Practical kyron packs luxury

Practical kyron packs luxury By Kingsley Wijayasinha

THE NATION

Published on June 24, 2008







Ssangyong's worthy successor to the Musso has a thrifty common-rail diesel engine and offers a long list of features

Ssangyong is a South Korean brand not best known for passenger cars. But among sport-utility vehicles (SUVs), it has made quite an impression in Thailand since the 1990s with strong sales of the Musso.

The Musso, which was available with petrol and diesel engines supplied by Mercedes-Benz, offered a futuristic design and spacious interior that appealed to the Thai SUV buyer. The Musso's diesel engine was a bit outdated and screamed like an animal in pain when revved but offered good fuel economy for a vehicle that tipped the scales at more than 2 tonnes.

Ssangyong sells its vehicles through its official distributor in the Kingdom, Ssangyong Thailand. The latest SUV for the Thai market from its stable is the Kyron.

The Kyron was first introduced in Thailand in 2006 and quickly lapped up by buyers. The latest Kyron has a revamped design and a long equipment list, making it quite an attractive SUV.

Despite being imported in completely built-up form from South Korea, the Kyron has a price tag of just under Bt2 million.

The price makes it pretty good value for money, considering the number of features it offers.

The Kyron is powered by a 2-litre turbocharged common-rail diesel engine capable of producing 141 horsepower and 310Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission from Mercedes-Benz that also features a manual-shift mode.

Thanks to the large amount of torque, the Kyron - which also weighs about 2 tonnes - does not feel slow or clumsy at all, and the noise level from the diesel engine is highly acceptable.

The Kyron offers generous amounts of kick-down on acceleration, but the engine and transmission package does feel a generation old already. However, you can still expect acceptable fuel economy from the common-rail diesel engine. The Kyron claims to offer fuel economy of 9.43 kilometres per litre in the city and 14.08 kilometres per litre on the highway, giving it an overall average of 11.9 kilometres per litre.

The suspension consists of a double-wishbone in front and multilink design at the rear, offering good comfort levels. But when it comes to absorbing shocks and bumps on the road, the suspension feels more like a pickup's. After all, this is a proper SUV, not a crossover.

The steering is comfort-oriented to a level that spoils driving pleasure, due to its feather-light feel even at high speeds. Steering accuracy is acceptable but very light and does not offer much feedback.

The Kyron comes with an electronic stability program and anti-rollover protection systems, making it quite a safe vehicle to drive. Stopping power comes from anti-lock disc brakes with Brake Assist and electronic brake-force distribution.

The Kyron comes with part-time four-wheel drive. It can be locked in "2 High" mode most of the time, functioning as a regular rear-wheel drive. For more traction on slippery roads or light off-roading, switching into "4 High" gives the Kyron better grip on the road surface. And when the going gets tough, get into "4 Low" for maximum traction.

Like luxury SUVs, the Kyron also features hill-descent control, which automatically regulates the downhill speed of the vehicle, making it easier for inexperienced drivers to go off-roading.

That is not the only feature that makes the Kyron great value for money. The list goes on to include dual front air bags and window air bags, automatic-lighting system, rain sensor, cruise control, two additional seats in the luggage compartment, powered front seats with memory for the driver side, automatic-dimming rear-view mirror, multifunctional steering wheel, parking sensor, automatic climate control and powered sunroof.

The Ssangyong Kyron is an interesting package with its economical but powerful turbocharged common-rail diesel engine packed with a long list of luxury features.

Although there is still room for improvement in areas like the steering and suspension, there is very little to complain about.

The Kyron has well-designed interiors and exteriors, high practicality and all the convenience and comfort you will need.

      At a glance



Engine: 4-cylinder DOHC 16-valve turbocharged common-rail diesel



Displacement: 1,998cc



Bore and stroke: 86.2 x 85.6mm



Compression ratio: 17.5:1



Max power: 141hp at 4,000rpm



Max torque: 310Nm at 1,800-2,750rpm



Transmission: 5-speed automatic



Fuel economy (km/litre):



City: 9.43



Highway: 14.08



Suspension (f/r): Double wishbone, coil spring / multilink



Steering: Powered rack-and-pinion



Turning circle: 11.2 metres



Brakes (f/r): Vented disc/disc with ABS, BAS, EBD



Dimensions (mm):



Length: 4,660



Width: 1,880



Height: 1,755



Wheelbase: 2,740



Weight: 1,956kg



Tyres: 255/60 R18



Fuel tank capacity: 75 litres



Price: Bt1.95 million



Distributor: Ssangyong Thailand



Phone: (02) 719 78888