The road testing of the next-gen SsangYong Korando
has commenced. Internally known as the SsangYong C300, the future SUV was spied
in production body in South Korea recently, courtesy DailyCar.
From the design of
its headlamps, its grille layout and its proportions, looks heavily inspired by
the SsangYong SIV-2 concept introduced at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. The spy
shots suggest that the next-gen model will look very bold and aggressive,
unlike the current model that looks plain odd.
The next-gen SsangYong Korando will ride on a
stretched version of the SsangYong Tivoli’s X100 platform. Mahindra is said to
have a hand in its development. SsangYong has planned a pure electric variant
of its renewed Hyundai Tucson rival, and it expressed the same with the debut
of the SsangYong e-SIV concept at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.
The all-new SsangYong Korando is said to arrive with
the SsangYong Tivoli’s 1.6L diesel engine and a newly-developed 1.5L TGDI
petrol engine. Mahindra is developing a 1.5L turbocharged direct injection
four-cylinder petrol engine with up to 163 PS available on tap, and
this same engine may power the redesigned SsangYong Korando as well. The petrol
engine model could feature mild-hybrid tech for high efficiency.
The next-gen SsangYong Korando will debut in the first
half of 2019. SsangYong plans to enter the U.S. market with the 2019 SsangYong
Korando. The all-new compact SUV’s pure electric variant will follow in 2020.
