[ WATCH NOW ] New Ssangyong Korando 2017 Review

New Ssangyong Korando 2017 Review

Among all the glitzy and glamorous SUVs we’ve seen so far this year, you’d be forgiven for missing the changes SsangYong has made to its good-value Korando 4x4. But to see whether the tweaks can finally bring the Korean SUV to the forefront, we’ve driven it in the UK for the first time.

The changes really are minor, though that’ll come as no real surprise as this is the second time SsangYong has given the Korando a nip-tuck since it launched in 2011. It’ll suffice as an attempt to keep the car fresh while the firm prepares an all-new model for 2019.

It’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it stuff. The exterior design has been tweaked with the introduction of a new grille design and new headlamp units, while the fog lamps have also been replaced.

Cabin updates are even more restricted, limited only to a new steering wheel, which SsangYong claims is easier to use thanks to a rethink of how the multifunction buttons are laid out.

Everywhere else is as before. That means that the Korando is still powered by a 2.2-litre, 176bhp four-cylinder diesel engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, with four-wheel-drive and an automatic gearbox reserved for range-topping models.