2018 SsangYong XAVL SUV

2018 SsangYong XAVL SUV at Geneva Motor Show. SsangYong’s SUV range is set to grow and the XAVL concept points the way to a new 7-seat rival for the Land Rover Discovery Sport

SsangYong has revealed a new concept car heading to this year’s Geneva Motor Show, previewing a new mid-to-large size SUV from the South Korean firm to rival the Kia Sorrento, Hyundai Santa Fe and pricier Land Rover Discovery Sport.

Called the XAVL Concept – the “eXciting Authentic Vehicle Long SUV” – it builds on the smaller, chunkier XAV concept revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2015, slotting in above that model as a seven-seater in a mid-size SUV package. We expect the XAV to become a production model in 2019, and the XAVL could go on sale by the end of the decade too.

The XAVL Concept boasts aggressive, angular folds and lines, while the car’s front end is an evolution of SsangYong’s current design language. Many of the creases and some of the more eye-popping design details such as the front and rear skid plates will no doubt be toned down a little for production.