Used SsangYong Korando (Mk4, 2019-date) buyer's guide: an SUV for just £10k
A full used buyer's guide on the SsangYong Korando covering the Mk4 that has been on sale since 2019
Verdict
In 2023 SsangYong sold 1,660 cars in the UK, to claim 0.09 per cent of the market. Under KGM, in 2024 this dropped to 1,617 cars across the entire model range, then 1,574 in 2025, with market share dipping to just 0.08 per cent. Predictably, the SsangYong Korando has never appeared in Driver Power (nor any other SsangYong/KGM product), and the company doesn’t even appear in our Brands survey. But forums suggest that owners are essentially happy with their Korandos.
KGM Motors is one of those brands that ticks over quietly in the background, with relatively little consumer awareness because
it doesn’t have huge marketing budgets. This South Korean company can trace its roots all the way back to 1954, when Ha Dong-Hwan Automobile Manufacturing was set up. It was renamed Dong-A Motors in 1977, then SsangYong in 1988, before bankruptcy led to a takeover by KGM in 2022.
As a result, the Korando that we’re covering here was made by both SsangYong and KGM. However, the original Korando was introduced as long ago as 1983, with sequels arriving in 1996 then 2011, with the fourth-generation car coming in 2019.
Far better than its predecessor, the Korando Mk3 is rather likeable – but should you go for something more mainstream?
History
The fourth-generation Korando was unveiled at the March 2019 Geneva Motor Show, and the first UK cars were delivered to their owners in September of that year. They could choose between a 134bhp 1.6-litre diesel engine and a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol motor rated at 161bhp. The latter was available with six-speed manual or automatic transmissions, but the diesel came in auto form only. While all petrol-engined Korandos came with front-wheel drive, diesel buyers could choose between two and four-wheel drive.
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Cash £25,720Things ticked over until the start of 2024, when KGM emerged from the ashes of SsangYong. The Korando was rebranded and the diesel engine was dropped, leaving just the 1.5-litre petrol unit. The previous ELX, Ventura, Ultimate and Pioneer trims were replaced by the single K35, and in time it was joined by K30 and K40 trims.
Which one should I buy?
SsangYongs outnumber KGMs by more than four to one, and there’s a 60:40 split in favour of petrol-engined cars. Three-quarters of Korandos are autos and one in four has four-wheel drive. We’d be inclined to pick a diesel, probably with front-wheel drive for better economy, but four-wheel-drive models make sense, too.
Buy a Korando ELX and it’ll come with cruise control, high-beam assist, 17-inch alloys, electrically folding door mirrors and a full complement of safety kit including traffic-sign recognition and hill-descent control.
Ventura trim came with 18-inch wheels, heated front seats, a rear camera, front and rear parking sensors, an eight-inch touchscreen and roof rails. Ultimate adds leather trim, electric adjustment and ventilation for the front seats, navigation, ambient cabin lighting, an electric tailgate (auto-gearbox cars only), a heated steering wheel, privacy glass and LED headlights.
On the road
This is arguably the Korando’s weakest area, because it lags behind rivals in several ways. The refinement levels of petrol and diesel editions are disappointing, and while the former feels reasonably sprightly, the diesel doesn’t have the zest that you might expect. The automatic gearbox isn’t as slick as it should be, and the steering doesn’t offer a lot of feedback. On twisty roads you’ll notice there’s plenty of body roll in corners, but the pay-off is a ride that’s more comfortable than you’ll find elsewhere, especially on cheaper models with smaller wheels.
Alternatives to the SsangYong Korando
The mid-sized SUV segment is one of the busiest, so the Korando is up against some talented rivals; many are better to drive and have a larger dealer network. These include the Ford Kuga, Peugeot 3008, Vauxhall Grandland and Citroen C5 Aircross.
The VW Group has the SEAT Ateca, VW T-Roc and Skoda Karoq, while a couple of Korean alternatives are the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage. We’d also try the Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, while the Renault Kadjar and the Nissan Qashqai are well worth a look, too. Another cracker is the Dacia Duster, which like all of these rivals, is more plentiful than the Korando.
Prices
Early Korando's are relatively reasonably priced, but newer KGM models carry a £10k premium. Diesels are more expensive, while there a few pure electric Korando E-Motions for sale.
You can buy a used SsangYong Korando for just over £10,000 through our Buy a Car service,
Check the price of a used SsangYong Korando with our free car valuation tool...
What to look for
Common issues
There aren’t enough Korandos around to pin down specific problem patterns, but some owners have complained of failed air-con compressors, premature suspension wear and worn steering racks.
On the pull
The Korando is popular with people who want to tow. If that’s you, make sure you buy a diesel model: these can pull up to 2,000kg (750kg unbraked); petrol editions are limited to 1,500kg (500kg unbraked).
She’s electric
The 187bhp electric Korando e-motion arrived in spring 2023 with a 61.5kWh battery. Just a handful were sold before it was quietly withdrawn soon after SsangYong morphed into KGM.
Peace of mind
When SsangYong introduced the Korando Mk3, it came with a warranty that lasted for seven years or 150,000 miles, but KGM watered this down to a five-year/100,000-mile guarantee.
Interior
The cabin is a high point, with comfy seats, generally high-quality materials, an appealing design and decent infotainment. The Korando is big for its class, so there’s lots of space for five adults, there are plenty of cubbyholes and the boot is impressively large. It’ll stow 551 litres with the back seats in use, or 1,248 litres with them folded down.
Running costs
All Korandos need to be serviced every 12 months, with a 10,000-mile limit for petrols and 12,500 miles for diesels. Each service is priced differently, but an oil and filter change is £250 and the big one is the fourth service, which will set you back £440. A service plan is available at £34 per month, which includes the first three services, the first MoT and two years of breakdown cover. All engines are chain-driven so there’s no cambelt.
All Korandos were priced below £40,000 when new so the road tax is £200 per year. Insurance groups are 21-32 for SsangYongs, whereas the much narrower model range for the KGM Korando means that the groups range between 20 and 21. The Korando e-motion sits in groups 31-32. Petrol engines can struggle to manage 30mpg; expect a 40mpg average from a diesel.
Recalls
KGM hasn’t issued any recalls for the Korando, but SsangYong issued two. The first came in July 2020, for cars built up to June that year, some of which had fuel pipes that could crack. The pipes were in the engine bay and the fuel leaks could lead to a fire; the solution was to fit replacement pipes, which wouldn’t harden and crack from the heat.
The second recall was issued in January 2024, and this campaign involved Korandos produced between May 2019 and January 2020. This time the problem was sub-standard steering-column mounting brackets that could fail. Any car that failed the recall inspection would have an entire new dashboard fitted, complete with a redesigned steering mounting bracket.
Driver Power owner satisfaction
In 2023 SsangYong sold 1,660 cars in the UK, to claim 0.09 per cent of the market. Under KGM, in 2024 this dropped to 1,617 cars across the entire model range, then 1,574 in 2025, with market share dipping to just 0.08 per cent. Predictably, the Korando has never appeared in Driver Power (nor any other SsangYong/KGM product), and the company doesn’t even appear in our Brands survey. But forums suggest that owners are essentially happy with their Korandos.
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