SsangYong Kyron – Enjoy Big SUV Comfort With Low Running Costs
Imagine this – You get to ride in a large SUV, with full leather seating, electrical seats, with enough room for five large adults. You get a Mercedes-Benz made five speed automatic gearbox that has a manual shift option, a powerful 139 horsepower turbo charged DOHC engine that can keep you running all day at 160 kilometres per hour, and when push gets to shove, you are able to hit close to 190 km/hr; how much would you expect to pay per kilometre in fuel costs? Would you believe that you could get away with as little as 14.75 sen to 19 sen a kilometre?
Yes, it is incredible, and hard to find anything like that in the market, until you start to look at the new SsangYong Kyron 200 XDI, the latest imported SUV from Competitive Supreme Sdn Bhd, local distributors for the SsangYong brand.
About three years ago, the Rexton made a huge impact here when it was launched. It offered an alternative type of transport for the contractors and the people who needed to travel over rough terrain, but also needed a respectable-looking and comfortable vehicle for business. When the Rexton RX270 XDI replaced the 2.9 litre diesel-powered Rexton a year later, it was so well accepted that it swept through the market, eating even into the sales of petrol powered Rextons. The only deterrent to more sales was probably the road tax of around RM2,500. Today, there is a discount on the amount, but with the Kyron 200 XDI, which is equipped with a 2.0 litre turbo charged diesel, the roadtax of around RM560 per year makes it a very attractive buy.
Whilst it is true that diesel fuel has practically doubled in cost over the last couple of years, the Kyron still makes sense. You are getting the luxury, the power, the luxury and the performance of a large-sized vehicle while paying the cost of running a small or mid-sized car.
Both the Rexton and Kyron are 4WD SUV’s, with the following exceptions; the Rexton RX270 XDI comes with a 2.7 litre common-rail turbocharged diesel engine, and is a 7-seater, while the Kyron 200 XDI is slightly smaller, and sports a smaller capacity 2.0 litre common-rail turbocharged diesel, which, under the current discounted scheme, attracts a much lower roadtax amount.
Available in two trim packages, the Standard and Luxury models are priced at RM153k and RM169K respectively. The Luxury specifications model comes with additional active safety features, namely, ESP (Electronic Stability Programme), that incorporates ABS (Antilock Braking System), TCS (Traction Control System) EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution), ASR (Acceleration Skid Regulation), and BAS (Brake Assist System). Also in the package is ARP (Active Rollover Protection), a system that monitors potential rollover situations, based on sensing sudden turns of the steering wheel and sideways forces through a lateral sensor located in the centre of the vehicle; the system reduces power to the engine and performs braking functions on the appropriate wheels using the TCS to stabilize the vehicle. Another included package is the HDC (Hill Descent Control) system that helps drivers negotiate steep slopes of 10 percent or more; all you have to do is deploy the HDC simply by pressing a button, and the system takes over, sensing the slope and applying brakes or engine revolutions to keep the vehicle stable down a steep slope. All that the driver needs to do when HDC is engaged is to steer.
The 2.0 litre turbocharged diesel engine that is standard with the Kyron 200XDI is of third generation common rail technology, and has a class-leading output of 141 PS (139 horsepower) while maximum torque is 310 NM available throughout most of the useful engine power band. The engine is mated to a 5-speed automatic gearbox that features a manual shift option called T-Tronic, and is made by Mercedes-Benz.
The Kyron’s drive train very similar to that of the Rexton; in fact it is built on the same ladder frame, and with a lighter body, the Kyron is likely to be more durable, considering that the parts are actually made to carry a much heavier load. For the non-techies, the Kyron is a vehicle that you can actually take off-road, for the underside is built tough to take real off-road conditions.
Top speed, something quite important to me, is good at around 190kph, and a cruising speed of anything between 140kph to 160 kph can be maintained the whole day without any problems. On an evaluation trip from Kuala Lumpur to Alor Setar and back last week, we did 3 hours and fifty-seven minutes from the Bandar Utama toll to the toll plaza at Alor Setar, while on the return journey, we did 4 hours and fifty-eight minutes from Bukit Kayu Hitam Customs complex to Cheras. Both ways, there were comfort stops and a refueling stop, in addition to heavy rains on the way up. Where it was dry, a cruising speed of anything between 160 km/hr t o180 km/hr can be easily maintained, and in wet conditions, the Kyron’s all-weather tyres could actually maintain a higher speed than other vehicles because the water evacuation properties were superior.
High-speed stability and vehicle comfort are two of the Kyron’s strong points. The Kyron was so stable that when we asked our two passengers sitting at the back to guess our speed, the extreme quietness and stability of the Kyron made them think that we were traveling at around 120 km/hr when in fact we were hitting close to 170 km/hr.
The Kyron 200 XDI is targeted for urban usage, that segment being the one that enjoys the greatest growth, so the ride is tuned more towards ‘comfort’ than for off-road usage; thus our passengers found it very pleasant to ride in, even on the long haul from Bukit Kayu Hitam to Kuala Lumpur.
In truth, I find the rear suspension a little on the soft side, but I suppose that is the price we have to pay for comfort. Those who want it a little stiffer can go for slightly harder shockers or springs. One item of good news is, the front suspension has adjustable camber and caster in addition to the normal toe adjustment; we helped a friend, Richard Si, one of the early buyers of the Kyron, to tweak his suspension and now his Kyron is very stable on the road. For the record, the front suspension is made up of double wishbones, while the rear is a solid axle, with a 5-link arrangement including a panhard rod. A front stabilizer bar is standard on the Kyron.
Brakes are massive ventilated discs in the front, and solid discs at the rear. All these are boosted by a large servo, and throughout our test drive, there were no issues with the brakes. The brakes have very good feel, and are very confidence inspiring.
Inside, the Kyron is quite luxurious; full leather seats hug you in the lap of luxury, and to top it off, both the front ones are electrically controlled. The steering, as mentioned above, is adjustable for reach and height, and the air-conditioning is excellent. There is plenty of legroom for both front and rear passengers, and the Kyron seats five with plenty of room at the rear for luggage. A tonneau cover is supplied, and for additional safety, there is a cargo net that can be installed to keep goods stowed in the back from coming into the passenger compartment in case of any impact.
For additional versatility, the rear seats split and fold to make a flat surface for carrying bulky and long items; there are of course the many nooks and crannies for storage, plus plenty of drink holders, and also a power socket for accessories.
Finally, the Kyron can be powerful or economical; you make the choice. My friend Richard claims to have traveled in excess of 800 kilometres from a single refill of RM118.00 of diesel, an average of 14.75 sen a kilometre, a figure that is really good based on current today’s fuel prices. To be fair, Richard drove at normal speeds of between 80 to 110 km/hr. On our trip up north and back, we got a consistent 516 km and 515 km from RM100.00 refill, which works out to be 19.4 sen per kilometre.
As a buyer and user, you can make your own choice. Enjoy great fuel economy when you drive slowly, and if you are in a rush, you can unleash the Kyron’s full power, but pay that little extra for the joy of fast driving.
