SsangYong Korando 2021 Review

For the 2021 model year, the very affordable manual EX variant of the SsangYong Korando was dropped from the range, leaving the selection automatic only.

The price of admission thus rose by around $3000 after factoring in a $1000 price increase at this level as well.

Powered by the 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine rather than the extra-cost diesel option, the 2021 SsangYong Korando Ultimate 1.5T tested here is now priced at $37,990 drive-away.

Standard features for the Korando Ultimate comprise 19-inch alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, a heated steering wheel, electric sunroof, dual-zone climate control, leather seat upholstery, heated/cooled front seats, heated rear seats and privacy glass.

These features are unique to the Ultimate variants in the Korando range. Along with other trim levels of Korando, the Ultimate also features power windows and heated fold-in mirrors.

The infotainment system runs through a touch-screen and incorporates Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and six speakers.

As a package, the Korando is one that will have even veteran motoring journalists stumped, if asked to guess a price for it. The Korando Ultimate comes with acres of piano-black gloss decor, and just enough brightwork to sit closer to elegant than gaudy on the taste spectrum.

There’s power adjustment for the driver’s seat – including lumbar support – and a multifunction steering wheel that’s rich with switches.

Factor in the 8.0-inch touch-screen, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, the powered sunroof, powered tailgate, dual-zone climate control and heating for the rear seats as well, and the Korando looks very well equipped for the money.

But there’s no satellite navigation and no adjustable vents for the rear seat occupants. And you might expect all-wheel drive at this price, too.

The 2021 SsangYong Korando is not short of advanced driver assist technology. In fact, any concerns buyers might harbour about the value equation for this SUV should be offset by the arsenal of safety equipment on board.

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) is standard, along with forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, lane change assist, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, driver fatigue monitoring, a reversing camera, rain-sensing wipers and tyre pressure monitoring.

Unique to the Ultimate grade tested here is adaptive cruise control and a lane centre following assist system.

On test, the lane centring and lane departure warning systems are bewildered by country roads – even with line markings at the shoulder. Their bewilderment is accompanied by audible warnings to let the driver know.

It’s frankly annoying at times, and in the set-up menu you can choose to disable either, but not both at the same time.

According to ANCAP, based on Euro NCAP testing, the SsangYong Korando rates five stars for crash safety, based on the 2019 test protocol. That equates to a break-down of 88 per cent for adult protection, 86 per cent for the child safety, 68 per cent for vulnerable road users and 72 per cent for safety assist technology.

On the road, the turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine in the 2021 SsangYong Korando doesn’t feel especially lively, although its power-to-weight ratio is within striking distance of the Honda CR-V with a similar engine specification.

The Honda’s engine will rev all the way to the redline, whereas the Korando’s powertrain pulls up stumps at 5000rpm, something like 1500rpm below the redline on the tacho.

What all this tells us is that the Korando’s engine is tuned for torque – at lower and mid-range revs. In this regard it produces the goods. The Korando is very easy to drive around town, although it misses out on an automatic engine idle-stop system, which would help fuel economy.

As it is, the Korando is struggling to do better than about 9.5L/100km in urban driving, and the trip computer posted a figure of 9.9L/100km for a 70km test run.

The engine is not especially charismatic, but nor is it the stuff of nightmares where refinement is concerned. It’s imperceptible at highway speeds, revving at 2000rpm for 100km/h.

The six-speed automatic gearbox is not as genteel as transmissions in some rivals – occasionally thumping into gear. While there’s a sequential-shifting detente and shift paddles, the Korando doesn’t really have any truck with that sort of silliness.

Kickdown will override manual selection, with the transmission changing up automatically, as noted already, and you won’t be able to find a lower gear if there’s the slightest chance the engine will over-rev (at 5000rpm…).

Away from a standing start, the Korando will spin a drive wheel on dry bitumen, if the driver is trying hard enough.

There are three powertrain modes accessible by turning a rotary dial in the centre console: Normal, Sport and Winter. The Winter mode is only accessible by turning the dial clockwise and holding it until the system registers the driver wants that mode. I didn’t note much difference in powertrain delivery between Normal and Sport modes.

