2008 SsangYong Range

By Alborz Fallah | February 21st, 2008

SsangYong today held a press conference in Sydney outlining the brands intentions for 2008 and ahead.

The Korean company, which is owned by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), only sold 2,123 cars last year but intends to move around 3,500 units this year, having revised its specifications and pricing.

To achieve its ambitious aims, SsangYong has just finalised a joint venture with the Barbagallo group to improve efficiency and access to a wider dealer network.

SsangYong is now the first manufacturer in Australia to offer a diesel-only range with Russell Burling, the Director, insisting that Australians are moving towards diesel powered cars at a rapid rate.

The company has introduced new premium SPR variants (SPR stands for Super) which according to Mr Burling have all the boxes ticked from factory. The SPR models feature leather heated and electrically adjustable front seats, automatic lights and rain sensing wipers as well as rear parking sensors and T-tronic automatic transmission.

SsangYong has already landed 08 built stock in showrooms, taking only two weeks to import cars from Korea. All 2008 models will now come with ESP, front and side SRS airbags, Anti Rollover Protection (ARP), Brake-force Assist System(BAS) and Hill Descent control (HDC) as standard equipment.

The new range includes:

SsangYong Sports $28,990

5 Speed manual
6 Speed automatic (OPTIONAL)
Locking Differential (2WD MODELS ONLY)
ABS, 4 wheel disc brakes
Cruise Control (auto only)
Headlight leveling device
Leather bound steering wheel
16” Alloy wheels

SsangYong Sports SPR $39,990

6 Speed Auto
Climate control air con
leather seats
front power & heated seats
Reverse parking sensors
Auto dimming interior mirror
Rain sensitive wipers
Automatic headlight controls
18″ alloy wheels

SsangYong Kyron $32,990

5-speed manual (auto optional)
Cruise control (auto only)
Dual front & Side curtain SRS airbags
ESP
ARP (Anti rollover protection)
ABS + BAS (brake assist system)
HDC (Hill Descent Control)
Reverse parking sensors
18″ alloy wheels

SsangYong Kyron 2.7 SPR $39,990

5-speed automatic
Climate control air con
Leather seats
Front power & heated seats
3 position memory dirvers seat
auto dimming interior mirror
rain sensitive wipers
automatic headlight controls
luggage cover & net

SsangYong Rexton $35,990

5-speed manual (auto optional)
5 & 7 seater models
Cruise control (auto only)
Dual front & side airbags
ESP
ARP (Anti rollover protection)
ABS + BAS (Brake Assist System)
HDC (Hill Descent control)
16″ Alloy Wheels

SsangYong Rexton SPR $49,990

5-Speed automatic
Leather seats
Front power & heated seats
3 position driver seat memory
body kit / reverse parking sensors
auto dimming interior mirror
rain sensitive wipers
automatic headlight controls
18″ alloy wheels

SsangYong Stavic $32,990

5-speed manual (auto optional)
Cruise Control (auto only)
Climate Control air conditioning
Dual SRS Airbags
ABS + ESP
Headlight levelling device
Reverse parking sensors
16 alloy wheels

SsangYong Stavic SPR $39,990

5-speed auto
leather seats
heated front seats
auto dimming interior mirror
rain sensitive wipers
auto headlight controls
sunroof

SsangYong Actyon $29,990

Automatic as standard
Climate control air con
cruise control
18″ alloy wheels
dual front & side curtain airbags
ESP, ABS, HDC, ARP
reverse parking sensors

Drac

These guys are still in the AU market? Why?
Cinderella

These guys have got such great value for money, just a shame the cars are still a little ugly.
Adam J

Diesel only? Thats risky, but given the price of petrol, it might just pay off, I can’t believe how cheap the cars are!
Simon

Great cars, too bad about their reputation with the SsangYong badge, should have stuck with the Musso name…
No Name

Pays yer money takes yer life into yer hand.

Not for me. they will struggle to sell 2 and half thousand. YOu could by a ten year old Merc ML for the same money.
http://www.ausringers.com/ Liam

Where’s the Chairman?!

Bill

5 yr. owner Rexton. Best of many good cars I have owned. Easily best value on the market. As a retired Diesel Fuel System Technition I cant understand why there are not more companies like Ssangyoung making only Diesel when they are this Good.

Jase

Ssangyong is releasing a new chairman, which is going to compete against the S-Class and costs about $105 000 US dollars.
Phillip

Ah Ssangyong, the brand that makes Holden Barinas look safe, Protons well made and the AU Falcon look attractive.
XR2_Capri

Are you guys trying to say that the TE50 and TS50′s are ugly?
Noel

Has anyone on this forum actually driven or owned on of these vehicles???? I own a Stavic and I got to say its pretty good, never given me any problems in a year of ownership and there’s heaps of room for my kids and all there stuff when we go on holidays. I cannot recommend this vehicle enough. The myths about Korean cars are all false, my other car is a Hyundai Getz and that’s been reliable as well. All my neighbours in Narre Warren are always commenting on my Stavic and it makes me feel proud to own it. Given the range ago before knocking it.
RD

