Test Drive Korando C is family SUV with comfort and affordability
Ssangyong Motor’s Korando C is driven on a highway in Gangwon Province. / Courtesy of Ssangyong Motor
By Jhoo Dong-chan
The 2017 Korando C sports utility vehicle (SUV) was offered for test driving during Ssangyong Motor’s auto event in Hwacheon, western Gangwon Province, Wednesday. The new model from the nation’s smallest carmaker is aimed squarely at expanding the company’s presence in Korea’s SUV market, along with its popular Tivoli crossover.
Under the slogan of “My first family SUV,” motorists in their 30s and 40s are expected to be the Korando C’s major customers, a Ssangyong Motor official said.
The reporter drove the Korando C all-wheel drive (AWD), mounted with a V4 e-Xdi220 engine, from Seoul to the city of Hwacheon ― a distance of about 290 kilometers.
The fifth-generation Korando C now has a more masculine appearance, with an extended shoulder-wing grille that mounts a pair of LED headlamps. There is also an air-intake grille underneath the shoulder-wing grille that has fog lights reminiscent of the Tivoli crossover.
Emphasizing its sporty design characteristics, the two-tone rear bumper has a dual tailpipe.
Except for its front, and the rear bumper, the 2017 Korando C’s exterior and interior design is little changed from the vehicle’s previous generation.
Inside, the SUV features a wireless charging pad underneath the center fascia and sizable storage space. But its control panels, with plastic buttons, are inconvenient.
The 2017 Korando C’s rear seats live up to its slogan, “My first family SUV,” for their sizable legroom without a center tunnel. The rear seats also recline, while the trunk is huge.
The V4 e-XDi220 engine produces a maximum 178 horsepower, with 40.8 kg-m torque. A Ssangyong Motor official said the engine satisfies Euro 6 emissions standards. The power train has a six-speed Aisin transmission, which is famous for its durability.
Despite its high torque specification, the Korando C’s performance on the road was not powerful but leisurely in acceleration. The Aisin transmission was a bit slow in shifting and engine noise was evident at high speed.
The SUV has MacPherson strut suspension on its front wheels, a popular system because of its simplicity, low weight and manufacturing cost. But its geometry is believed to make sharp steering maneuvers difficult because of poor ground connectivity.