Ssangyong’s tough, new Korando 4WD hardtop has debuted in Australia priced under $35,000.

The rugged, 3-door Korando features go-anywhere 4WD ability with luxury vehicle appointments and has been an instant success in its home market and in Europe, where it was launched late last year.

Korando is the second of Ssangyong’s successful off-road sports vehicles to reach Australia, following in the footsteps of the larger Musso of which more than 2,000 now belong on Australian roads.

Available as a hardtop with a swing-open rear door, the new Korando also features Mercedes-Benz technology in the form of a willing double overhead camshaft, 2.3 litre multi-valve 4-cylinder engine.

The venerable 4-cylinder power plant has already appeared in more than 5,000 Mercedes-Benz passenger cars registered in Australia. The Korando produces 104 kW power and a highly-usable 220 Nm torque for the toughest off-road conditions.

Similar to the Musso diesel, the Korando features an innovative, electronic dashboard control which enables the driver to switch between 2WD and 4WD (high range) "on the fly" at speeds of up to 70 km/h. The selection of low-ratio is made while the vehicle is stationary.

Available with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission, the Korando features alloy wheels, air-conditioning and wood-grain interior trim as well as a driver’s airbag.

Also included are electrically adjustable windows and mirrors, central locking.

The five-speed manual transmission Korando is priced at $34,850 while the automatic (which additionally includes ABS and ABD traction control) is priced at $39,600.

Built Tough

Although designed to appeal to the fashion-conscious young motorist, the Korando is also tough enough to go to war.

Its rugged separate chassis, long-travel suspension and sophisticated ‘shifton-the-fly’ selectable 4WD control satisfies the service requirements of the South Korean Army with only minor modifications.

Striking Exterior, Stylish Interior

Korando is based on a shortened chassis from the larger Musso and features an unashamedly aggressive look with strong, visual links to the original American ‘Willey’s Jeep - but brought right up to date.

Key features are a spacious, 3-door body which offers uncharacteristically good luggage space plus five-seat accommodation - a rarity among shortwheelbase off-roaders.

The luxurious, high quality interior contrasts sharply with Korando’s ‘heavy-duty’ external appearance, featuring probably the most stylish and car-like detailing in its class.

Engineered to Please Both Mud-Pluggers & Style Seekers

Ssangyong Korando has been engineered to please both serious offroaders and drivers seeking a ‘lifestyle’ fashion 4x4 where appearance and on-road manners just as important than departure angles.

Although designed for challenging of-road use, Korando has also been developed for a smooth ride and precise handling thanks to, for example, power-assisted rack and pinion steering for greater steering feel compared to the more common recirculating-ball system.

A longer than many wheelbase helps eliminate the choppy ride which afflicts many sports utilities, while the long-travel torsion bar independent front suspension also aids ride and handling.

Korando’s rear suspension a via a coil-spring axle with five links for accurate location, good off-road articulation and reduced bodyroll. Front and rear anti-roll bars also contribute to taut handling and minimise cornering-lean.

Its overall length is 4330mm, height 1840mm, width 1841mm, and wheelbase 2480mm. Front and rear tracks are an exceptionally generous 1510ram (fron0 and 1520mm (rear) which, like the long wheelbase, also aids stability and handling.

Easy to Use 4x4 Transmission

Korando’s conventional 5-speed manual transmission, supplied by BorgWamer, is complemented by an electronically controlled Borg-Warner dual-range transfer box.

Distributed by Mercedes-Benz Australia, the Korando is available from authorized Mereedes-Benz/Ssangyong dealers.

The Korando is covered by Ssangyong’s Three-Year, 100,000 km factory warranty and 24-Hour Road Care.

Who is Ssangyong?

The Ssangyong Motor Company is Korea’s fourth largest automotive manufacturer and has produced commercial vehicles for more than 40 years. Daimler-Benz AG is a minority shareholder in the Ssangyong Motor Company and shares its technical resources.

Daewoo assumed around US$1.7 billion of Ssangyong’s current loans, which totalled US$2.79 billion. Daimler-Benz AG has retained its 2.4% stake in Ssangyong, and it’s believed that technology agreements between Ssangyong and the German group will continue, though distribution is likely to fall to Daewoo.