SsangYong Actyon Sports SX II 2012 Review

Bigger and better. That's the claim from South Korean manufacturer Ssangyong when referencing its heavily revised Actyon Sports II. And for once, the claim is reasonably accurate. Not that improving on the last one was difficult. The previous model was average, to say the least, so in that respect the Series II is a vast improvement.

Stylistically, from the front at least, the new model is dramatically improved. The current look is muscular and commanding when viewed against the awkward avian-inspired styling of the previous model. A shame then the styling department's budget appears to have been curtailed from the B-pillar back.

The interior is more modern, showing a move away from 'necessity's sake' to a pleasant ambience of improved materials and Euro-esque sculpting. Its functionality, however, leaves a little to be desired -- even by commercial vehicle standards. The tilt-only adjustable steering column is difficult to position [we sense there may have been a fault with the mechanism] and the 10-and-2 position of the indicator and wiper stalks is counterintuitive to say the least.

Space utilisation in the centre console could be better; a large handbrake and covered drink holder-cum-ashtray consuming an area that should be occupied by two standard sized beverage holders. Beneath the HVAC and audio controls a small cubby features plugs for USB and 3.5mm auxiliary input connectivity, although these, along with the head unit's inbuilt Bluetooth connectivity, seemed incompatible with newer iPhones, even after several attempts.

The impressively quiet cabin insulates its occupants well from what has to be said is an agricultural-sounding diesel, as well as wind and road noise. Seating is sufficiently accommodating and comfortable up front, though the rear bench is quite upright compared to some rivals. The driver benefits from an adjustable squab; recline and longitudinal travel, and is offered very good visibility all-round. A shame, then, the mirrors are all-too-small for this cross-purpose vehicle.

At night, new LED illumination for the instrument panel offers a real boost over the bright orange hue of the centre stack, which annoyingly does not dim with the gauges of the cluster.

The mid-spec SX model tested offers a generous list of features which includes heated mirrors and wipers (great on icy mornings), leather-bound steering wheel, alloy wheels, cruise control, multi-function trip computer, air-conditioning, power windows and mirrors, remote central locking and single-CD tuner with the aforementioned Bluetooth functions and steering wheel-mounted remote controls.  

Safety equipment extends to dual front airbags, seatbelt pretensioners with load limiters, anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control, hill-start assist and active roll-over protection. The rear pews offer both ISOFIX and top-tether child seat anchor points. Actyon Sports scores a three-star ANCAP rating.

When it comes to motivation, the Actyon Sports II deserves a lot of kudos. According to its maker, the Euro4 compliant (114kW/360Nm) 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel is the most fuel efficient in its class and offers considerable fuel economy and emissions improvements over the outgoing model. On test, we scored a combined average of just 7.6L/100km, which is excellent considering its tare weight of 2022kg and payload of 300kg (excluding driver and passenger -- it can carry up to 837kg).

Married to a smooth shifting six-speed manual gearbox*, Actyon Sport II's gutsy engine made a meal of highway cruising, even tackling a brief offroad jaunt with aplomb. In fact the only real let down here was an overly enthusiastic traction control system that was disengaged moments into our rocky ascent.

Actyon Sport II boasts ample offroad geometry of 25 degrees approach, 25 degrees departure and 20 degrees break-over with 188mm of ground clearance. It is suspended by a dual wishbone (front) and multi-link (rear) arrangement that although comfortable is too soft in the nose, dipping under heavy deceleration and occasionally "bottoming out" over larger undulations. We also noticed some scuttle shake over corrugated surfaces, though this too is considerably improved on that of the previous model.

Then there's the steering… All-too-light and completely devoid of road feel Actyon Sport II's tiller presents as vague on-centre, with too many turns lock-to-lock. It's difficult to maintain lane position and even harder to accurately place the vehicle in a corner. One of the worst examples I've experienced not only in the category but on any vehicle since power steering was first introduced on 60s Americana.

Priced mid-way between cheaper rivals like China's Great Wall V200 and Indian-built Mahindra PIK-UP, and the likes of Holden's new Colorado and, say, Isuzu D-MAX, the Ssangyong Actyon Sports II is perhaps the most appropriately priced dual-cab 4WD ute on the market.

If you're shopping on bang for your buck, the Ssangyong Actyon Sports II represents an honest player in what for the most part is an overpriced and over-hyped market sector. If you can live with the lag and feather-touch steering the Actyon Sports II is a sensible consideration.

*Automatic model shown for illustrative purposes.

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