2008 SsangYong Stavic Review
17 Aug, 2008
48 Comments 
2008 SsangYong Stavic SV270 SPR Review & Road Test
If you’re more of a features person, Stavic may suit you down to the ground
Model Tested:
- 2008 SsangYong Stavic SV270 SPR 2.7 Xdi Automatic - $39,990 (RRP)
Full of Features, Smooth Auto Transmission, Roomy second Row
Awkward Appearance, Rough and Noisy Ride, Quality Issues
CarAdvice Rating: 
- by Matt Brogan
SsangYong proudly announces the latest version of the Stavic as a luxurious yet affordable large sized MPV, and if you were to take the extensive feature list purely on face value then you’d have to agree it’s a sweet deal for the price. But is it really such a bargain, or does the age old adage of getting what you pay for still ring true?
To kick things off, let’s tackle the big one, the not too delicate matter of Stavics’ polarising looks. With large headlights and somewhat classy chrome grille the Mercedes influenced front end is almost bearable in isolation, and if you were to see the car solely from the front you could almost be forgiven for thinking it’s quite smart to look at. But start to get a little profile in to the picture, or worse still wander round the back, and everything just becomes a little Pablo Picasso.
And by Picasso I don’t mean that classy little French number either, I mean the having ears where your nose should be kind of Picasso.
The rear window is of particular intrigue, almost seeming like a wedge of glass has been sat atop the curved rear window to form a wagon. It’s a bizarre design but not only does it make for a peculiar exterior, it also deprives the rear passengers from seeing out while at the same time hindering the driver’s blind spot.
So fair enough then, it’s not the prettiest of transport, but unfortunately once inside, things aren’t a great deal better. The ‘pleather’ (plastic leather) trimmed seats have quite a strong odour and the layout whilst seemingly generous lacks headroom in the third row seats.
Luggage space is disappointing considering the overall size of the vehicle too and I think that if you were to head away with seven people and their gear for even a weekend then you’d struggle to find a place for it all.
Driver and passenger seats are rather difficult to get in and out of because there are no grab handles on offer and the seat pad is above the height of an adult’s hip. Short folks, like myself, may find entry and egress quite an aerobic feat. Hardly luxurious.
Location: Home / Ssangyong, Behind the Wheel, Diesel, Australian Car Industry News, Car News / ...
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(8 votes, average: 2.88 out of 5)
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August 17th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
If the hideous looks weren’t bad enough, 18.6L/100km around town???? That’s just insane!
Guess it really is as rotten underneath as it looks.
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August 17th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Oh and Matt, well done for having the guts to drive it around :P
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August 17th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
This thing is huge, it makes the alloys look like they are only about 13 inches big.
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August 17th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
YUK!!!!…..I sat in one at the Sydney motor show last year and the wife liked the interior space BUT i had to be firm and told her that i couldn’t get past the rear end and it was never going to happen!
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August 17th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Conragtulations Ssangyong, you have given the world the ugliest vehicle EVER!
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August 17th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
I love reading reviews of these kinds of cars, they are nice and entertaining, then you wonder who actually tested the vehicle and went “Yep, this is great, well finished, let’s build it”…
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August 17th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
“And by Picasso I don’t mean that classy little French number either, I mean the having ears where your nose should be kind of Picasso.”
Im still catching my breath afta this little pearl.
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August 17th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
This is one of those cars that stops you in your tracks, in this case in a bad way.
I was walking past one a while ago with a friend and we both stopped and commented on how ugly it was. The whole back end does not work.
What were they thinking? a fastback van with a last minute change to wagon? WTF happened?
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August 17th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
This would have to be the most shocking thing ive ever seen would be good for scrap metal
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August 17th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
well we all know wherer the X^ came fromnow bmw just removed the rear window.BUt still it looks even worse as a yellow cab its orange .My eyes were soiled
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August 17th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
There is a need for two vehicles to clearly delineate the lower and upper levels (respectively) of taste and discernment in the market. Thank you Ssangyong, for providing the unarguable, undisputed, all bells and whistles answer to one of the extremes. But did you have to be so blatant? This is like coming last in the 100 metres sprint by a margin of half an hour.
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August 17th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
can anyone think of a worse looking car? mmmmm…… , na. makes the AU falcon look sexy.
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August 17th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Gotta question the fuel consumption…18.6L/100km??
Surely that can’t be right for a diesel. Sounds like the fuel consumption of a 3 tonne truck.
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August 17th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
‘Polarising looks’? Very diplomatically put. Hands up all those that are for the looks of the, um, vehicle…
*crickets*
Thought so - not so polarising…
18.6L/100kms around town? AHAHAHAHAAAA!
