SSangyong Korando

HarleyDave
HarleyDave Forum Participant Posts: 150
edited February 2016 in Towcars & Towing #1

Had our Kuga 3 years and it's been a great car doing everything we've asked of it but time maybe to replace it.The SSangyong Korando looks nice and a similar spec to the Kuga with 2.2 diesal 5 year warranty and much less to pay,any one on here own one

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Comments

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2016 #2

    Do you do an exceptional mileage? I've had mine 5 years and it was 2 years old when I got it. Still going strong.

  • HarleyDave
    HarleyDave Forum Participant Posts: 150
    edited February 2016 #3

    We have covered 34,000 miles trouble free in the Kuga so not exceptionly high

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2016 #4

    Only a couple of thousand more than me then. 

  • flatcoat
    flatcoat Forum Participant Posts: 1,571
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2016 #5

    Replacing at 34,000 miles Surprised crikey what would you do if you had my tow car with 169,000 miles on it? 

  • waltersidmouth
    waltersidmouth Forum Participant Posts: 12
    edited February 2016 #6

    Waiting for the phone call to pick ours up in March 2016Laughing and taking a holiday break in April. Looking forward to it, but the waiting
    is so slow

     

  • HarleyDave
    HarleyDave Forum Participant Posts: 150
    edited February 2016 #7

    Looked at the top spec fwd EX today and going back for a test drive Tuesday,just fancy a change after 3 years with the Kuga which has features on it we don't need/use

  • HarleyDave
    HarleyDave Forum Participant Posts: 150
    edited February 2016 #8

    Test drive went well and ordered a Korando today,I wanted a blue one wife wanted a silver one,guess silver will grow on me in timeHappy

  • squip
    squip Forum Participant Posts: 42
    edited February 2016 #9

    HD

    Did you go for the AWD?

    What delivery date were you quoted?

    squip

  • HarleyDave
    HarleyDave Forum Participant Posts: 150
    edited February 2016 #10

    No regarding AWD we don't realy need it so having a FWD 2.2 EX just waiting for tow bar to be fitted and we can have it but that could take couple weeks

  • Cogit
    Cogit Forum Participant Posts: 40
    edited February 2016 #11

    We've had a Korando SE4 AWD for the last 2 years and have been extremely pleased with it. It tows our Affinity 482 without any problem at all and we are often able to get 30 mpg towing and almost 50 mpg solo. One of the best tow cars we've had and this includes
    a few Volvo estates. Dealers are few and far between but we chose the Korando as our local dealer is only a few miles away. Obviously for the money you are not getting a Range Rover and residual is likely to be low should you want to change in the short term.
    Engine is also fairly noisy but you do not notice this inside the car.  When we got the car it was very rare to see any others on CC sites but in the last few months they seem to be becoming more popular. The only negative I can say is that we had the second
    service a couple of days ago and it was quite a bit more than expected. Overall I would recommend the car. Ask your dealer about fitting the towbar and electrics - as members of the CC we were offered a free one but I opted for a detachable which I got for
    a price of £70 instead of over £500. This offer might now have finished but worth trying!

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
    1,500 Likes 1000 Comments
    edited February 2016 #12

    You mention the engine is a tad noisy 'cogit', am I right in thinking the new Korando also has a new engine compared to yours of a couple of years? I'm ready at the end of the summer for my 3 year end of warranty swap and all new cars are downsizing their engines, and its a rarity to find a 2.2 now other than this car, Mazda and maybe the Rav4.

    Just exploring all avenues.

  • Cogit
    Cogit Forum Participant Posts: 40
    edited February 2016 #13

    My car is a 2 litre and I believe some of the new models are 2.2 so the engine might be different. I'm only aware of the engine being noisier when it is first started and this is only compared with other modern diesels. It's certainly not the clattering
    you used to get with early diesel engines. Once it's been going awhile it settles down and you are never aware of it inside the car. The drive always seems quite smooth, especially when compared with the Suzuki Vitaras I used to tow with.

  • HarleyDave
    HarleyDave Forum Participant Posts: 150
    edited February 2016 #14

    Didn't think the engine sounded noisy when we had the test drive and thought it handled bumpy roads as well if not better than the Kuga.No CC deals on at moment and dealer fit detachable Witter tow bar £650.Can't find a dog guard for it,any current owners
    know of one?

  • HarleyDave
    HarleyDave Forum Participant Posts: 150
    edited March 2016 #15

    Just collected the new Korando 2.2 EX,all nice and shiny and had to drive home through flooded roads so didn't last.Not as many gadgets as the Kuga but has everything we need,will hitch the caravan up at weekend and see how it towsHappy

  • Cogit
    Cogit Forum Participant Posts: 40
    edited March 2016 #16

    HD I hope you enjoy your new Korando and I'm sure you'll find it an excellent towcar. We've now had ours for 2 years with only very minor problems. If we were changing vehicles I'd have no hesitation in getting another Korando. One thing that worried me
    in the early months was a strong smell now and again of burning, usually after putting the engine under more effort than normal - quite often when towing up hill. It even caused me to stop the car on a couple of occasions. This turned out to be the diesel
    particulate filter burning off so don't worry if it happens to you !! Apparently it needs to do this now and again, especially if you've only been driving around on shorter and slower journeys. It doesn't do it so often now so perhaps it's more noticeable
    on a newer car. I'm glad that there will be another Korando on Club sites - be prepared for people to ask you what it is and if you like it. I even took one caravanner out for a test drive and he was impressed.