OMG you own a Stavic? Wasn’t this car voted the ugliest car on the planet? It’s a putrid looking vehicle and I can’t help but openly laugh at people when I see them driving it. If there ever was a car that made me feel physically sick, the Stavic is it. It may be good mechanically, space wise, value for money etc, but that is it. I’m sure you’re neighbours are only trying to be nice and probably feel a little sorry for you for being so deluded….if you actually think this vehicle looks good, you need help…seriously…
Dennis

Well put RD,could not agree more.That thing is the ugliest piece of crap I’ve ever laid eyes on.
snowman

At least these new models are starting to look halfway normal now!!
Coz

I think they are probably quite good vehicles, with only a couple of problems – the outside and the inside
John Hinton

The only idiots I can see here are those who fork out 10′s of thousand dollars more for Toyota’s, Nissans etc. They have obviously never driven any of these vehicles or they wouldn’t be stupid enough to make these comments. I have owned a Musso (absolutely no trouble) and now an Actyon Sport (brilliant) My wife owns and drives a Kyron every day with her business and wouldn’t have anything else. So keep bagging them you fools and let me be the one laughing all the way to the Bank watching idiots driving overpriced, over-rated, under-achieving mobile chicanes.
RD

John, we are (at least me) not saying they are bad vehicles, quite the opposite. Just that the Stavic is a dreadful looking vehicle. I cannot understand for the life of me what thought process a person goes through in actually deciding to purchase this vehicle, and think they could possibly look good in it. The rest of the vehicles in the SsanyYong range (except the Musso) look pretty decent, this includes your Actyon.

Can you honestly say that the Stavic is a good looking vehicle? Even a moderately good looking one?
john h

RD, I agree that the Stavic is an ugly car. But like the ugly male and female of the species, sometimes the heart and the Bank balance can compensate for the looks. My bosses wife has a Stavic. She admits she cant drive, so the vehicle has more dents than Peter Costelloe’s ego, but she will tell anyone that there is no vehicle more convenient to carry two, adults all their kids, the luggage and tow the boat yet still record 8.5ltres/100k on the trip.
http://www.geardiary.com Mitchell Oke

I have to agree with RD, they just look unbelievably awful. Saw one today driving through the carpark and it just looks so awkward!
Frugal One

Yes, ugly….

None the less i still sleep with UGLY women, they are better at it then the cute ones..

If any doubt just double-bag them!

ALL Women need some loving, dont be so looks focused!!

Cheers

F-0
Duck

Some minor updates, new diesel only………but still ugly!
o

ahhhhh cover your eyes a stavic they are the fugliest car on the planet no questions asked

you couldnt pay me to drive one
Phillip

To Noel,

Do you not notice when you drive around in your Stavic that people are laughing at you? Don\’t you see the shocked mothers covering the eyes of their traumatised children?

I think you just don\’t realise how vomit-ugly your machine is (sorry, I cannot call it a car). You know, tangerine-coloured velvet might be the most comfortable fabric to wear, but seriously, would you be seen in it? (actually, perhaps in Narre Warren you could get away with it)
john h

In answer to Phillip. Maybe the people are not laughing at the stavic but you in your 1200 watt doof doof machine behind it
Phillip

Nope, a 2002 model Alfa 147 twin spark. Completely stock standard (except for a factory sunroof). No-ones laughing at me mate.
http://www.geardiary.com Mitchell Oke

Anyone else seeing a GL500 look-alike in there?
sans

To Phillip. You actually forked out good Australian dollars to purchase an Italian break down van and you think people aren’t laughing at you. Wrong.
Phillip

Never had a problem. Not one! The joke’s on you.
http://barina SteveV

Just passing time, this blog has been the funniest on CA for some time.

Can we have another Ssangyoung story?
JAMES

Lmao, great post.

Phillip sorry mate the 147 is a piece of shit, your luffin at this dude and you bort an italian car, overpriced, needs a week to turn and just gonna be a fun car to be in if you ever have a head on, this is a car that scored 18/100 for frontal impact. Reliability, appalling, typical alfa crap, he is right, they are luffin at you. good luck selling that pile of crap mate. O yer, no problems you say, you are either lyin or you have owned it for a week. should have got a mazda 3mps mate, is the sunroof leakin yet, lol.
Phillip

My Alfa only has 39000km as I ride a bike 10 minutes to work. Don’t get me wrong: I have expected problems. I had an Alfa 33 in the early 90s and it was rubbish (although I bought it when it was already old). But even despite the sun-stroked interior, the black smoke and occassional over-heating, it was always great to drive. This one I bought as an ex-demo and so far so good. It has a Euro NCAP 3 star rating which isn’t fantastic, but it was ahead of most cars when I bought it in 2003. The resale value is also fantastic! And the best thing? It doesn’t make people want to vomit which I think only a SsangYong could do.

A Mazda 3? The day I trade my Alfa on a Mazda 3 is the day I swap my Armani suit for one from Kmart.
jame

Phil the resale is actually pretty ordinary around 51% after 3 years, the car turns like a fat cow, will most likely kill you if you are in a head on and doesnt have a patch on the 3 or 6 MPS in terms of handling, power, dynamics, safety and resale. So you bort it on the basis of badge and looks. You don’t get it do you, thats why they are laughing you, its a wannabee semi sports car that cant cut the mustard. As for your Armani suit, well that just supports my observtion on badge and looks, do you really think anyone here cares if you wear an italian suit?

