2008 SsangYong Sports Review
September 13, 2008 by Matt Brogan
But on to slightly more crucial matters, the all important drive line. Motivated by a 2.0-litre, DOHC, turbo-diesel, four-cylinder engine the Sports manages 104kW at 4000rpm and 310Nm from 1800rpm. It’s seemingly ample but delivery suffers from dire turbo-lag issues both off-the-line and after reapplication of the throttle from corners and roundabouts.
It’s also slow to wind up, and despite the six-speed automatic (with steering wheel mounted manual override buttons) is reluctant to grab the correct gear quickly. There’s the occasional thud on kick-down too with this ‘box being no where near as smooth as SsangYong’s five-speed offering in the much maligned Stavic.
So by now I guess you’re thinking where are the good bits? He promised us good bits. Well, believe it or not yes there are some, and they’re quite notable. They’re even worth the competition taking a look at, and here they are.
Believe it or not the Sports rides extremely well. In fact I’d go so far as to say it’s class leading in terms of comfort. There’s no hard riding feedback from ancient leaf springs here. Struts up front and a 10-point multi-link rear end mean even the biggest of craters are absorbed without fuss to the point you go looking for them to see if you’ll win – you won’t. It truly is a surprise. The handling is about average for a ute but in saying that it didn’t throw up any nasty surprises.
The other big plus is the fuel economy on offer. Load this thing to the hilt and give it a hard time and you’ll still return 9.5-litres per 100km as a combined average – not bad. It’s a little over that of the claimed ADR result but they’re seldom realistic to begin with.
Braking is excellent and not only does the Sports offer four-wheel discs, something a few rivals should consider this century, but also ABS with EBA and EBD.
The steering is a little bit of a let down, not only for being rather vague, but for having almost four turns from lock to lock. The turning circle is 12.4 metres all up but when tackling roundabouts or backing a trailer, this thing is a bit of an armful and will certainly keep you busy. Parking takes a bit of a swing too.
The payload rating is a decent 815kg and with the 540mm deep box measuring in at 1275mm long by 1610mm wide it’s about average for a dual-cab pick-up. The heavy tailgate will keep your biceps in shape and as an added bonus the Sports comes complete with heavy duty tie down hooks and poly tub liner as standard (tonneau cover is a cost option – firm pricing could not be sourced).
Safety comes compliments of dual front airbags and a set of seat belts which are height adjustable for the driver and passenger. Although this is about as much as can be expected from a commercial vehicle the lack of EuroNCAP, ANCAP or NHTSA rating could be an ominous sign.
So if you’re in the market for a dual-cab ute, can live with the looks in exchange for a quiet, comfortable ride – and don’t expect too much in the way of compliments at the pub – then the Sports might just do it for you. But with so much tried and true metal out there for the same coin, it’s worth spending a weekend or two getting to know a few new car salesmen first.
CarAdvice Overall Rating: 
How does it Drive: 
How does it Look:
How does it Go:
Specifications:
- Engine: 1998cc DOHC four-cylinder
- Induction: Common rail injection & turbo
- Power: 104kW @ 4000rpm
- Torque: 310Nm @ 1800rpm
- Transmission: Six-speed automatic
- Brakes: four-wheel discs with ABS & EBD
- Driven Wheels: Rear
- Fuel Type: Diesel
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 75 litres
- Fuel Consumption: 8.7 litres/100km (Combined)
- CO2 Emissions: 230 grams per kilometre
- Safety: Dual front airbags
- ANCAP Rating: N/A
- Service Interval: 6 months/10,000km
- Spare Wheel: Full size steel
- Turning Circle: 12.4 metres
- Towing Capacity: 2300kg (Braked)
- Warranty: 3 years/100,000km
- Weight: 1825kg (Tare)/815kg (Payload)
- Wheels: 16 x 6.5-inch alloy
Road Test the Rivals:
- Ford Ranger: $33,590
- Holden Colorado: $33,990
- Mahindra Pik-Up: $26,990
- Mazda BT50: $33,020
- Mitsubishi Triton: $30,990
- Nissan Navara: $44,240
- Toyota Hilux: $37,220
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Print it: 
Your tradie mate was right, it’s the northern end of a south bound Rhino!
The safety rating would definitely be in question, but I don’t think most will go past the looks, so it doesn’t really matter. It may be decent to drive, but it just looks so awful (2 stars? You’re a generous guy!).
