SsangYong reverts to petrol in new base Korando
BY MIKE COSTELLO | 1st Feb 2013
The addition of petrol power spells the end of the car-maker’s days as a diesel-only brand in Australia, with the most recent petrol SsangYong sold here in early 2008.
Ateco, which took the reins to the Indian-owned, South Korean-based company in October last year, described the reversal as a sign of its “determination to succeed in the increasingly competitive SUV segment”.
The entry pricing undercuts all non-Chinese rivals in the small and compact SUV segment, with only the smaller Chery J11 (from $17,990 drive-away) and the larger Great Wall X240 (from $21,990 drive-away) available for less.
The petrol Korando S is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 109kW and 191Nm of torque – figures similar to rivals such as the Nissan Dualis, Subaru XV and Mitsubishi ASX.
Power is sent exclusively through the front wheels via a standard six-speed manual, or a $2000 more expensive six-speed automatic sourced from Hyundai. This transmission is different to the six-speed auto in diesel versions of the Korando, which is sourced from Australian company DSI.
Standard features include power steering, air conditioning, electric windows, six airbags, electronic stability control, CD/MP3 player, Bluetooth, cruise control, reverse sensors and a leather steering wheel.
All Korandos sold in Australia are covered by a five-year/100,000km warranty and get five years of 24/7 roadside assist.
Ateco also cut the pricing of all 129kW/360Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel Korando variants in January, with the automatic-only front-drive S available from $26,990 drive-away, the all-wheel-drive manual SX $30,990 drive-away and the AWD SX automatic $32,990 drive-away.
The prices represent substantial drops, with the S automatic previously priced at $28,811 plus extra for on-road costs, and the SX AWD versions priced at $30,311 and $32,811 (manual and auto respectively) plus extra for on-roads.
SsangYong sold 750 Korandos in 2012, up 20.4 per cent over the previous year but below the company’s original target of 170 units per month.
| SsangYong Korando drive-away pricing: | |
| 2.0L petrol 4x2 S | $23,990 |
| 2.0L petrol 4x2 S (a) | $25,990 |
| 2.0L diesel 4x2 S (a) | $26,990 |
| 2.0L diesel AWD SX | $30,990 |
| 2.0L diesel AWD SX (a) | $32,990 |
