THERE was a three door 4x4 called the Korando in the late nineties but maker SsangYong reused the name in 2011 for a new crossover SUV that only went out of production in 2019.

The Korean company might not be as well-known in this country as Kia and Hyundai, but its 4x4s and crossovers have been around for many years.

And all its vehicles have a fantastic transferable five year unlimited mileage warranty, which is only matched by one other car maker.

The Korando is a good looking five seater about the size of the VW Tiguan and although there are some with four wheel drive the majority out there have drive just to the front wheels.

So if you need mud-plugging or extra winter traction, make sure you find one that is fitted with 4x4.

The engine options are easy, because there are only two! There's 2.0-litre turbo diesel producing 150bhp that's found in most models, and a 2.2-litre diesel with 175 used in a few from the top of the range.

The majority sold in this country have been front wheel drive as I said above and this is the norm with most crossover-type SUVs these days.

Again, most will be fitted with the 2.0-litre engine, and this helps towards an official economy average of 47mpg. That's likely to give a real driving average of 35 to 40.

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

The 2.0-litre engine is quite noisy until it's up to cruising speed, but it has plenty of pulling power for good acceleration and the maximum towing weight is an excellent two tonnes. It has enough grunt to give zero to 62 miles an hour in 10 seconds.

The 2.2-litre engine boasts an extra 27bhp, and with the automatic gearbox, brings the 60 miles an hour sprint up in 9.5 seconds.

But it's still capable of 41mpg, which translaies to about 30 to 35 in real road time.

As with many SUVs, there's a fair amount of roll in the corners so it's not a good idea to push it too hard. However, it does have roll stability control as well as standard stability control, which should help.

Sadly, there is little feel from the steering to help when cornering and that doesn't instil confidence.

Comfort is fair in town and out on the open road but the roly-poly feel can get a little wearing at times. Supportive seats require little adjustment to find a decent driving position however.

Safety is covered by six airbags, traction control, the stability control already mentioned and hill start assist.

But roadholding is not up to the best in class, with a distinct lack of grip when pushed a hard.

With a braked towing weight of two tonnes, the 4WD models make ideal towcars and even the 2WD version can manage 1500kg.

Inside, there is plenty of head and legroom front and rear, and the boot gives 466 litres of load space with the folding rear seats up.

Mid-range EX models come with parking sensors, audio remote control, reach and height adjustable steering, height adjustable driver's seat, cruise control, alarm, climate control and heated seats.

Upper models add sat nav, leather upholstery and electric front seats.

Pay about £7,850 for an '18 18-reg EX 2.2, or £12,950 for a '19 19-reg LE 2.0.