KGM KORANDO ESTATE 1.5 K35 5dr Auto

Jonathan Crouch thinks KGM's Korando deserves consideration for family buyers seeking a really practical mid-sized SUV.

Ten Second Review

Here's a properly capable family-sized SUV for the price of a feebly capable supermini-sized one. KGM's Korando (previously sold with 'SsangYong' badging) has previously been something of a fringe player in the value reaches of the Crossover class, but this MK4 model aims to edge into the mainstream. It's well equipped, quite smart and can tow up to 1.5-tonnes. Sounds promising.

Background

Buying a mid-sized family-shaped SUV can be an expensive business these days. The ones you can have for anywhere near £30,000 tend to offer weedy performance and a relatively cramped interior. It's far more typical to be paying £35,000-£40,000 for a decently-specified 'Qashqai'-class family hatchback-based Crossover of this kind and many plusher models sit in the £40,000-£45,000 bracket. So what are we to make of this, the KGM Korando, which you might well better know with its previous 'SsangYong' badging. Prices are pitched from a genuine £25,000, with a really nice one pitched at around £30,000. This model's also better equipped than most comparable rivals and can tow heavier loads. But all of this you'd maybe expect from a Korando. Can this one though, offer a properly class-competitive proposition when it comes to things like fit and finish, drive dynamics, efficiency and safety? Let's find out.

Driving Experience

Only one engine is available to prospective Korando customers. It's a 1.5-litre GDI-turbo unit with 163PS and 280Nm of torque which can only be had with front-wheel drive. It's usually mated to 6-speed manual transmission but can alternatively be had with an auto gearbox. The previously-offered 1.6-litre diesel is no longer available. Nor (rather disappointingly for a Korando) is 4WD. If your Korando has the 6-speed automatic transmission, it'll also come with selectable 'Normal', 'Sport' and 'Winter' drive modes. Braked towing capacity is impressive for a 2WD model, rated at up to 1,500kgs. There's also an EV version, the Korando E-Motion, which uses a 188hp motor situated on the front axle. It's energised by a 61.5kWh battery with an unremarkable 211 mile driving range (or 309 miles in the city). In the combustion form we focus on here, this is a proper SUV, rather than a Nissan Qashqai or SEAT Ateca-like crossover - and you feel that in the way that ride quality over poor surfaces at low speeds can sometimes get slightly unsettled in a manner you wouldn't experience with obvious rivals. But that's only because the engineers' goal here was to improve body control through the bends. They've achieved it. Aided by quite a stiff chassis, this car flows from corner to corner with real poise, making cross country journeys reasonably enjoyable. That steering may be light, but it's also accurate, allowing you to place the car exactly where you want it.

Design and Build

This Korando's robust SUV silhouette is complemented by the rather smart "birds wing"-style front grille. Plus strong side lines are matched with curved shoulder creases that taper towards the rear of the car, as well as a colour-keyed bumper, a rear spoiler and a rear skid plate, all of which lend this compact SUV an air of understated sportiness. Dependent on trim level, Korando offers a selection of alloy wheel designs with 18 or 19-inch diamond cut rims. Inside, the integrated wrap-around dashboard design is said to have been inspired by the design of a classical string instrument. As standard, you get the brand's innovative "Blaze Cockpit" package, which gives you a 10.25-inch digital cluster and an 8 or 9-inch centre-dash infotainment display with a colour choice of 34 infinity mood lighting options. There are some hard plastics scattered around, but that's also the case with obvious rivals and build quality here feels pretty solid. It's pretty easy to get comfortable - the wheel of course adjusts both for reach and rake - and the driver's seat feels quite supportive. There's only one body style option, a 5-seater - but you do get reasonable rear seat legroom. And a decently-sized 551-litre boot too - the load area offers up to 1,248-litres of space in the back with the rear backrest folded.