Dynamically, the 2021 SsangYong Korando is a mixed bag. The ride is firm rather than supple, but the body rolls to around the same degree as an off-road-capable SUV of similar size – such as the Subaru Forester, for instance.

The Korando’s level of grip is also a middle-ranking effort among its competitor set, although the handling is consistent and safe. The steering and brakes deserve some praise too.

If the Korando’s engine is quiet at touring speeds, the same can’t be said for the Kumho 235/50R19 tyres, which are a little on the noisy side at open-road speeds and on coarse-chip country roads.

No one could complain that the indicators are too quiet either. That’s a good thing, though.

The halogen headlights are dim, but the Korando’s automated high beam assist does compensate, giving you high beam when it’s handy to have it, without blinding the oncoming traffic.

At times, however, the system does become confused, seemingly unsure whether it should be dipping for overhead lights in built-up areas – as one example.

Boarding the Korando is simplified by the vehicle’s high hip point. The driving position is pretty good, with the pedals where they should be and the instruments easy to read with the steering wheel set for the right height and reach.

While the indicator stalk is on the left of the column, most other controls are located correctly, and I really like the starter button being in plain view, low on the centre fascia, near the driver.

For reasons I cannot explain, the Korando’s auto headlights remain lit even during daylight hours. It makes the instruments consequently dim and hard to read at times, because there’s not enough contrast between the illumination and the ambient light from outside the vehicle.

The driver’s seat is firmly cushioned and provides decent support. There’s enough shape in the bolstering, too, to keep the occupant in place when cornering under higher lateral loads.

Accommodation in the rear is reasonably generous. Certainly legroom in the back is better than merely adequate for adults. Taller adults may find the headroom to be marginal, which can be traced back to the sunroof, but we’re talking about people of around 190cm tall there.

Both rear seats fold down – almost, but not quite, entirely flat – in a 60/40-split ratio. I found the hand-pull on the shoulder of the seat on the right-hand side did need some exertion to unlatch.

A full-size spare with matching alloy wheel resides under the boot floor, which many buyers will welcome. But that has some impact on the luggage space. The boot floor is high and the actual volume is not marvellous for a vehicle of the Korando’s dimensions, despite the claimed capacity of 551 litres with the rear seat raised.

Much of the sophisticated tech in the Korando can be disabled, which is welcome, because having the tailgate open automatically every time you approach the rear of the car gets old fast.

It’s great for owners who have bags full of shopping – and certainly preferable to waving your foot around underneath the bumper – but it’s also a nuisance at other times.

The three chimes that warn you the tailgate is about to open will aggravate the neighbours if you frequently cross behind the vehicle while it’s parked in the driveway and you have the key with you.

If you could enable and disable the smart tailgate function from the key fob, that could make it useful. You could enable the facility before you walk into the shopping centre, but leave it disabled at other times.

The Korando will also automatically lock as soon as you walk away from the vehicle – and that is actually a useful feature. While it doesn’t unlock as you approach, the Korando will unlock if you press the button on either front door handle while gripping it and pulling it to open.

The medium SUV segment rates as one of the most competitive in the market, if not the most competitive. And this is where the 2021 SsangYong Korando struggles.

It’s not a bad machine, but there are so many good rivals out there, as we found in our recent Best Mid-Size SUV mega-test. For not much more than the Korando you could buy a Ford Escape Vignale – a vehicle that is similarly all but invisible in this market, although that doesn’t mean it’s not a nice drive and a good package overall.

You could also buy any number of rivals that present a strong case: the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester, the top-selling Toyota RAV4 and, of course, the model judged carsales’ Best Mid-Size SUV 2021, the Hyundai Tucson.

Even the Kia Sportage, Mitsubishi Outlander and the Nissan X-TRAIL – vehicles so late in their current lifecycle that they’re no longer eligible for Pfizer vaccines – are still in there, battling it out.

What the SsangYong Korando does have going for it is the seven-year warranty, a respectable list of comfort and convenience features (aside from satellite navigation) and a comprehensive package of safety equipment at a reasonable price.

And maybe that’s everything you want in an SUV.

How much does the 2021 SsangYong Korando Ultimate 1.5T cost?
Price: $37,990 (drive-away)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 120kW/280Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 179g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)

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