Good grief! What on earth is this? I know SsangYongs tend to be, um, aesthetically challenged, but the car you see here, the new Actyon (the name is curiously derived from letters in the three words ACTive, Young and PerSON) really pushes the envelope. InBy Hannes Oosthuizen, CAR deputy editor
Good grief! What on earth is this? I know SsangYongs tend to be, um, aesthetically challenged, but the car you see here, the new Actyon (the name is curiously derived from letters in the three words ACTive, Young and PerSON) really pushes the envelope. In fact, had I not known better, I would have taken its styling as final confirmation that the SsangYong design team consists of no other than Homer Simpson, the Cookie Monster and Cher.
But let’s try to be serious. SsangYong calls its dramatic newcomer a SUV, but not in the "Sports Utility Vehicle" sense. No, the Actyon is a "Stunning Utility Vehicle" tasked with taking on vehicles such as the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson. But give the Actyon its due… In the samey-samey world of the compact SUV, it certainly looks different. With a coupé-like roofline, chunky tyres and the weirdest, maddest and inverted grille design on the face of he planet, the Actyon WILL get noticed.
The Actyon rides on a ladder-frame chassis, and has dual wishbone front and a five-link rear suspension. Buyers can choose between three models – a 4×2 manual, a 4×4 manual and a 4×4 four-speed automatic. Only one engine is offered, a 2,0-litre turbodiesel that punches out 104 kW at 4 000 r/min and 310 N.m of torque between 1 800 and 2 700 r/min. SsangYong claims top speeds of just over 160 km/h for all three models. No claimed fuel consumption figures were included in the media kit, but according to the SsangYong New Zealand website you can expect a figure of 7,8 litres/100 km for the manual, and 8,3 for the automatic.
The interior is thoroughly modern in design, with Mercedes-Benz ML-like central ventilation outlets, a neat hangdown section and, with trim being overwhelmingly in black with chrome detailing, a relatively sporty, upmarket appearance. The seats are good too. But the handbrake is positioned far from the driver, next to the front passenger’s seat, and the hangdown, with its stack of vertical blank switches, pushes against the driver’s knee.
In terms of space the Actyon is a bit of a mixed bag – it starts off very promising in the front of the cabin, and then becomes progressively worse toward the back. The boot is small, and its loading height very high – you’re likely to get a good back workout when you try lifting heavy suitcases into the rear.
Then again, specification levels are good. In fact, according to the specification sheet all the models are kitted out to the same level – air-conditioning, electric windows/mirrors, dual front airbags and a radio/CD player with remote controls on the steering wheel.
Out on the road the first impression is actually a noticeable lack of engine noise. It’s a lasting impression too, because when cruising at the legal speed limit, the Actyon’s cabin remained impressively hushed. At city driving speeds and highway cruising, the ride quality is also good, but when the road surface deteriorates, or when faced with a corner, the Actyon struggles.
The suspension feels oddly rubbery – good at absorbing the initial shock from a bump, but when another bump follows soon after, it struggles to cope. The sensation of having a thick layer of rubber between you and the road makes it difficult to judge what the suspension is doing, and the steering is also remote, leaving the driver feeling really detached from the car.
When the Actyon negotiates a bend, its light rear end, combined with woolly steering and a confused suspension, will get you to back off very quickly. I know the Actyon is not supposed to be a hot hatch, but its handling is poor. Its stability didn’t impress me, either. The SUV seems easily pushed around by cross winds, which is somewhat of a surprise given its swoopy shape.
Besides a short stretch on a gravel road, we didn’t get to drive the part-time 4WD Actyon off-road, but my first impression is that the Actyon, with its short front and rear overhangs and seemingly high ground clearance, could be quite effective in that regard. It can clear a good 219 mm at the front, but this figure drops to 197 mm at the rear. The approach angle is 26,2 degrees and the departure angle is given as 30 degrees.
Besides being quiet, the engine does an impressive job of hauling the not-insignificant weight (around 1,8 tonne) of the Actyon around. There’s a bit of initial lag, which is to be expected, but the 2,0-litre has good grunt in the mid range.
With prices starting at R239 995 for the 4×2 manual and rising to R249 995 for the 4×4 manual and R264 995 for the 4×4 auto, the Actyon is competitively-priced. It has more power than its fellow Koreans and, of course, more individualistic looks. Dynamically it is nothing special, but it does cruise quietly.
Personally, I think it may actually appeal to a person who wouldn’t normally consider an SUV, but just want to drive something that draws attention. The Actyon certainly does that!