Good review though, nice to see a site publishing reviews for even these sorts of cars.
Just a thought, maybe Sssangyong delivered some of these to ANCAP for testing, but with that bent down front end they thought they’d been crashed already?
I was eating my cake while stumbling across this review. As the first image popped up, I lost my appetite. Even 5 stars couldn’t help to dismiss how dreadful looking is this car.
Great review though!!
why even bother reviewing?
Mike,
In the interests of being as fair to all manufacturers as possible we will review as many cars and commercials as possible. Variety being the spice of life and all that. I’m sure that if you’re at all familiar with our style you’ll no doubt know we’re not afraid to call a spade a spade.
Cheers Matt.
Looks like sh**, doesn’t quite go like sh** off a shiny shovel…and who cares about ANCAP ratings… at least it’ll look better after the crash!
Be ok for $20k, $30k+ they are dreaming.
Its doomed.
What resale? :-)
Cheers
F-0
30k? I would say most would choose a late model seocnd hand hilux of or something instead.
Nice one Riceboy, totally agree.
Maybe SsangYong should merge with Subaru. They seem to have the same design themes. Subaru can teach SsangYong about building cars that go fast and people buy regardless of the look, and get good resale. And SsangYong can teach Subaru about charging an arm and a leg for these ugly cars, but at least they’d ride well. Imagine the money they’ll save on sharing the 4WD components. The next model Stavic could probably be rebadged as a Tribeca.
ps. I used to own a 2000 Liberty…
I like the way it looks, maybe thats why when i married my wife i couldnt belive no other bloke had snapped her up yet.
That’s a nice one Motor Head, but I’m sure your wife looks better than almost any Ssangyong. She’s probably better finished and more reliable as well.
What I don’t quite understand is why a first world country like South Korea can’t build better quality cars than this? Hyundai has only really started producing decent cars in the last few years, but the other manufacturers produce the sort of crap on a stick I expect out of China.
You know what’s really amazing about these cars is that they actually look WORSE on road than they do in the pics.
Maybe it’s just because it means someone actually bought one. Somehow…
My god, the photographer almost got that thing to look good in the first shot…
…almost.
Wow a brand New 1999 year light commercial. Thats an awesome Idea. oh hang on… How can Korea’s electrical goods be so, well good looking and their cars look so crap…?
……….yes, easy enough to live with looking out of but living with the crying children & people laughing on the side of the road will be hard to take.
This is what happens when korean car maker CEOs and indians for that matter own Audis & BMWs and vis-à-vis the TT look of the dash air outlets, they begin copying tiny elements. Then they leave the room and their engineers starting mucking about and lose the plot.
Just plain awful.
Oh…multi link suspension? It must be driving like a car rather than a truck. I will buy one definitely…comfort and quietness is everything…I am sick of driving a truck like Ute..
Looks aside, sounds like it is a functional work truck, Seems Ssangyong has a long road ahead before it gathers a following. Does any one remember when cars like Nissan, Mazda and later even Hyundai for example came into the market in Australia with a resistant buying public shouting boos and hisses? Look where they are now. Just saying, don’t right them off to soon or you could be eating your words later.
@ salesman jokes aside, yes you are right but I think these newer players should look at their history and perhaps take a less controversial approach to gaining consumer acceptance. Famously in the past, Lord Rootes of the British Rootes Group empire scoffed at the innovative original VW beetle as in his eyes it was a pitiful excuse for a car and never amount to anything.
Words were eaten.
@ Salesman – All those brands you mentioned didn’t start out by charging top dollar for second rate goods, they earned their way to where they are by admitting through their pricing that their product had a LONG way to go in catching up. Perhaps SsangYong could do the same instead of trying to compete mano e mano.
I guess disgruntled postal employees and friends of Martin Bryant would love a car like this. Would give them an outlet (and an excuse) for road rage…what with all the abuse they would cop over its styling.
“Sorry officer I had to shoot him, he said my car looked like a Rhino”
“Well sir…it does”
Bang!
What a waste of valuable server space this article is! Something so ugly does not deserve to have photos taken of it…
For a joke you could park this thing outside Luna park and see how many drunks try to get in through the front grille.
Interior – Handbrake is on the wrong side! And the Dashboard is just ugly.
Exterior – The same……….UGLY!
Other than being cheap I still wouldn’t buy it!