  • HarleyDave
    HarleyDave Forum Participant Posts: 150
    edited March 2016 #17

    Thanks for the info on the DPF issue,this only happened once on previous car a Kuga.Still looking for a dog guard,maybe get a cheap universal type till one turns up,may be able to adapt the Kuga one to fit.Yes they are not common on the roads only seen one
    recently localy but probably see loads now we have one

  • C Williams
    C Williams Forum Participant Posts: 78
    edited March 2016 #18

    Have just taken delivery of new Korando ELX auto. Am surprised that there don't seem to be different tyre pressures for fully loaded and towing. Have I missed something?

  • Cogit
    Cogit Forum Participant Posts: 40
    edited March 2016 #19

    I know I saw it somewhere but I usually have 32psi solo and when towing I increase the rear tyres to 35psi. Hope this helps. 

  • Vulcan
    Vulcan Forum Participant Posts: 670
    edited March 2016 #20

     

     

     

     

    Have just taken delivery of new Korando ELX auto. Am surprised that there don't seem to be different tyre pressures for fully loaded and towing. Have I missed something?

    It depends on the vehicle, stick with the recommendations in your handbook. My Freelander 2 pressures were the same solo and towing however my RR sport pressures are significantly higher when towing.

  • HarleyDave
    HarleyDave Forum Participant Posts: 150
    edited March 2016 #21

    Just read my handbook and you are right tyre pressures are 32psi all round with no increase when towing.I hitched the caravan up and towed it only few miles and it was fine,will put few miles on it before we venture further with it 

  • C Williams
    C Williams Forum Participant Posts: 78
    edited March 2016 #22

    Thanks guys. Off to North Wales on Tuesday, so will see how it handles with caravan in tow. Looking forward to giving it a proper run.

  • Colin51
    Colin51 Forum Participant Posts: 18
    edited March 2016 #23

    HarleyDave have a look at boot-buddy.com for their Safe-D-Guard. It's made from plexi glass and the Korando is on their list.

    I was on their stand ar Crufts last week and was impressed with their product.

  • HarleyDave
    HarleyDave Forum Participant Posts: 150
    edited March 2016 #24

    Thanks for that Colin51,looks like it will do the jobLaughing

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2016 #25

    Just read my handbook and you are right tyre pressures are 32psi all round with no increase when towing.I hitched the caravan up and towed it only few miles and it was fine,will put few miles on it before we venture further with it 

    Yes, don't think you automatically have to increase tyre pressure because of noseweight, mine is 32 psi all round whether towing or solo, some cars are designed to tow. Happy

  • HarleyDave
    HarleyDave Forum Participant Posts: 150
    edited March 2016 #26

    Will leave mine at 32psi 

  • HarleyDave
    HarleyDave Forum Participant Posts: 150
    edited March 2016 #27

    Just ordered a dog guard from boot-buddy,3 week wait till delivery will post my thoughts on it when it arrives

  • Colin51
    Colin51 Forum Participant Posts: 18
    edited March 2016 #28

    The stand was always busy at Crufts they will have taken a shed load of orders.

  • flatcoat
    flatcoat Forum Participant Posts: 1,571
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2016 #29

    Given I have a £17k budget for my next car I looked at the spec of a Korando and noticed the nose weight limit is only 80kg's. This seems low given the other attributes of the car But is theoretically just OK for our van. How do they fare as a drivers car? 

  • Cogit
    Cogit Forum Participant Posts: 40
    edited March 2016 #30

    We have an Elddis Affinity 482 (no rear fixed bed so less weight at the back which doesn't help), 2 calorlite propane bottles in the front locker and with careful loading I have no trouble in keeping to the 80kg noseweight limit. I always check with a Milenco
    noseweight gauge before setting off and only occasionally have I had to make adjustments to the van loading. Heavy items such as the awning, aquaroll, wastemaster, etc go in the car - as there are only 2 of us we always travel with the rear seats down to give
    us extra space for these.

    I would have to say I find it OK to drive solo and it has plenty of extra power for overtaking, etc. However, it is not a sports car but I bought it for towing and that is the main reason for its purchase. If I just wanted a car for driving I would have
    chosen something else!

  • PWLawrence
    PWLawrence Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited March 2016 #31

    We purchsed our Korando ELX in August last year and tow a Swift Celebration 554. We also place heavy items in the car and check our nose weight on each trip. We arn't light packers and seems to take everything except the kitchen sink. We havent had a problem
    with the nose weightso far. We are relatively new to caravanning so apart for briefly towing with a Honda Accord we have little experience.  However our longest trip so far has been from East Midlands to the Isle Of Wight and the Korando performed brilliantly
    even with a novice at the wheel.  The OH uses it day to day to and from work and has no complaints. Really pleased with our purchase and I would buy another.