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August 17th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Ha! Wonder if we will see any of these around with Mercedes badges on them! I love to laught at those people…”Ah Sir, what model benz is that?” *Smiles back*
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August 17th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
@ mike - there is a sy chairman running around brisbane with mercedes badges on them. the mercedes chairman! *vomits*
yeah yellow & black & white seem to love them, i see alot and have even had the misfortune of riding in one to the valley one night.
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August 17th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
18.6L far out!!! thats horrible for a diesel
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August 17th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Hi Pablo,
Yeah I know it’s hard to believe, I thought I’d miscalculated but no, 18.6 was the average of two tanks filled the driven around town. AC was on and a few blokes on board just to make it fair, but my driving was far from excessive. The car also have a few thousand on the odo so it was run in. I thought it may have been leaking fuel at first but no. Not a good one from an economy stand point.
Cheers Matt.
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August 17th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Okay, fresh from the Peugeot 308 wagon post where most folks were crying foul over its looks to this, what are you gonna take, guys?
Peugeot 308 or this?
Peugeot 308 or this?
Peugeot 308 or this?
The Peugeot 308!
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August 17th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
Thanks for confirming the 18.6 Matt.
Can you think of another car tested recently that has returned similar consumption around town?
What does a petrol Landcruiser or Patrol return?
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August 18th, 2008 at 8:37 am
What a shocker.
I was going to say that the only thing these are good for are maxi-taxi’s but even that seems too good a fate for such dross.
Second hand ones will make great Mount Druitt/Woodridge people-movers I guess.
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August 18th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Here’s an idea: Buy two compact sedans (eg. Lancer, Mazda 3) for $20k each, and combined they will have more seats and better fuel consumption!
They may not have plastic seats or polarising looks, but it would be cheaper to run, and less embarrassing :P
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August 18th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Style wise, it’s fine from the grille to the B Pillar, far better than the Peugeot 308 - well, any current peugeot.
From there back, and internally, it’s the worst thing on the planet.
But be a little kind - when Toyota puts the speedo in the middle, all the TPs of this forum love it, but when Ssangyong does it, it’s suddenly hideous. Just for clarification - it’s hideous whoever does it.
If it was a Camry returning such an abysmal fuel figure, it would be explained by the vehicle having some sort of technical fault on the individual car.
Third car in a week to get a FAIL - 2 Koreans and a French.
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August 18th, 2008 at 11:50 am
I just don’t see it? This is the most ugly car on the planet. And to me the 308 looks fresh, interesting and perhaps even beautiful.
Hmmmm…..it may be that I’m just a little odd, but I would consider buying a 308 but this car makes me sick just a little in the back of my throat.
What blows me away even more is that I have seen 3 of these on the road???? That’s 3 people who have actually parted with their hard earned for this hideous, fuel guzzling disaster on wheels??????????????????
If it was a brilliant car I could understand but…….?
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August 18th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Anyway a 308 hatch - Brilliant, a 308 touring - Brilliant, a 308 touring as a 7 seat people mover however - Not so brilliant.
SsangYong Savic - Road kill on wheels.
Citroen C4 Picasso - The Savic’s actual direct French competitor is a brilliant car that is available for the same price in a diesel. And Sh**s all over this car
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August 18th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
how old is this design now?
i remember this model shape at a motor show a few years back now and it sure stop me in my tracks! yikes!
surely ssanyong are either deaf or the buyers are blind!!
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August 18th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I always burst into laughter when I see someone who actually bought one of these sinfully ugly buckets….lol!!
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August 18th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Jeremy, yep I agree that this may even make the VN commie vissually passable, but fails dismally to make it sexy.
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August 18th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Jeez. What a feral looking bucket! How could any CEO say “yep, tool up and build it” That’s gotta be instant dismissal material. I hope the board give the CEO one as a parting gift!
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August 18th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Looks like a Dog r..ting a football!
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August 18th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
I have to agree with previous posters, the Stavic is the ugliest car on the road, especially from the rear. It looks like a smaller car has been shoved into the back of a bigger one. The front view isn’t too bad, reminds me of the import Toyota Mark II. As for the fuel economy, there was something badly wrong with the test car- I own a Rexton with the same engine and gearbox as the Stavic and despite being weightier (and usually heavily laden) my Ssangyong has averaged 10.1 litres/100km over 33,000km from new. Our rural speed limit is 110km/hr, too, and this is what I usually sit on.
As for the Mercedes connection, it’s my understanding that the 5-cylinder diesel engine blocks and pistons are made in Merc’s South African factory, and the 5-speed auto boxes are made in Germany.
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August 18th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
^DA. That’s an unusual way of describing it… but now that you mention it….. Are you an engineer per chance?
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August 18th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
what a heap of crap… SsangYong your products are a disgrace. I agree with technofreak these reviews give everybody a laugh at this car builders expense.
Still they deserve it. Just look at that rear!!!!
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August 18th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Bet it sells in droves in the middle east.THe land of golden camrys lol.
