Are SsangYong cars still ugly?

Just like Instagram, image is everything when it comes to the world of new cars.

But for brands like Korean car-maker SsangYong, it’s been a tough slog in the past, since its vehicles have never been considered stylish or contemporary.

SsangYong, which means double dragon, is returning to the Australian marketplace after a two-year hiatus with four models never seen here before – a dual-cab ute and three SUVs – and they’re not ugly anymore.

Well, that’s the company line.

Vehicles designs such as the original SsangYong Stavic and the Musso Sports utes polarised opinion, but the company’s new models are a completely different breed, insists the managing director of SsangYong Motors Australia, Tim Smith.

"Australian’s tastes have changed considerably in the last 24 months and you’ll find that the products that will go on sale later in the year I think really do suit Australia."

These vehicles include the latest SsangYong Musso dual-cab ute and Rexton large SUV, which are the newest models in the range and came online overseas this year. They will be relaunched alongside the 2015 Tivoli small SUV and XLV medium SUV.

After forging an unenviable reputation for style with models like the Stavic people-mover – which was ridiculed for its ungainly proportions – SsangYong now hopes to convince the Australian car-buying public that its vehicles are desirable.

Smith firmly believes the Korean brand’s vehicle are "not ugly anymore".

"You find that every OEM goes through a period of time that has polarising car designs. I could name a number of American and Japanese brands that, throughout their history, you look back and say ‘why did they make that decision?’."

Top car designers get paid million-dollar salaries to oversee large design teams entrusted with delivering cars that stir the soul and have broad-spectrum aesthetic appeal in global markets. But achieving this is easier said than done.

SsangYong is now confident its new collection of vehicles coming to Australia – Musso, Rexton, Tivoli and XLV – will appeal to buyer tastes with their angular, assertive designs.

"I’m really pleased to see that all the product on the table now and coming in the future is really good looking and all the engineering is going to suit where our country is going in terms of vehicle choice," said Smith.

On top of its horrific track record for design, SsangYong must also overcome the cheap-and-cheerful stigma that many people once associated with Korean cars such as the Hyundai Excel, which sold in incredible numbers but – like cheap phones – were tossed aside flippantly when they broke.

As Smith explains, however, the rise of Hyundai and Kia in Australia – and globally – will be advantageous for SsangYong in the Aussie marketplace.

"I wouldn’t call Korean cars sh*t heaps, but having been and worked in those environments before [Smith previously worked for Kia Australia], I think what Hyundai and Kia have done in terms of ploughing the way for Korean manufacturers is fantastic," he said.

"SsangYong has a proud heritage and is the oldest manufacturer in Korea, so I’d like to see SsangYong’s brand image in Australia be at least as accepted as them and hopefully one day with some of the great product we could be somewhere near them -- that’d be fantastic."

The first and arguably toughest test of any new car viewed first online, then in a showroom, is its looks.

If a new car buyer doesn’t like the appearance of a car it’s unlikely they’ll investigate further. Of course, warranty, reliability, equipment lists, brand reputation and fuel economy are also important but -- like a form-fitting pair of jeans -- you have to feel good about being seen in them.

SsangYong is convinced it has hit the nail on the head with its new SUVs and Musso ute designs. Do you agree? Have your say below.