Articles by Owner Review

It's a computer with a 15.4-inch FHD (Full High-Definition) screen. With no engine and no (conventional) transmission, there's ample space for storage and the rear seats are flat on the ground. Only thing is the sunroof does not open. Acceleration is satisfying. No transmission lag, meaning you get the full boost as soon as you pedal down. Charging at home means I only pay around $4.00 per 100km. Service is on-demand so no 'fixed' cost. No issues so far.

The car has all the latest safety technology, which is almost to the level of a self-driving vehicle, although it will warn you to put your hands back on the wheel if it notices you are leaving the driving to it. The audible lane-keeping alarms are very sensitive and can be annoying in suburban areas (with painted lane markings). There is also an audible alarm whenever the car cannot identify the road markings for its lane departure and steer-assist functions, which can become very frustrating if driving on an old country road.The multimedia is generally on par with most, with a nice, solid, clear sound which accepts Apple and Android via USB. The standard (8.0-inch) display is woeful to the degree that you expect to find additional display options but unfortunately you are limited to just showing the radio station. These days we almost all use our phones to manage our music preferences, anyway. Also noticeably lacking is a GPS although, again, it is easier to rely on the latest maps with Google or Waze rather than relying on the dealership to charge you for latest maps. The nicely leather-wrapped steering wheel has easy to manage controls for the multimedia, adaptive cruise control and the 10.25-inch digital dash display options. The only regular annoyance is having to turn cruise control 'on' before being able to set or resume, whereas my other two cars default to on unless turned off. Other niceties like rain sensing wipers, proximity sensing auto opening boot, heated and cooling seats, powered sunroof, etc etc, make it a very enjoyable and comfortable ride for long and short trips.The biggest disadvantage of this compact SUV (possibly due to the ample rear passenger legroom) is the lack of boot space. Whilst you are provided a full-size (matching) 19-inch 'Diamond Cut' alloy spare, this chews up valuable storage space. The base model has more boot space thanks to its emergency puncture sealer with no spare wheel. Fortunately, the 60/40 split rear seats open up ample space for swallowing very large items as required. There are also rails for racks on the roof. The Korando Ultimate isn't left behind in regular traffic, using the 1.6-lltre turbo-diesel engine, even with four adults onboard. This is possibly in part due to the six-speed transmission (with traditional torque converter). In real-world driving with a mix of local shopping and highways it has managed a long-term average of 7.2L/100km although this is continuing to improve since I made a tree change earlier this year (yes, I log every tank in a spreadsheet!). The ride is very comfortable on the 19-inch alloy wheels, with a good ride height.The myriad of safety technology also means plenty of audible alarms including lane departure, safety distance alert, start alert and so on. Whilst adaptive cruise control is all the rage I find it annoying as it can subtly slow the car behind another slow vehicle with you realising, until you look at the speedometer and see you are doing 20km/h under the posted speed limit! At least the digital dash shows a green line between your current speed and your set cruise speed, which helps.The Ultimate is AWD, which can be a huge benefit if camping or towing, although I have not yet found a need for it and it possibly just impacts fuel economy. I have seen plenty of YouTube clips showing it as very capable when the terrain gets rough or loose and I hope to find an opportunity soon to give it a try.I think the Korando is a decent looking SUV from all angles. The black metallic I chose may be frustrating to keep clean, but rewards with an attractive green fleck that shows up in the sunlight. The 19-inch alloys also add to the overall good looks. SsangYong provides pre-set service costs on its website. At my recent two-year service I needed to add a fuel filter and cabin filter to the "$316 fixed cost", making it a total of $496. It requires a quality 0W-30 oil which adds to the cost. Insurance is very reasonable compared to my other cars, being a low-risk vehicle from all perspectives. The diesel option is sometimes better than petrol although all fossil fuels are way overpriced these days. Whilst living in Sydney I often saw over 10L/100km, although the average has dropped to almost 7.0L\100km with more rural and highway driving. The seven-year warranty seems decent in today's market and adds assurance to the reliability. The car has had one recall to fit the DRLs which initially had not been fitted to Australian-delivered cars. There is also a niggling transmission fault that sometimes makes it 'slip' between first and second gear under light load, for the first gear change of the journey. It never occurs again until completely cold and only ever once in a trip. This is one of those faults that can never seem be repeated or diagnosed by the dealer, but it has never been significant enough to follow up outside of mentioning it during a scheduled service.

The adaptive cruise control with lane keep is great especially when sitting in stop-start traffic (car stops and goes by itself). The tow settings are also a big step forward.Tyre pressure read-out is great and (surprisingly) very accurate.Very well designed interior. Only suggestion is addition of a phone holder . Why don’t carmakers integrate one into the design?The V6 is an awesome motor. I previously had a Nissan Navara ST-X 550 and loved it. The Ford is much better off the mark and the electronics give it a smoother feel. It's great to know you have power to spare when you need it.After 50000km my average fuel consumption is 8.7L/100km. This includes towing aproximately 6000km and a couple of trips in the bush.Apart from the occasional screen crash it hasn’t missed a beat