Market and Model

There are two combustion Korando trim levels - 'K30' (from around £25,500) and plusher 'K40' (from around £28,500). There's the option of an auto gearbox if you want it. The E-Motion EV variant comes only in top-spec 'Ultiumate' trim, costing around £40,000. Let's look at equipment with the combustion versions. Even the base-spec 'K30' comes with features like 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, all-round parking sensors, roof rails, LED tail lights, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers and power-folding mirrors. Inside, there's a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a rear parking camera, heated front seats and manual air conditioning. Media connectivity's taken care of by an 8-inch centre screen with 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' and a 6-speaker DAB audio system. The plusher 'K40' version gives you larger 19-inch wheels, LED headlights, a powered smart tailgate and rear privacy glass. Inside, there's leather upholstery and power-adjustable climate-controlled front seats, plus automatic air conditioning, a heated steering wheel, mood lighting and a larger 9-inch centre screen with HD navigation. Across the range, standard camera-driven safety features fitted as standard include Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Autonomous Emergency Braking System (AEBS), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane keeping Assist (LKA) and Driver Attention Alert (DAA). Plus there's Traffic Sign Recognition, Smart High Beam and Front Vehicle Start Alert.

Cost of Ownership

You probably wouldn't expect a really capable SUV like this one to be anything near class-leading in terms of its fuel and CO2 efficiency stats - and this one isn't. The manual model manages 36.9mpg on the combined cycle and up to 175g/km of CO2. For the automatic, it's up to 35.5mpg and 182g/km. The insurance group is 18. With the EV E-Motion version, the powertrain draws from a 61.5kWh battery (though only about 55kWh of it's available to use) and this, as mentioned in our 'Driving' section, offers a WLTP-certified 211 mile driving range between charges. That puts it towards the bottom of the pack of Crossover EVs at around this price point (a cheaper MG ZS EV Long Range model manages up to 273 miles). Filling up the battery from empty takes around 11 hours from a 7kW domestic wallbox. Find a 100kW rapid charger when you're out and about and you can complete a 20-80% fill in about half an hour. A heat pump comes fitted to preserve battery range in cold conditions. As with all KGM models, there's the peace of mind of a five year / 100,000 mile warranty (though not nearly as good as the seven year/150,000 mile warranty that SsangYong used to offer). Where the Korando runs into trickier territory is in the area of residual values. With its limited dealer network and almost non-existent promotional budget, there's no getting away from the fact that public awareness of this vehicle is virtually nil. That can only have a detrimental effect on residual values which will never be as punchy as big name vehicles like the Nissan Qashqai, the Skoda Yeti or the Toyota RAV4. Some recompense comes with modest insurance ratings.

Summary

'Korea can do'. That's apparently what 'Korando' means - and it seems appropriate. This Korando remains very accessibly priced and still feels quite class-competitive in this fourth generation guise. Of course, there are areas where this car could improve. Elsewhere, you might read that this car could offer a slightly more supple quality of low speed ride and that the running cost efficiency could still be better. Both true. And we miss the absence of the diesel engine in the range - and the AWD system that used to be this Korando's trademark. So how to summarise? Well even in this 2WD form, this Korando can powerfully tow, will more comfortably transport five people than direct rivals can and offers up plenty of kit on a tight budget. You'll just have to get used to explaining to people what it is. And who knows, you might even end up suggesting that they try one....

