SsangYong goes petrol with new Korando

SSANGYONG Australia has continued its rollout of its latest Korando range with the showroom launch of the new 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, two months after the 1.6-litre diesel broke the ice for the all-new medium SUV here.

Producing 120kW of power at 5500rpm and 280Nm of torque from 1500-4000rpm, the petrol four-cylinder has more power than the diesel (100kW) but less torque (324Nm).

When equipped with the six-speed automatic transmission, the petrol engine is a little thirstier than the diesel at 7.7 litres per 100km compared to 5.5L/100km.

After starting with just two high-end diesel launch variants – the ELX LE and Ultimate LE – in September, the South Korean brand has added petrol versions of the ELX and Ultimate at $30,990 'recommended driveaway' for the former and $36,990 for the latter.

From early next year, the range will be rounded out with an entry-level petrol-only EX, plus an ELX diesel and Ultimate diesel.

The six-speed manual EX – the only manual in the range – will open the batting at $26,990 driveaway. The auto EX commands a $2000 premium.

The ELX diesel automatic will cost $33,990 – $3000 more than the equivalent petrol ELX that has just become available – while the Ultimate diesel auto will top the range at $39,990.

When it lobs, the EX headline features will include 17-inch alloy wheels, autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, automatic wipers/headlights, and an alarm.

The ELX steps up with 18-inch alloys, leather steering wheel, smart key, power windows, LED daytime running lights and some extra safety features such as blind-spot detection, lane-change assist and rear cross-traffic alert.

The Ultimate comes with 19-inch alloys, adaptive cruise control, heated steering wheel, 10.25-inch screen, sunroof, power tailgate, electric park brake, dual-zone climate control, LED foglamp, heated and cooled leather seats and privacy glass.

The Korando has been awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating, and comes with a seven-year unlimited-kilometre warranty, seven-year roadside assist package and seven-year service pricing.

2019 SsangYong Korando driveaway pricing