UPWARDLY mobile South Korean manufacturers Hyundai and Kia have taken the car market by storm during the last decade, going from bit part players to real forces to be reckoned with.

Now there's a new kid on the block looking to follow in the same tyre-tracks as these two Seoul-based success stories.

Although they have dabbled in the European market in the past, including a link-up with Mercedes, SsangYong hit serious financial difficulties in 2009 and scaled back its operations.

A subsequent buyout by Indian backers has given the SUV and MPV specialists new impetus, however, and a fresh assault on the west is being spearheaded by the Korando - a compact crossover that has the likes of Hyundai's ix35 and Nissan's Qashqai in it's sights.

As the combination of rugged SUV looks and family hatchback practicality has proved increasingly popular so the crossover market has become fiercely competitive and SsangYong are, like their Korean counterparts before them, trying to make inroads by concentrating on value for money and aggressive pricing strategies.

Thus, prices for the range start from £16,995 for two-wheel drive versions while the entry-level 4x4 SX that I drove comes in at £18,795.

The SX features an intelligent four wheel drive system which constantly monitors the level of grip and distributes power to the wheels that need it most.

Under normal driving conditions the engine's torque is directed to the front wheels to maximise efficiency. However, if it senses front tyres losing traction, power is automatically fed to the rear wheels to maintained maximum grip.

An all wheel drive lock mode is also provided to ensure a 50/50 spread of torque between the front and rear wheels at speeds up to 25mph - essential for when low speed traction and control is needed such as when driving up a slippery track or off a sodden field when towing a caravan. And bearing in mind the Korando also has a towing capacity of up to two tonnes this could come in very useful.

Power for the SX comes from the same 2.0-litre turbo diesel power pack as the rest of the Korando range.

Although tweaked in this version to improve fuel economy and emissions it has to be said that it is not as clean or refined as many of its more established rivals.

However, with 149bhp at its disposal it does offer some real grunt, with good power and acceleration across a wide rev range handling driving in traffic or motorway cruising with equal aplomb.

There's good pull off the mark, with the 0-62mph sprint coming up in a snip under ten seconds, and the throttle response continues to be strong most of the way up towards the top speed of 112mph.

The compact six-speed manual transmission offers extra versatility although it can prove a little notchy at times.

Inside the cabin the materials reflect the Korando's budget price-tag, with hard scratchy plastics to the fore on the dashboard and control panels, but thoughtful design means that the look is far from bargain-basement and there is plenty of space with lots of practical family-friendly touches.

Rear head and legroom is impressive and three should be able to fit with reasonable comfort while there are also large rear door pockets with bottle holders and an armrest with cup holders for back-seat passengers.

As well as the usual glove box there are equally roomy door bins up front as well as an extra lidded storage cubby on the dash, another beneath the centre armrest and a sunglasses holder.

All this cabin space means the boot is not quite as large as expected and won't match that of some rivals. It's not small though and comes with a useful removable hard wearing rubberised floor cover for carrying messy loads, pets, etc.

The suspension does a great job of smoothing out lumps and bumps in the road while keeping the ride settled and comfortable with body movement being well controlled.

Equipment is generous for the price with the SX featuring roof rails, tinted glass and rear parking sensors, while inside there is a leather covered steering wheel and gear shift, cruise control and a Kenwood MP3 CD & RDS radio with iPod & Bluetooth connectivity, remote audio controls and six speakers.

Upgrading the audio to include a touchscreen sat nav will cost you an extra £999 but the unit is neat and has an easy-to-use interface.

All Korandos also come with stability control hill start assist, front, side and curtain airbags and anti-whiplash head restraints to help take care of safety.

All of which means that, at well under £20,000 for a capable 4x4, SsangYong certainly ticks the value for money box it is aiming for.