Working on a comeback from the bruising caused by Mercedes-Benz and Daewoo, Ssangyong is about to take on the people mover segment with the Stavic.
It's a funny name for a turbo diesel people mover (or anything for that matter) but the newcomer from Ssangyong has plenty of positives to make the name seem insignificant.
How's this for starters?
Stavic's 2.7-litre, five cylinder engine and five speed automatic transmission are pretty well the same as in a Mercedes-Benz ML 4WD and the suspension has been tweaked by none other than Lotus. Two other significant points are Stavic's rear wheel drive and all wheel drive availability and for really, really big families, up to eleven seat capacity though this spec isn't certain for Australia.
Stavic was launched a few months ago in Korea. Comparable with Chrysler's Voyager for size, Stavic weighs in at around 2.1 tonnes. This bulk is offset by the torquey turbo diesel engine that also delivers surprisingly good fuel economy averaging around 10.0 litres/100km.
The diesel engine has a high pressure common rail injection system for optimum economy, low emissions and strong throttle response.
A 3.2-litre straight six cylinder petrol version in rear and all wheel drive is produced and will arrive later in the year.
The all wheel drive version is almost Robinson Crusoe here except for an all wheel drive Chrysler Voyager that costs a bomb. The Stavic all wheel drive is a much tougher customer, capable of mixing it with off road SUVs in a wide range of driving conditions. The torque-on-demand all wheel drive can be locked in low range 4WD for limited traction conditions.
Ground clearance is adequate and the vehicle seems well protected underneath. Ride is controlled by a double wishbone system up front and 10 links at the rear.
Stavic is built on a "fusion" chassis using elements from various Ssangyong products. Many components are specified to commercial vehicle standard for durability and strength though Stavic was conceived and built as a passenger vehicle.
ABS, air bags, dual air conditioning, tiptronic automatic transmission, cruise control and a brace of other goodies including power operated ancillaries are part of the package.
Numerous seating options span everything from seven arm chairs with pivoting centre row seats through to three rows of three in the back and two up front making eleven. Seven seats is standard.
An eleven seat combo would be tight and leaves minimal luggage room however it would be extremely useful for tour or hotel operators and with a trailer on the back, other commercial applications.
On an extensive test of the Stavic late last year in New Zealand a couple of points rang home – build quality is impressive and the interior is as good as anything from Japan in terms of look, fit and finish.
On the road, Stavic feels stable and as responsive as a vehicle such as this can. It's good to drive and rolls along with minimum fuss or commotion. We drove one with eight adults aboard and it made little difference to performance or ride.
The fully equipped version on test featured a sunroof, automatic headlight control, park assist and power front seats with heating among its inventory.
Some might find Stavic's lines jarring but the same has been said of other brands that have gone on to achieve stronger sales than previous better regarded models.
Dealership numbers are on the increase with 48 currently operating and up to 75 expected by the end of the year. A spare parts inventory contains most "fast moving" items with non-stocked parts air-freighted in.
Stavic in seven and nine seat versions will arrive here by the end of February and will sell for between $35,000 and $45,000 depending on the model. It brings Ssangyong's local lineup to four vehicles with more following this year.
