be revealed but it’s not available with four-wheel-drive.

SsangYong says that when the 1.6-litre diesel is combined with the six-speed automatic gearbox, the new Korando SUV offers an impressive 2-tonne towing capacity which is reduced to 1.5-tonnes for all other engine and gearbox combinations. It has also confirmed that the new car offers more practicality than the outgoing model. A longer wheelbase gives it improved leg and head room for both front and rear seat passengers and improved rear load space with 551 litres of storage when the rear seats are up and 1,248 litres with the rear seats folded.

The new SsangYong Korando SUV now offers an array of updated safety tech. This includes the Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) that operates via a camera and radar setup to apply the brakes automatically, Lane keep assist to hold the car in lane, Driver attention alert that warns the driver in the event of them becoming distracted, adaptive cruise control and blind spot detection. All of this should add up to a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, which would make it the first SsangYong to achieve the maximum safety score.

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Taking design cues from the e-SIV concept revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in 2016, SsangYong has given the all-new Korando rugged squared-off looks with a prominent front grille and headlight design, complemented by bodywork cladding and two-tone alloy wheels.

SsangYong has worked on making the car more refined than its predecessor and says that when idling, the Korando is quieter and vibrates less than a Kia Sportage. All versions feature the Korean company’s class-leading seven-year/150,000-mile warranty.

SsangYong has also confirmed that a fully electric variant will follow at a later date; we expect that model to utilise the EV drivetrain first previewed in the e-SIV concept.

Want to know more about mid-size SUVs? Check out our guide to the best mid-size SUVs, or read our picks for the most economical 4x4s, SUVs and crossovers.