Body Glass

Intermittent rear wiper

Solar and noise control windscreen

Rain sensitive windscreen wipers

Tinted windows

Front and rear electric windows

Front intermittent wipers

Brakes

Electronic parking brake with auto hold

BAS (Brake Assist System)

Autonomous emergency braking

Hill start assist

Hill descent control

Anti-lock Brake System and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution

Electronic Stability Programme

Traction control

Carpets/Rugs

Contour car mats

Communication

eCall emergency call system

Driver Aids

Front and rear parking sensors

Emergency stop signalling system

Lane departure warning system

Forward collision warning

Traffic sign recognition

Driver attention alert system

Rear view camera

Electronic cruise control

Lane keeping assistant (LKA)

Electric power steering

Idle stop and go system

Driver Information

Satellite navigation system

Trip computer

8" AVN touchscreen DAB radio with Bluetooth connectivity

Outside temperature gauge

Apple CarPlay and Google Android auto

10.25" LCD cluster

Driving Mirrors

Electrically operated and heated door mirrors

Body coloured door mirrors with side repeater and puddle lamp

Entertainment

6 speaker sound system

USB and auxiliary socket

Steering wheel mounted audio controls

Exterior Body Features

Rear spoiler with high mounted LED stop light

Black and silver roof rails

Combination antenna

High gloss rear skid plate

Body coloured exterior door handles

Clean door seals

Visual VIN plate

Black roof

Rear side wing doors

Exterior Lights

Triple LED front fog lights

Headlamp levelling

Automatic headlights

Follow you home headligts

LED daytime running lights

Headlight escort

LED Headlights

High beam assist

LED rear combination lights

Auto dipping headlights

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

Cabin air quality control system

Manual air conditioning

Interior Features

12V power outlets front and rear

PVC door scuffs

Illuminated sun visor with sliding extension

Leather D cut steering wheel

Leather upholstery

Rear folding centre armrest with cup holders

Luggage cover

Luggage board

Height and reach adjustable steering wheel

Heated steering wheel

Adjustable front centre armrest

Interior Lights

Illuminated glovebox

Front door courtesy lamps

Safety

Dual front airbags with passenger off switch

Manual child lock in rear doors

Side airbags

Front vehicle start alert

Outer rear seatbelts with pre-tensioners and centre 3 point seatbelt

Curtain airbags

Tyre pressure monitoring system

Active rollover protection

Front and rear seatbelt reminder

Safe Distance Warning

Two stage front seatbelt pretensioners

Seats

Front head restraints

60/40 split folding 3 rear seats in 2nd row

Front seat warmers

ISOFIX attachment on outer rear seats

Single front passenger seat

Rear head restraints

Powered front seats with adjustable lumbar suppor

Security

Speed sensitive auto door locking

Remote keyless entry

Anti theft alarm and immobiliser

Wheels - Alloy

19" Black alloy wheels

Wheels - Spare

Tyre repair kit

Emissions - ICE

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb: 184

HC+NOx: N

Standard Euro Emissions: EURO 6

Engine and Drive Train

Gears: 6 SPEED

CC: 1497

Transmission: SEMI-AUTO

Catalytic Convertor: No

Fuel Delivery: TURBO DIRECT INJECTION

Camshaft: DOHC

Cylinder Layout: IN-LINE

Fuel Consumption - ICE

EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: 0

General

Coin Series: K35

Timing Belt Interval Mileage: N

Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 20A

Based On ID: N

Special Order: 0

Special Edition: 0

Timing Belt Interval Frequency - Months: N

Badge Power: 163

Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: 0

Coin Description: N

Badge Engine CC: 1.5

Vehicle Homologation Class: M1

Generation Mark: 4

Alternative Fuel Qualifying: 0

Performance

Engine Power - BHP: 163

Engine Power - PS: No

Engine Power - KW: 120

Test Cycles

Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP

RDE Certification Level: RDE 2

Tyres

Space Saver?: 0

Alloys?: No

Tyre Size Front: 235/50 R19

Wheel Type: 19" ALLOY

Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT

Tyre Size Rear: 235/50 R19

Weight and Capacities

Gross Vehicle Weight: 2082

Max. Loading Weight: 538

Minimum Kerbweight: 1544

No. of Seats: 5

Exterior Body Features

Metallic paint

Paint - Metallic

Metallic - Space Black

Metallic - Iron silver

Paint - Solid

Solid - Grand white

Trim - Leather

Leather - Black