SPECIAL KORANDO
Limited-run Ssangyong pick-up gets distinctive paintjob and raft of kit.
IN the past six months, we’ve driven the all-new Ford Ranger and Nissan NP300 Navara, but what if you want a pick-up that’s a little bit stealthier?
Enter the Ssangyong Korando Sports DMZ. This limited-edition double-cab comes with a rather bold (if dubious) camouflage paintjob. The name is equally brave, as DMZ is a reference to the de-militarised border zone between North and South Korea.
Here in the UK, however, the DMZ is simply “a bit of fun”, according to Ssangyong bosses. There’s no armour plating down the side and no machine gun mounted on the back, but you can’t argue that the unique paintwork will prove quite a talking point.
Cheap gags about losing it in the supermarket car park aside, the Korando Sports DMZ certainly isn’t without merit. Priced from £19,195 (excluding VAT), it’s markedly cheaper than pretty much all of its pick-up rivals. In fact, the DMZ costs almost £2,000 less than the Isuzu D-max Blade, and over £6,000 less than a similarly specced Volkswagen Amarok Highline.
However, on the road, the DMZ is like any other Korando Sports. The 153bhp 2.0-litre e-xdi diesel is the only engine offered, and isn’t exactly a powerhouse in the pick-up class. The five-speed automatic gearbox is a smooth shifter, though, and there’s also selectable four-wheel drive, with a lowrange option for tackling the rough stuff.
Running costs aren’t quite on par with a lot of its main rivals, though. Going on claimed figures of 35.3mpg, the DMZ can’t match the Nissan NP300 Navara’s official 40.1mpg. Plus, with quoted emissions of 212g/km and an engine that only meets old Euro 5 standards, you’ll be paying £295 a year in road tax – £65 more than Navara owners.