Both Mahindra and SsangYong have the common genealogy. They both started with 4X4 jeeps and this has given their line-up through the ages some ruggedness with the traditional SUV type body-on-frame chassis. SsangYong though, faltered in the styling department and named their cars strangely such as Kyron, Actyon and Rexton. These SUVs are little known and, globally, marginal products at best.
However, the all new Korando could be the game-changer SsangYong is in dire need of. It is the first monocoque vehicle SsangYong has ever produced in its 56-year history and the beleaguered Korean company is betting all its chips on this soft-roader. However, for the Korando to have even a fighting chance, SsangYong realised that the first thing it had to do was move away from the weird shapes that characterised its previous SUVs. SsangYong gave the job to Italdesign, the legendary Italian styling firm, to pen a shape that would easily blend into any market around the world. The result is a pretty generic-looking SUV.
We managed to get our hands on a freshly-minted example at the test track in SsangYong's Pyeongtaek factory. The initial impression is that the Korando doesn't have the bulk, an SUV owner in India would expect. However, going in Korando's favour is the sporting stance of the car and a design that bears strong SUV cues. The muscular flanks, flared wheel arches that enclose 225/60 R17 tyres and a high beltline deliver a dose of aggression but the small headlights, undersized grille and a chin that ducks under the body, give the nose a tame look. In fact, the Scorpio has a more aggressive nose than the Korando's and from what we hear, Mahindra's all-new global SUV due in around six months will make SsangYong's best look outdated! For the Indian market, owners want more road presence and in-your-face looks but in Europe, which is the main market for the Korando, its relatively simple and understated lines should go down well.
The Korando can teach Mahindra a thing or two in the interiors department. The dashboard is pretty straightforward with the controls logically laid out and within easy reach but the design is pretty uninspiring and the interiors don't quite have the levels of plushness of, say, the Fortuner.
The five-seater SUV has inadequate luggage capacity of only 486 litres with the seats up. However, passenger space is very competitive particularly in the back where legroom is quite generous. This will be a big plus in India. The front seats are also generous with enough adjustment for tall drivers. Visibility outside is good except for the fat rear pillars which makes parking tricky.
A couple of laps around the test track weren't enough to arrive at a firm opinion but the first impressions after firing the 173bhp 2-litre turbo-diesel is that it is noisy from outside but inside the well-insulated cabin it is reasonably quiet. Driving at cruising speeds, engine noise doesn't intrude but at high revs it does sound gruff. The problem with this engine is the uneven power delivery, which is significantly peaky for a modern common-rail turbo-diesel. Peak power is produced at a lofty 4000rpm and maximum torque of 36.7kgm at 2000-3000rpm. Accentuating the problem is the six-speed automatic fitted on our test car. The gearshifts were sluggish and had a reluctance to shift with urgency. Incidentally, the Korando's auto box is made by DSI, the same Australian firm (bought by Geely in 2009) that supplies the gearbox for the Scorpio auto. The India-spec Korando will, in all probability, come with a six-speed manual which is a good thing.
A couple of corners on the test track gave us a feel of the Korando's dynamics. The steering isn't particularly accurate and there's a mushy area around the straight-ahead position. The Korando rolls quite a bit too and though the test track surface was too smooth to assess the ride, we don't expect the SUV a leader in terms of ride comfort on Indian roads.
Introducing it in India depends on a couple of factors. First, there is the job of completing the acquisition of SsangYong, a process that is in its final stages. Second, will they brand the Korando as a SsangYong or Mahindra? To be cost-competitive in the Indian market, the Korando will have to be locally assembled and the lead time for setting up a CKD operation is considerable and can only start after Mahindra officially takes over. Last, where will it be positioned?
The Korando will not arrive here before 2012 and our guess is that it will sport a Mahindra badge as establishing an unknown brand such as SsangYong in the Indian market will be too costly and time-consuming. Besides, the Korando slots in the Mahindra line-up quite nicely, sitting way above the Scorpio and leaving a gap for Mahindra's own all-new SUV (W201) to slot in below. Prices haven't been discussed yet, but the Korando could start at Rs 15 lakh and this is a smart swing at its rivals.
