Ssangyong Stavic: first look at sharper second-gen people-mover

Set to launch internationally early this year, the new Stavic benefits from a design overhaul that sees the seven-seater shake the “world’s ugliest car” tag of the outgoing first-gen for a sharper, more confident look.

Mirroring the hard-edged styling of the Actyon Sports ute, the new Ssangyong Stavic features a broad trapezoidal grille and assertive headlights that are a signature of the South Korean brand’s new design language.

While retaining the generous glasshouse, strong D-pillar and wraparound rear window of the outgoing model, the Stavic’s designers have replaced its curves with square lines to create a more modern, sophisticated, and significantly less polarising overall design.

The new Stavic will be offered with 2.0-litre diesel and 3.2-litre petrol engine options around the world, with Ssangyong claiming it will be capable of both on- and off-road driving and meeting owner’s needs for “business, leisure and travel”.

Daniel Cotterill from Ssangyong’s Australian distributor, Ateco Automotive, confirmed the local division was working hard to bring the new Static to local showrooms before the end of 2013.

Cotterill said both drivetrain options were on the table at this stage.

The outgoing Ssangyong Stavic (below) is priced from $27,613 for the 2.7-litre five-cylinder five-speed manual variant.

Just 37 Stavics were sold across the country in 2012, down 41 per cent from the previous year. Ssangyong has sold 1297 in Australia since the car’s launch in 2005.