Ssangyong Korando long-term test review: report 4

The car Ssangyong Korando 1.6D Ultimate Run by Max Edleston, junior photographer

Why it’s here The new Korando aims to take on the family SUV class leaders with improvements to its engines, suspension and interior quality. Over the next four months, we'll find out if it can do just that

Needs to be Spacious enough to carry all of my photography gear plus any passengers, comfortable enough to travel all over the country in and connected enough to function as a mobile office

Mileage 8707 List price £31,995 Target Price £31,536 Price as tested £31,995 Test economy 40.4mpg Official economy 43.5mpg

13 January 2020 – Gearbox grumbles

While my Ssangyong Korando has many top qualities, its automatic gearbox is proving rather frustrating.

When you’re waiting at a set of traffic lights or a junction, for example, you want a low gear ready so that you can get up to speed quickly, but the Korando’s gearbox has a habit of leaving me struggling for power when the light finally turns green. Once, it flatly refused to enter first gear, leaving me wallowing in second as I tried to build up speed away from a particularly busy junction.

Another more common issue happens when it’s cold outside, because when you try to move away at pace the car lurches forwards, as if you’ve released the clutch pedal too quickly in a manual car.

It’s not all negatives, though, because in terms of ease of use the Korando’s gearbox is rather good. The stick itself looks sleek, it's all well labelled and everything slots into place without any awkward grating – and that’s not something you could say about some of the Korando’s family SUV rivals.

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