Ssangyong Korando spotted testing in India

The Ssangyong Korando 5-seater was spotted testing in India. The Korando will likely be the second Ssangyong product that Mahindra plans to launch in Indian market, the first being the Rexton.

Looks space and comfort

The Korando slightly resembles the Hyundai Tucson and is compact in dimensions (4.4 m length). The chunky 17-inch alloy wheels and large wheel arches give this SUV, a masculine look. At the front it has a sporty mesh grille; side swept headlamps and smartly designed fog lamp housings. Read more: Ssangyong Korando Photo gallery

The Korando features five seats and a luggage space of 486 litres that can be further extended by folding the rear split seats. Expect a spacious cabin with well-sculpted front and rear seats that offer decent all round support.

Expected performance

The Korando spotted had an AWD (all-wheel-drive) and D20T (2.0-litre turbo diesel) badges at the rear, which indicate that the India-bound model will likely have the same 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine that powers the Korando sold in European markets.

This engine puts out 172.6 Bhp (175 PS) of power and 360 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission. In India, the Korando will likely be launched in both 2WD and AWD versions.  The Korando is built on a monocoque chassis, (the first monocoque SUV produced by Ssangyong) with sub-frames and hence its handling should be significantly better than SUVs built on ladder-frame chassis.

Expected features

The European Korando is loaded with safety features that have helped it bag a 5-star Euro NCAP rating. The safety features include ABS, EBD, traction control and six airbags. Comfort features include six-way power adjustable drive seat, AC with automatic climate control, cruise control, audio system with CD/MP3/AM/FM, aux and USB ports, six speakers, Bluetooth, rain sensing wipers and automatic headlights. It is yet to be seen whether all these features will make into the India-bound Korando.

Expected price and launch

For the current fiscal year (April 2012 – March 2013), Mahindra has no plans to launch the Korando as it has scheduled other launches such as Maxximo based passenger van, Rexton, Reva NXR electric car, mini Xylo and Verito compact sedan. Read more: Upcoming launches from Mahindra

Hence, the Korando may be launched during the second half of 2013. If launched, Mahindra may position the Korando between the Mahindra XUV500 (Rs. 11.58 lakh – Rs. 14.11 lakh) and the Rexton (Rs. 20 lakh estimated price).

(Photo courtesy: Autocar India)