As usual the major comments regarding SSangyongs are in regards to their appearance. It is good to see a company being a bit individual. Styling is a personal choice (like art, eg Picasso couldn’t draw a human and put their body parts in the right place yet many people like his work, that’s fine that’s their choice,) for example, I don’t like Alphas, yet many people drool over them. Lets face it, there are a number of companies that have variations on the Ssangyong styling theme. Imitation being a compliment. Due to the “flak” that Ssangyong get, I investigated them one day and guess what, I bought one for the price of a 4-5 year old competitors vehicle. I got a new car with a 5 year warranty and I am so imressed with it. It is 20% more economical that my old 1800cc wagon and it has performed faultless for the years that I have had it. If only more folk would get over being embarrased by the styling, they might find out like I did, that these are actually not bad vehicles. I have owned local, european and japanese vehicles in my time, and I would have to say that the Ssangyong wins hands don for economy, comfort and reliability. Any passengers I have taken anywhere have always expressed their surprise and delight in the pleasure of the experience. Would I buy a Ssangyong again? Without hesitation.
Only bit I don’t like is the gapping grill otherwise I would probably consider one given the versatility of the twin cab and looks pretty good everywhere else.
Know a guy who bought a Rexton and very happy with it and he use to be a toyota man.
Toyota’s great!! But you know I don’t have the money they want and I just don’t like being one in a million, it’s why they call us the land of the free. Ford will never see my money again and that includes their offshoot Mazda. My Actyon Sports is great mate. I love it!!I had this guy try to flog me up hill in his toyota at Old Windsor Rd my Actyon with 600Kg on the back glided up while he was revving the crap out of his. Admittedly his was an older model but who cares this ute is a dream, I love it and so do the passengers I take around in it. My kids want no other car, strange that!! Just like racism kids are colourblind they just know what they like. They’re not sucking up trying to look good in everyone elses eyes like a lot of the comments I’ve read so far, constantly worrying about what others will think of them!!
As a surveyor for over 35 yrs I’ve clocked up more than 400,000 kms over some of the worst parts of Aus and New Guinea. Driven Toyota, Nissan, Landrovers etc. Four years ago I got a Ssangyong. Unless you are really keen on going somewhere really bad then my Ssangyong will go where the others go. It only costs two thirds of the price to buy, is more comfortable particularly for someone in the back seats, rides better, gets great mileage, tows well.
I reckon it doesn’t look pretty but the wife loves it. Its load carrying capacity is the only place I sometimes get squeezed. Wouldn’t go back to Toyota.
Don’t buy this vehicle be warned!!! This company has no honour and no integrity. I eat my words from before. Please hear me, I don’t want to go into it on the blog but believe me they are not worthy of your trust.
Some people say dont trust ssanyong!! i ask them atleast have read a motor magazine?? ssanyong`s are really economical and easy to drive…..i like driving a rexton than driving a montero!
I have had my Ssangyong Musso Sports ute for over 4 years and it has never let me down and boy I have taken it places that my 80 Series Cruiser would have balked at. Sister in law has a Rexton and her rural road has worn out a Volvo Cross Country & a Subaru Outback in no time but the Rexton just doesn’t brake. I have test driven the SPR Ute it it was amazing but until I break the Musso Sports it will have to wait but ond day for sure I will own one.
Well you’ve got a good one then beause I had one as well, and it spent alot of time in the workshop. The build quality was terrible. The resale is terrible, so if you’ve got a good example, keep it!
After owning a SPR for a year I reckon value for money its a great unit. Rides better,has more room front & back, more comfortable ,over 10k cheaper then best quote then the jap stuff.As for front grill great place to fit two big driving lights wife did not looks at first But loves the comfort
…And I own a Ssangyong Musso Sports too, and its a great car. A very good ride with a good turbo diesel engine and more comfortable than my VT Commodore.
Just a few words for some of the writers above – who clearly know everything…..
The engine is a Mercedes 5 Cylinder Turbo Diesel made with both Mercedes and Mercedes licensed parts by Ssangyong.
The gearbox is made….. In Albury Wodonga, a T5, five speed manual and is the same as used in many Commodores and Falcons.
The turbo Charger is a Garrett.
The Alternator is by the US`s biggest manufacturer….
The list goes on……..
Its a pity that the writers don`t like quality products by some of the worlds leading auto manufacturers..