Who could design this thing seriously it is the ugliest car ever made.
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August 18th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
I see one of these and I want to Stavic myself!
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August 18th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Could cut that funny bit on the back off with an angle grinder and it would look ok.
Got to be something wrong with the demo to get that fuel consumption. Know a guy with a Diesel Rexton and uses half that.
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August 18th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Realcars, why would you waste a perfectly good cutting disc on it. If you just left it near the beach, it would just rust away for nix. Or, if you sent it to a chook farm, it would make a perfectly good chicken coop.
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August 18th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Someone in one of the forums I visit posted a pic of a Ssangyong with very large stickers on the rear window, it said:
“God created sh!t, Ssangyong made it move”
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August 18th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Perhaps Hyundai should buy Ssangyong and put the Stavic out of it’s misery?
What sort of a name is Stavic?
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August 18th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
One day all cars will look like this.LOL.
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August 19th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Andy01:
Ssangyong cars are a “disgrace” because they make one ugly model? By the same criterion Ford are a disgrace because they came up with the AU Falcon.
The Rexton is a good looking car, not dissimilar to the Mercedes M-Class to which it is related. Technically, it’s a very good car with only annoying details like lack of storage space and dowdy interior (the latter common to many cars of late, with dark, oppressive and heat absorbing fabrics) letting it down. The Ford Mondeo (an otherwise excellent car) is a case in point.
A couple of years ago when the Rexton II was released there were very few medium-sized automatic diesel 4WDs available. There are very few diesel people-movers available even now.
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August 19th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Mike……give us all a break mate!
This thing is not the only Ssangyong that is hideous, have you seen the twin cab Ute??????????
WTF happened to the front end of that thing???? You obviously have the toughest job in the world……trying to sell Ssangyongs!
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August 19th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Anti Spam Word is Buick. First thing that comes to mind is the strong duarable and relaible 3.8 Litre Buick Engine, that powered the commodore from VN - VY.
By just looking at the pictures you can tell there is quality issues and by the SsangYongs ugly, blindig looks you can tell it will have bad resale.
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August 22nd, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Carl, I’m not trying to sell Ssangyongs. The Rexton wasn’t even my first choice, it was the Sorento, which wasn’t available in diesel at the time my lease commenced.
As for the Sport ute, yes, it has an ugly front, but would be my choice for a light-duty ute given its excellent price and economical 2.0 litre motor. In fact I asked for one to replace the work Hilux ute but the lease company doesn’t allow Ssangyongs (nor Mazdas, so the BT-50 was out).
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September 9th, 2008 at 10:12 am
What the hell are you guys talking about,
I own a stavic and its the best car i ever had, with a family of 8 it moves us around with ease.
Well fuel consumption, we easily get 8.7 round town well on a trip 1,000 ks plus on a tank, goes like a rocket and handles like a dream.
Dont knock something you know nothing about, well done STAVIC
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September 10th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
wow not to many good comments on it this is my second stavic highly impressed with it traveled from WA to SA 800km a tank and around town i fill up when the fuel light comes on which is around the 70ltr mark and just about every time i have done 550km or more which if my calculations are right that works out to 12.72litres per 100km and this is with the 4×4 version which i presume is a little heavier and i get 800km on the highway yes it is quite strange to look at just to add a comment on the luggage room my partner and i have 3 kids aged from 1 to 6 so quite a bit of luggage when we go away and we have quite sufficient room and on the power yes it has turbo lag down bottom but for overtaking wow she fly’s by the time you have passed a road train you are pretty much passed him in a few seconds so apart from looks i think this review has been very exaggerated 18.6ks per 100 what a joke guess you learn to calculate or ask someone to do it for you
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October 19th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
I own a 2008 Stavic. I took it to Dubbo with my family of 5. Great drive!!! As for the 18.6l/100Km What a crock!! We’re getting 600-700Km a tank out of ours. The country drive from Sydney to Dubbo gave us 450Km on half a tank. Hating the looks is one thing, allowing it to cloud your judgement elsewhere is another. The fact is I bought it for $32,500 drive away 2nd hand. The kids love it!!I tried to convince them to change our Ssangyongs for 2 Hyundai Imax’s. They wouldn’t budge. I don’t know guys wouldn’t it be boring if all we had in the world were boxes invented by people with the same forsight as the inventors of the square.Most Ssangyong owners I know are passionate about there car, why because despite the looks it actually delivers!!!
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October 29th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
I own Stavic for last 3 years.
Weight - almost 2500kg - when empty
Motorway - 8.5 l /100km
Sydney city driving - 11.2 l/100km,
I love this Car ( i have own in the past - Toyota, Mithsubishi, Renaut, Fiat, BMW, Cadillac ).
I wonder why Ssangyong has in general very positive car reviews abroad but only negative in Australia???
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