SSANGYONG might not be as well-known in this country as its Korean stablemates Kia and Hyundai but its 4x4s and crossovers have been around here for many a year.

There was a three door 4x4 called Korando in the late 90s and the company reused the name in 2011 for a new crossover SUV competing with the likes of the Nissan Qashqai.

It has just been revamped but for this assessment, I'll deal with the model built from 2011 to 2014.

It's a good looking five seater and the engine option is easy, because there's only one. This is a 2.0-litre turbo diesel producing about 150bhp in most models and the majority sold in this country are front wheel drive - as is the norm with most others these days.

There are some with four-wheel-drive, so make sure you have it if you need mud-plugging or extra winter traction, and top end models had a more powerful 175bhp version of the same engine which makes them very capable for towing.

Gearboxes are either six-speed manual or automatic. The manual can be a little notchy but the automatic is pretty good and suits the vehicle better.

The engine is quite noisy until its up to cruising speed, but it has plenty of pulling power for good acceleration and the maximum towing weight is an excellent two tonnes.

As with most SUV's, there's a fair amount of roll in the corners so its not a good idea to push it too hard, but there is also little feel from the steering, which does not instill confidence.

Comfort is good in town and out on the open road but and the supportive seats require little adjustment to find a decent driving position.

All products from the Korean firm have a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty so buying one should transfer the remainder to you.