SsangYong Kyron 270 EX

Aug 1 2009 Patrick James

A SAMSUNG?, said a puzzled colleague. No a SsangYong, an unusual name for an unusual car and perhaps a name we will become more familiar with, despite the fact that the company has been making cars since 1953.

The Korean company's blurb trumpets increasing sales. Figures can be deceptive. Selling two instead of one is a 100 per cent increase and in the case of SsangYong, it recorded a 136.17 per cent increase over a three-month period in June, selling 111 cars against 47 in the period last year.

A permanent five year/250,000 mile warranty and five years' free servicing perhaps has quite a bit to do with that.

Not a huge increase then, but bearing in mind that most car manufacturers are seeing sales falling off the cliff, this is a decent step forward.

Despite this model being a 4x4, with all the punitive taxes that involves, it also offers two-wheel drive options, which cuts the costs of what is already an economical option.

For a starting price of just under £15,000 you get a decent looking car that is packed to the rafters with standard toys and goodies and includes a safety specification that is second to none.

It also looks pretty good, a big improvement on its predecessor with the front end having the look of a Mercedes about it, but the back is nothing short of bland. However, the overall look is pleasing and nicely offset by large alloys.

The vehicle interior is large and roomy and getting in can prove a problem for smaller or infirm people, with a high ground clearance making entry awkward. This however makes the car ideal for going off road.

Once inside the car is anything but cheap and nasty. It featured comfortable leather seats, the dashboard and controls have a neat layout and interior trim and fittings feel pretty well built, if not up to European standards, but it would certainly not be a deal breaker for a potential buyer.

Neat little touches include double sunglass holders in the roof, heated windscreen, and two 12-volt sockets, along with the other electrical gadgets make this a well-equipped car.

The two-litre diesel engine pumps out 141bhp, giving it more than enough grunt for what is a big car for the compact SUV range.

Acceleration is tortuous, the 0-60mph time taking more than 15 seconds, but once fired up the car has plenty of low-down torque, making it an ideal towing vehicle.

Economy is also surprisingly good. SsangYong claims 37.7mpg for the manual - a figure that matched the test drive, but CO2 emissions of 191g/km make it expensive for road tax and as a company vehicle.

The Kyron is a good off-road performer, but on the road things are not so good. It is fine on open smooth roads, but becomes jittery on rougher surfaces.

The car can be shifted to four-wheel drive when on the move and the weather, or terrain, take a turn for the worse.

Body roll is pronounced when cornering, but this is not a car to be thrown into corners. As a family utility vehicle it a decent option, seating five in comfort, offering huge boot space, standard roof bars and a braked trailer towing capacity of 2,300kg.

Even the range topper with a Mercedes automatic gearbox has a competitive price against admittedly tough competition, at £22,495.

The best bet probably would be the two-litre S, which is well equipped, offers four wheel drive and a price tag of £16,995.

Just be prepared for people thinking you drive a Samsung.

To further boost sales, SsangYong is offering five year's 0% finance on selected Kyron 2.7 SPR, Rexton 2.7 SPR and Rodius 270 S models.

FAST FACTS

SsangYong Kyron 270 EX 5dr

Price: £19,495

Mechanical: 145bhp, 1,998cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving four wheels via 5-speed manual gearbox

Max speed: 104mph

0-62mph: 15.4 seconds

Combined mpg: 37.7

Insurance group: 12

CO2 emissions: 191g/km

BiK rating: 29%

Warranty: 5yrs/ 250,000 miles