Singing a di erent TUNE
Hoping that lightning will strike twice, Berjaya Automotive Philippines has taken on the distributorship of the maligned Korean brand, aiming to turn it into a left-field choice for Filipino motorists. “Why drive the same cars? It’s about time Filipinos drive something different,” quipped a straight-talking Dave Macasadia, SsangYong Berjaya Motor Philippines (SBMP) Managing Director.
First up is the Korando, SsangYong’s compact crossover offering. Finished in the plainest color possible, the aptly named Silent Silver, it passes the aesthetics test with its clean and timeless design. The curvy crossover is penned by Giogetto Giugiario and as such, relies on silent confidence rather than aggressive lines and gashes to win approval.
The interior echoes the exterior: clean, curvaceous, and somewhat plain. The single best thing in here is the execution of the wood grain accents. Not only does the hue work well with the Korando’s all-black interior, but the matte finish does wonders to avoid looking cheap. The controls are easy to master and you have to hand it to them for providing things like video playback and smartphone mirroring.
Driving the P1,390,000 2.0 AWD ELX, this Korando comes packing heat courtesy of a 2.0-liter CRDi motor with 175 hp and 360 Nm of torque. Cruising on long stretches of road is what the Korando does best. It’s comfortable, stable, quiet and refined.
Things get more adventurous with the massive Rodius. Supposed to combine the ruggedness of an SUV with the spaciousness of an MPV, it can seat up to 11 people in certain configurations (the more luxurious ones have just 9 or 7 seats). The expansive dashboard with its large center-mounted instrument panel reiterates the roominess further. The generous front legroom is supplement by an equally roomy second row. The mid-grade EX model (P1,490,000) features independently sliding and reclining Captain’s Seats making it possible to cross your legs in it.
The Rodius is surprisingly fast and agile than its size suggests. The 2.0-liter CRDi motor is well-suited to the task. The accompanying 5-speed automatic up- and downshifts quickly, keeping the 155hp, 360Nm of torque engine singing a happy tune. It’s perfectly suited for long, relaxed drives with its plush ride.
Easily, the biggest surprise is the entry-level Tivoli. Designed as an urban crossover, it’s equally at home on the highway. Angular and expressive as the Korando is curvy, it gives the biggest indication of what SsangYong can do. It’s the extrovert of the family, especially the decked out Sport R (P1,080,000) with its two-tone black and red (you can opt for a white and black combination as well) paint job with high-gloss black 18-inch rims.
Inside, it carries the same twotone mix with huge swathes of red leather accentuating the black plastics. The gauges reside in twin binnacles and the steering wheel has a flatted bottom. Actually, the entire setup passes for a sports car, only the Tivoli offers something a sports car doesn’t: space.
Apart from its practical qualities, it’s also quite good on the road. The Tivoli is the athlete of the family, showing off its responsive steering and lithe reflexes at every curve and corner. It does trade some plushness, but it’s only felt when going over the rough stuff.
Powered by a 1.6-liter gasoline motor across the line-up, it takes more pedal pressure to coax the 128 hp, 160 Nm of torque engine to get going, but once it does, the pace is there. The 6-speed automatic provides enough ratios to maximize the engine, but in case you find it lacking it comes with switchable driving modes and a shifter-mounted manual override toggle switch.
The road to mainstream success for SsangYong Philippines is a long and challenging one. “SsangYong has been known for its resiliency over the years,” says Macasadia. “With over sixty years of manufacturing vehicles, SsangYong has evolved into a brand that dares to be different.”
And in this case, “different” need not stand for the oddball styling or poorly executed brand image. SsangYong Philippines knows they finally have world-class products in its arsenal. It’s still not in the same league as the Japanese just yet, but it’s getting there. There’s no denying the amount of continuous polish and refinement that goes into each new generation vehicle.