2008 Ssangyong Actyon Sports review
December 13, 2007 by rjw
The ultimate expression of this idea is the SsangYong Stavic people mover, which has generated much more vitriolic ink than its modest sales could ever justify. Motoring writers love it because it gives them license to give their nasty side full throttle. Writing for another publication I once said the Stavic was so ugly owners should be careful not to leave it parked on the street on council clean-up day.
The Actyon provokes similar responses. While the overall silhouette and proportions are fine, to some eyes the clash of angles in its front styling makes it look like one of those unfortunate vehicles you sometimes see on their way to the panel beater after rear-ending the car in front.
I see an avian influence. It looks like a giant – and not very happy – bird of prey with its beady eyes and massive beak. But get over it – or stick a bullbar on it if you live in the country – because the surprising news is that the Actyon Sports is not all bad.
The Actyon Sports is a ute version of the Actyon SUV and like that vehicle is available with petrol and diesel engines in two and four-wheel drive. CarAdvice drove the top model in the ute range, the diesel Limited automatic, priced at $39,990.
Utes are not known for their generous standard equipment but the Actyon Sports Limited is equipped to something approaching luxury car levels. It has ABS, rear disc brakes (rare in this class), a quite appealing set of 18-inch alloys, climate control air conditioning with rear ducting, electrically-adjustable heated front seats, reverse parking sensors, power-folding mirrors, rain sensitive wipers, manual headlight levelling and a leather-trimmed steering wheel. The Actyon’s front airbags were rare in any 4WD ute until recently – but it missed the chance to up the ante by having side airbags.
The range begins at $29,990, for the basic two-wheel-drive model with rear drum brakes and 16-inch steel wheels. But even it has a standard plastic tray liner, immobiliser, keyless entry, alarm, front and rear mudflaps, front and rear fog lamps, electric windows, power mirrors, a four-speaker CD sound system with steering wheel controls and air-conditioning, not bad in a sector where some manufacturers will charge you more than $50,000 for a vehicle with no internal mirror adjustment.
Cabin fit and finish are fine but some of the plastics are hard and brittle in feel. Control layout is a little eccentric, with large circular clusters of buttons for minor functions, although all the major systems are more-or-less where you’d expect to find them. The handbrake is on the left of the transmission and the indicators are on the left of the steering column. Anyone familiar with Korean cars will recognise the tobaccoey interior smell and over-tanned steering wheel leather of the Actyon as common with most cars from that part of the world.
Wow.
100kw ute? hahahahaha
butt ugly in and out, underpowered and not cheap enough.
if i was in the market i’d be getting a couple year old hilux, navara etc
U.G.L.Y. mother, I vomit all over the place ever time I see one of these ssanyyongy’s..
Better than the “Musso Sports Ute” Ssang Yong use to make. But it still looks very ugly specialy from the front! Id rather spend a few extra $1000 for a rodeo etc.
It doesn’t matter how good or how powerful a ute is if it is that ugly. Surely no one will buy it anyway.
I tell you what if Ssang Yong reduced the car cost(amount) by about $5000 id think about buying it! But then i’ll still be miserable with everybody laughing at me and saying how ugly my car is!
Agreed, you’d be better buying something second hand like a Toyota that will never die, has some street-cred for said reliability, and doesn’t look like it ran into a towbar before it made it to the dealership.
2300 punters plonked down coin for this brand in 07′.
P.T.Barnum was 100% correct!:-)
Cheers
F-0
Even if it was a sexy Aston, at 100kw it is not a ute.
How can any carmaker get it so wrong?!
i reckon if it has the rextons front on it it might look half decent…. i have to say i have driven one and its quite a good thing
It would be good as a farm work hack. its that ugly and cheap you wouldnt care if you backed into a few fence post
buy it for a song and drive it to the ground
We drove past one of these crap-ssangs and i just pointed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Poor Ssanger, no pretty face, just solid value for money. I’ve owned a HiLux and wouldn’t have another one – overpriced and not as reliable as you’d expect. I think Toyota is trading on street cred’ it gained from the old FJ series.
