SsangYong’s Korando is made for families

Home > Business > Industry

SsangYong’s Korando is made for families

Published: 20 Oct. 2019, 19:37

SsangYong Motor’s Korando midsize SUV, which came as a diesel option in February and a gasoline version in August, replaces the Korando C released in 2011. [SSANGYONG MOTOR]

Korean families are increasingly choosing SUVs over sedans, and SsangYong Motor hopes to attract those looking for a spacious family car for outdoor activities like camping with its new Korando midsize SUV.

After introducing its new Korando SUV powered by diesel in February, it started selling a gasoline version of the car in August. The SUV replaces the Korando C SUV, which was released in 2011 and hasn’t seen much success.

According to SsangYong Motor, sales of the new Korando hit 11,243 units this year as of September, which is about quadruple the sales volume of the Korando C the previous year.

The automaker is hoping its latest Korando gasoline model will boost its business performance and help it recover. The company’s losses have been snowballing this year, and in the third quarter, the company posted a 107.9 billion won ($91.3 million) net loss.

SsasngYong focused on enhancing driving assistance features and making the interior spacious.

Basic driving assistance features added to the Korando gasoline SUV include lane-keeping assist and driver-attention alert.

As for space, the company said the vehicle has a 551-liter trunk, which is the largest among competing cars in the midsize SUV segment. The automaker said consumers can easily store strollers in the trunk space.

Korando gasoline model sells for 22.56 million won to 27.55 million won depending on options.

“The Korando gasoline SUV is a product that goes well with the lifestyles of modern families with a spacious interior and various user-oriented options,” a spokesperson from SsangYong said. “We will keep on increasing sales of the SUV through aggressive marketing strategies, including improving product specs and increasing the number of model variations.”

According to statistics from the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association, midsize SUVs accounted for 35.8 percent of total SUV sales in the country through September.

BY KIM JEE-HEE [kim.jeehee@joongang.co.kr]