Connectivity is easy and appropriate for the age of the car. Apple CarPlay works well, once the pixel gremlins were worked out. The sound system is adequate (no car is acoustically perfect) and the digital radio is excellent. Auto headlights and safety systems work very well and although I get annoyed by warning beeps, they have saved me some grief. Although the rear seats can be restrictive with long-legged front passengers in place, the head space is good for 180cm+ people. The cargo area is adequate, and when the seats are down very good. The car can carry a double bass easily - an essential criteria for me. Roadholding and traction are very good with little body roll and reasonable ride, considering the use of 19-inch run-flat tyres. Power is good. Not in a 'hot hatch' way, but more than adequate for most uses. Zero to 100km/h in around 7.0sec and great power in overtaking makes it a good all-around quickish and safe car. Generally I have been pleased with the overall costs of the car. Any servicing from official Merc dealers is expensive and I have sourced an experienced Mercedes service mechanic at a local garage. He charges a reasonable rate for a first class service. Otherwise, little different from my friends with Korean or Japanese cars. I have had no significant issuers with the car. In its first year, it had a number of small recalls for computer issues. There was an oil leak at the turbo, which needed a new O-ring and the driver's seat needed repair to the fabric at 60,000km.

The Astra comes with a 7.0-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Its easy to use and I've had no problems with it. Safety-wise it comes with six airbags, stability and traction controls along with lane assist and AEB (which can be overly sensitive at times). It can seat four comfortably, however there are no rear air vents. There are cupholders and decent sized door bins. The boot is also a good size but has a large loading lip with no adjustable boot floor and no 12-volt outlet. There is, however, a space-saver spare wheel under that boot floor. Being a 1.4-litre turbo it has enough go but at times can feel breathless if you have four adults on-board and the air con at full blast. The Astra rides on 17-inch alloys and has a good balance between ride and handling. The 1.6 turbo on higher spec Astras would offer better performance for spirited drivers. The engines offered are newer compared to contemporary rivals. Running cost are reasonable with the trip computer reading 6.7L per 100km on regular 91 RON unleaded. Servicing is required every 15,000km. At the time of purchase I was given a five-year factory warranty and three years' free servicing by Holden. Despite Holden's closure there are still previous Holden dealers (who have changed brands) that can take care of servicing. Reliability hasn't been so good. I've had engine problems as well as rattles and the paint quality is very poor. The engine problem was covered under warranty but forum feedback confirms these 1.4 turbos are prone to issues.

Very good. The lane assist and front collision avoidance are easy to use and extremely useful on long highway trips. Another good feature is the wireless phone charging. Connectivity is simple. The all around cameras and sensors are a great assistance when parking in tight places. The multimedia screen is large which makes it easy to see maps, etc. I have taken five adults on a 1700km round trip and they all commented positively on the amount of legroom and how comfortable the seats were. They also mentioned how quiet it was and the ride quality. The rear cargo area had more than enough room for all the baggage and a cooler box. It's a large vehicle with a high seating position. It's easy to get into a comfortable driving position with the available seat and steering wheel adjustments. The 10-speed transmission delivers smooth changes and the power from the V6 is impressive. Steering is light and handling is sure footed. The suspension soaks up the bumps quietly which transfers into low interior noise. I’m averaging just over 10 litres per 100km and hoping this will reduce as the engine wears in. No first service yet due the low km travelled to date. Insurance costs (factored into the purchase price) were as expected. I haven't priced a new set of tyres but don’t expect them to be cheap. There have been a couple of recalls which have rectified mainly electronic defects. The Ranger has not missed a beat but has only 3000-plus km on the clock. I don’t expect any major issues by ensuring servicing at regular intervals. The vehicle will be doing some towing in the future over long distances so servicing is important.

Brilliant for a 2014 model with all the tech I need via a touchscreen, seven airbags, heated and cooled power leather seats, a power tailgate, sunroof and adaptive cruise control. Excellent seat and steering operation with both moving out of the way for an easy exit. Rear seats fold flat enabling me to carry my electric golf buggy while leaving plenty of room for golf clubs, etc. Handling its brilliant thanks to air suspension plus huge wheels and tyres. Averaging 10 litres per hundred km. Servicing is every 10,000km. Average insurance costs and, so far, no reliability issues. After 172,000km there have been no real reliability issues. However, the front brake rotors may need to be replaced soon.

Original navigation map with no later updates. Replaced with Android/Google maps, Bluetooth, etc. Plenty of room for five adults and it's very comfortable. Rear cargo area is brilliant with lots of space. There's a 12V socket in the rear cabin and two more in the cargo area. There are cupboards for a first aid kit and fire extinguisher, as well as tie down loops, a cargo safety net and cargo blind. Love the way it drives. Excellent on the open road and surprisingly capable on dirt or rough tracks. Handles better than you would expect for a vehicle of this size. Diesel fuel with a 100 litre tank. Averages around 10L/100km with city and country driving combined. Service costs a little more than average but oil/filter changes only every 12 months or 15,000km when using approved oils. Engine is gear driven so no timing belt or chains to worry about. Owned for five years and the vehicle is now 18 years old. Replaced the tailshaft due to a centre bearing support collapse at 120,000km. That's a known fault and a maintenance item that should normally be replaced at approx 150,000km. The air con compressor failed at 130,000km. No other faults.