Binaround,
If TP (Toyota Paul) heard you say that he would be spewing!
I think it looks pretty “snazzy” – a bit similar to the Mitsubishi utes. Not as boxy as the holdens and toyotas. Anyway, just haggle the dealers down a few grand & it’d be worth it as it comes with a lot of features other brands charge as extras. It’s the most environmentally friendly ute around
^^^^^^^^^^^^^But not the prettiest! HA!
I bought my Acton Sport 4X4 over a year ago and the more i drive it the more it grows on me. So what if it looks different from the rest of the crowd. it is for those that do not follow the rest. Like the sheep in Aussie. they follow one another. Ssanyong makes its own statments and those that drive them do so too.
Just drive it for a week and you will feel different from the rest believe me.
Herbert
TRUE SSANGYONG SOUTH AFRICA
I have owned one 9 months now and have not regretted buying it at all. Comfortable, frugal, very quiet interior, good hifi set. Good top speed 160kph is no problem at all. Worth the price I paid.
Those who say 100kw is not enough for a ute are not looking at the right stats. The torque and when it kicks in is what is important in the power department and over 300nm is enough. Test drove one the other day and there seems to be plenty of power.
However what is holding me back from buying is concern about parts and service availability, durability of the tray (if it will rust like other Korean steel) and real world fuel consumption. Would love to hear from owners about those issues.
A crash test rating might reassure my partner.
A three year old Toyota costs about the same but I would have to replace the seats and live with being as unoriginal as everyone else. ;p
It’s no more ugly than the new bloated whale looking HiLux or the wierd jellybean looking Triton.
I can live with the styling, but the tray overhand is enormous. Totally useless for carrying a heavy load. But then again every other twin cab on the market has the same problem – no space forward of the rear axle.
I think manufacturers have lost the plot. No tradie would buy one of the new crop. They are aimed dead on at the weekend family recreational brigade.
The grill on the Sport looks a lot like the front of an old Ford or Willys Overlander. OK by me.
95% GOOD BAD CARRYING CAPACITY SUSPENSION SITS ON BUMP STOPS WITH 300KG NUDGE BAR COSMETIC & VERY FLIMSY SERVICE PERSONEL VERY GOOD BUT UPPER MANAGMENT DO NOT WANT TO HELP DAVE
Got one a few months ago. The breaks are of concern to me as a result of a near accident. Is the pedal supposed to hit the floor in a emergency situation or if i were to put some pressure on it for 20 seconds?. My dealer seems to think its normal but cant find anyone else to say that’s o.k. Where can i get help?
Ssangyong. Yes I laughed too, until we traveled over 10,000ks in outback NT in a Musso towing a 2 tonne trailer. Handled everything the toyotas did and used half as much fuel. So I bought a Sports ute which has just done a highway trip from Canberra to Newcastle and used around half a tank (around 34lts for 560ks, you do the sums). As far as the looks go they grow on you. Michael I have not had that problem with mine.( 6 months and going strong) Has it got drum or disc rear brakes? Try the roadside assist hotline. It may be a warrentee issue.
Well – as they say… you wouldn’t know it until you own one ! I bought mine – manual, full leather seats + sport deck.. and that was 3 months ago. No regret – but I chose this UTE over my two other cars. Why – the power and torque just absorb you ! This gem can shame a hilux 2.5, nissan trooper, isuzu 2.5 and even the triton 2.5… hands down !! Doing 170 km/hr is no sweat at all and cornering / handling beat all those wannabees as this is the only one with 4 coil spring and 4 all around disc brake. Small catch in terms if crgo handling… but then we are urban yuppies and not contractors… 4 golf bags and luggage and 4 golf buddies – we are o our way to hatyai… Malaysia to South Thailand is a breeze with Actyon ( need to have though… ). You want to know more… just email ok ….
cheers..
I have 15 months before I can get one, it is going to be a long wait.