LMAO.
Phillip

Coming from someone who says ‘bort’? I’m the one who’s laughing tiger.
jame

Luff all you like toots, its a lemon, and good luck trying to sell the piece of junk
Phillip

Luff? Yeah, well when you learn English then maybe I may actually take your word for being something rather than the illiterate dribble that it is.
JAMES

Awww Phillip, dun worry, has it started to rust yet? Then you can worry Italian electronics, you idiot.
Phillip

Sorry, I didn’t get that. I don’t speak bogan.
JAMES

You don’t get much do you little man, how do you cope with being so short? Do you get a disount on the suits
JAMES

Come on tiger, dont give up yet. lmfao.
Phillip

No mate I think it’s your kind (the ones who marry their cousins) that tend to have short legs and problems with the English language. I do fine. In fact, even if my car did break down tomorrow, I can afford a new one. I guess it could be a bit more difficult for those like yourself who spend all your doll money on cask wine and pokies.
JAMES

OMG, you can afford a new car, is that the extent of your self actualisation, a new car, man when that epiphany hit home you must have felt complete. So, has it started to rust yet
Angy Baby

I love the Stavic. One of the comments was “what goes through the mind of someone who buys one of these cars”. I can say what went through my mind around that comment, I imagined a person who needs externals to make them feel ok about themselves and I felt sad about that. What went through my mind with the Stavic was, a roomy MPV where my kids are as comfy as I am, the kids loved it before we bought it and, unlike people in their borderline luxury tax Tarago’s and thirsty Grand Carnival KIA’s,we actually don’t look like a mobile sardine can.

My complaint about this vehicle is Ssangyong in Australia. Pick up your game, believe in your product. Act like you’re here to stay. Bring out your spare parts and more importantly fight for the efficiency and green dollar. Australia has a big experience in LPG both for petrol and diesel vehicles and don’t bring on the crap about the warranty and the engines. Italy sold the petrol 2.3 litre actyon with a LPG conversion as standard and it came with a 3 year warranty. Stop playing it safe and dare to believe in your product.
Khomeini

Just happened upon this site and lo the comments. You have to love them.

Here are my 2cents worth.(Hope you find it useful)

For all here, don’t bag something you don’t know much about. I personally used to bag holdens & fords. Not that I think they’re crap cars, but cos everyone has them & they think they’re sports cars (they’re not). They’re okay cars (not the best…definately not the worst – that might be reserved for Lada). I have a Nissan Silvia which is completely different from a Rexton so i’d like to think i’m objective in my assessment.

I recently purchased a Ssangyong Rexton and I did some research before I did (as you do) and found that nearly all users were extremely happy with these cars. Thats surprising in itself as you’re bound to find disgruntled car owners. I’m not saying there aren’t for Ssangyong, they’re just hard to find.

Anyway, had a test drive with my uncle (who’se been dealing with cars for ohh i don’t know, around 40 years).. he used to import from Japan and also owns a car dealership in NZ. (He dislikes the Musso btw). Tests came out good, couldn’t fault the engine at all and the body is fine… i won’t be doing offroading (or very little) so i don’t expect it to fall apart.

t
Khomeini

The price & ability to carry 7 is a great bonus as well as level of trim. I would say the looks are good (I think it’s a personal preferance – mind you i also dislike the look of the Stavic – no offence). This played a part on why i purchased this car.

Greate car & I’m quite happy with it as is. Before i purchased it i thought Korean cars are crap too … so be careful before you judge.
Eddie

Hi All,
Read comments left by many different people with different opinions. You are all welcome to an opinion, but if you have not driven any of the Ssangyong range, I suggest you do so before you opine.
I had seriously considered purchasing an ML Mercedes… Once I did all my home work I found that it was not good value for money. I looked into the depreciation vs. purchase price and worked out that after 5 years I would be out of pocket much more than the purchase price of the Ssangyong Rexton.
The Rexton has all the mod cons you could hope for in a car. Great value for money I have had my vehicle now for 2 years, it’s running extremely well on LPG.
Comments on the Stavic about its appearance… Agreed, but we all see beauty and value differently.
Ssangyong are definitely worth a look.
Eddie.
john

My love affair with my rexton is over, now 5 years old the triptronic gearbox is having problems the Ssangyong dealership has taken $1500 so far and not fixed it implying it could cost $10000 to fix, they don’t know what the problem is and won’t commit to a price to fix it, it is becoming a nightmare.
Steve

Sorry to hear about your gearbox John. Remember the multitude of problems that Jackaroos had, injectors, wiring, sensors, ……You get the picture, well most are a result of untrained techs. I have picked up several of these Jacks with the dreded 4JX1 motor and have managed to fix them all. It comes down to training and exposure to the problems (I have seen heaps). I suspect Johns problem was / is an electronic one. You need both trades to find the source these days Hydraulics + electronics.