SsangYong Korando review
The SsangYong Korando is a spacious and well-equipped family SUV that offers fantastic value for money and an impressively long warranty.
Author: The Cazoo editorial team
7th Jan 2026 – 8 mins read
You might not be too familiar with the SsangYong brand, but if you’re looking for a family SUV that gives you a lot of car for your money, the Korando is definitely one to consider. This fourth-generation model, launched in 2019, is a massive step up for the South Korean firm, offering modern styling, a surprisingly upmarket interior, and a huge amount of standard equipment. While it might not have the badge appeal or the sharpest driving experience of rivals like the Nissan Qashqai or SEAT Ateca, the Korando delivers where it matters for many families. It's spacious, practical, and comes with an incredible seven-year warranty, which is one of the best in the business. It’s an honest, great-value SUV that’s a sensible and appealing alternative to the mainstream choices.
Pros
- Lots of standard equipment for the money
- Spacious interior with plenty of room for passengers
- Comes with an excellent seven-year warranty
Cons
- The driving experience isn't as good as key rivals
- Engines can feel a bit sluggish and thirsty
- Doesn't have the same brand recognition as competitors
Interior
Dashboard & tech
The interior of the latest Korando will probably surprise you – in a good way. It’s a huge improvement over previous SsangYong models, with a modern, stylish design and a surprisingly premium feel. The material quality is good, and it feels well put together.
Entry-level models are a bit basic and miss out on a touchscreen, which is why we’d recommend looking at the mid-range Ventura model or higher. These come with a clear 8-inch media system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a brilliant digital instrument cluster that you can customise to show the information you want. It’s a cabin that’s packed with tech and feels more expensive than it is.
Comfort
The Korando is a comfortable car for daily driving and long journeys. The seats are supportive, and there's a good amount of space for the driver and front passenger to get settled. Thanks to its boxier shape, visibility is generally good, and it’s a fairly easy car to get along with.
While the ride is mostly comfortable, it can feel a little unsettled over rougher surfaces, and it doesn't have the same polish as rivals like the Skoda Karoq. Still, for a family SUV designed for everyday life, it’s a perfectly pleasant and relaxing place to be.
Quality
SsangYong has really upped its game with the quality of the Korando’s interior. It feels robust and well-built, with some nice materials used on the main touchpoints. Higher-spec models feel genuinely premium, with full leather seats and multi-coloured ambient lighting that you’d normally expect to find in a much more expensive car. It’s a very impressive effort that makes the Korando feel like a quality product.
Practicality & boot space
Interior space
The latest Korando is noticeably larger than its predecessor, and that translates into a very practical and spacious interior. There's plenty of room for passengers in the back, with good headroom and legroom for adults to sit comfortably. The car’s boxy shape helps to maximise the available space, making it one of the roomier cars in its class.
Boot space
The Korando offers a very generous boot. With the rear seats up, there are 551 litres of space if you include the underfloor storage area. That’s more than you’ll find in a Nissan Qashqai and makes it a very practical choice for families. It’s worth noting that models fitted with a full-size spare wheel have a slightly smaller boot, at 407 litres, but it’s still a very usable size.
Versatility
With its roomy cabin and large boot, the Korando is a great all-round family car. It’s well-suited to the demands of family life, with plenty of space for child seats, luggage, and all the associated gear. The diesel model with four-wheel drive is also an excellent tow car, capable of pulling up to two tonnes, which adds another layer of versatility for those with caravans or trailers.
Driving
Driving experience
When it comes to the driving experience, the Korando is competent but doesn’t really excel. It’s neither particularly sporty nor exceptionally comfortable, and it lags behind many of its main competitors in this area. The steering is light and it’s easy to drive, but it’s not a car that you’ll buy for the thrill of it.
Where it does shine is as a dependable workhorse. The engines provide adequate performance for everyday driving, and the availability of a four-wheel-drive system on diesel models makes it a capable performer in slippery conditions and a great choice for towing.
Performance
The Korando is available with a choice of one petrol and one diesel engine. The petrol is a 1.5-litre turbocharged unit that produces 161bhp. It’s not the quickest, taking around 10.6 seconds to get from 0-60mph, but it offers enough performance for most situations.
The diesel engine is a 1.6-litre unit that produces 134bhp. It feels a little sluggish, with a 0-60mph time of around 11.8 seconds, but it offers more low-down pulling power, which makes it the better choice for towing or carrying heavy loads.
Running costs
Fuel economy & CO2 emissions
This is a bit of a weak point for the Korando, as neither engine is particularly efficient compared to rivals. The petrol engine can be quite thirsty, with an official fuel economy figure of 37.2mpg, but you’ll likely see closer to 30mpg in real-world driving. The diesel is a better bet for economy, with a claimed figure of 45.2mpg. CO2 emissions are also quite high across the range, which means road tax will be more expensive than for many competitors.
Value for money
Value is the Korando’s biggest strength. It’s several thousand pounds cheaper than many of its main rivals, and it comes packed with standard equipment. The mid-range Ventura model is particularly good value, offering big-car features like digital dials and a large touchscreen for the price of an entry-level Nissan Qashqai. It represents a huge amount of car for the money.
Reliability & Warranty
While SsangYong might not be a household name, it offers one of the best warranties in the business. Every new Korando comes with a seven-year, 150,000-mile warranty, which is longer than any other car firm in the UK offers. This provides fantastic peace of mind and means that even used examples will have a significant amount of manufacturer warranty remaining.
Safety
Safety features
The SsangYong Korando is a very safe car, achieving the maximum five-star safety rating when it was crash-tested by the experts at Euro NCAP. All models come with a generous amount of safety technology as standard, including autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, high-beam assist, and a driver attention alert. It’s a very secure and reassuring choice for a family SUV.
Trims & Engines
Trim levels
The Korando is available in four trim levels. The entry-level ELX is well-equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, and automatic lights and wipers. Our pick is the Ventura trim, which adds larger 18-inch wheels, heated front seats, part-leather upholstery, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, an 8-inch touchscreen, and the excellent digital instrument cluster.
The Pioneer trim is aimed at the towing market and includes a heated steering wheel and a full-size spare wheel. The top-of-the-range Ultimate model is packed with features, including 19-inch wheels, premium leather upholstery, electric and ventilated front seats, a larger 9-inch touchscreen with navigation, and an electric boot.
Engines
The engine lineup is simple, with one petrol and one diesel option. The petrol is a 1.5-litre turbocharged unit with 161bhp, available with a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic gearbox and front-wheel drive only.
The diesel is a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine with 134bhp. It comes as standard with an automatic gearbox and is available with either front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. The four-wheel-drive diesel is the best choice for anyone who plans to tow.