I own a Stavic and find it a fantastic vehicle, I just want to have the ute as well
Bought the SPR dual cab and it the best ute i have ever owned what you get for your money is way ahead of its competion and fit and finish is way beter than the ford or holdens i use to drive , if you are not a bage snob take one for a drive and you will nevr look back
I HAVE HAD MY DUEL CAB FOR 1 YEAR AND HAVE BEEN FAR MORE IMPRESSED THAN I EXPECTED, I BOUGHT IT FOR WORK AND NEVER LOOKED BACK NO PROBLEMS AT ALL, IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS I HAVE TAKEN IT, THE WIFE, TWO KIDS AND 1.7TON CARAVAN TO GOLD COAST FOR THREE WEEKS NEARLY 5000KM NO PROBLEM WITH IT AT ALL SMOOTH, LOW FUEL COST, COMFORTABLE AND I FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH PERFORMANCE OTHER THAN A LITTLE TORBO LAG SAME AS THE REST OF THEM. ONE WEEK AFTER I CAME BACK I HAD TO GO TO BOURKETOWN NEAR 3000KM ROUND TRIP INCLUDING HOMESTEADS, MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND OF THESE WERE DIRT ROADS I ONLY HAVE THE 2WD TRADIE BUT IT HANDLED IT WITH NO FUSS AT ALL WHILE TOWING 1/2 TON ENCLOSED TRAILER I WOULD RECCOMEND THIS CAR TO ANYONE AND I HAVE, I HAVE BEEN APPROCHED BY MANY PEOPLE ASKING WHAT IT WAS AND I WAS HAPPY TO TELL THEM. MOST PEOPLE SAID IT LOOKED DIFFERENT RATHER THAN UGLY AND WERE VERY IMPRESSED BY WHAT I PAID FOR IT
Have a 2007 Actyon 4wd Auto … Best car i have ever owned… Love cuising up the freeways with the trailor cruising past the nissans and toyota’s who do the run up at the hills, then eventually drop behind on a rise… (while i have cruise control engaged).. Done 75000k without a problem, goes everywhere the “real” 4 wheel drives go, but in comfort and with ease… yeah it looks weird.. butt ugly like a landrover? or butt ugly like a pregnant nissan? thats your call as i cruise past you with my feet on the dashboard!
I have had the Actyon Sports SPR Ute for 12 months all and all a good vehicle but the servicing is expensive, parts are not easily accessable and the dealer neglects to tell you that at approx 30000km you will need to not only replace the brake pads but also the brake discs, all tolled $1200. This makes an expensive 30000km service at around $1900, so although the vehicles are cheaper than a hilux or simular they certainly make up for it on parts and servicing and that is a let down.Very dissapointed with after sales servicing.
I have a 2007 A200 sports done 35k in 19 months with only minor niggles!
front pass wheel adjustment needs to be way out for FNQ roads or it will scrub in 4k (but thats the same for a 2009 200 series cruiser!!!!!!)and yes ssangyong parts are very expensive from the dealers but they can be got from the standard shops as OEM for cheap as chips! low micron particulate fuel filter change at 30k would have cost $250 just for filter from dealer but only 80 bucks for the same filter (delco) from parts shop over the road!!! tray has taken a pounding (I’m a tradie)few dents and scratches but is still good 2 wet seasons on. No rust anywhere that I can find and yes it can tow quite happily, 3 adults with 800kg in the back and a 2 ton trailer up a long steep incline raised an eyebrow among the hilux fans!
Upshot of it all is I love it and so does the family. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!
Oh and Bullbars are now available:
http://www.ecb.com.au/model/actyon.htm
http://www.ama4wd.com.au/index.....mp;id=1184
The problem with having looks that grow on you is that it takes longer to grow on other people. So where you are perfectly happy with the car, you’ll still have people pointing and laughing at you for buying something that looks like the back end of a bottom-dwelling fish. I park next to a guy who owns an actyon so that i never loose the car in the car-park, you can see these buggers a mile off..