SsangYong Rodius Review
Published: 25th September 2005
SsangYong Rodius
How It Drove - Performance
The SsangYong Rodius is fitted with the Mercedes-Benz licensed 2.7 litre DOHC common rail diesel engine. Some observers have commented that the engine is harsh and noisy, we think this a little unkind, the engine isn’t state of the art by today’s standards but it is relatively quiet and refined. During our test week we achieved very near the manufacturers quoted 28.5 mpg combined consumption figure, which is fairly frugal for a automatic MPV of this size.
The Rodius is equipped with the Mercedes-Benz T-Tronic automatic 5-Speed gearbox, which also allows you to manually change gear by nudging the lever to the left or right. Gear changes are a relaxed affair and are quick and smooth throughout the range.
The Rodius isn’t particularly quick, with 0-62 mph coming in at 13.5 seconds and a top speed of 104 mph but when you consider its kerb weight of 2,134 kg this isn’t too bad. When pulling off or out of road junctions, it can take a few moments for the turbocharger to cut in, but when it does the Rodius is propelled forward and it does give you quite a kick - this is due to the engine's low down torque.
How It Drove - Ride/Handling
For a large MPV the ride is relatively good, although it is rather choppy on unsettled road surfaces giving you the feeling that you are piloting it rather than driving it. As you would expect of a large MPV the Rodius suffers from inevitable body roll. The rack-and-pinion power assisted speed sensitive steering is a little on the light side, but it is direct and responsive making light work of parking.
A word of caution for those new to the world of MPV's (Multi Purpose Vehicles) they do not drive or handle like conventional cars, despite some road users believing the contrary. They have different handling characteristics because of their high centre of gravity. In other words they are not going to go around a bend like a car nor handle the same way if you have to take avoidance action in the case of an emergency. It does take a few days to accustom yourself to driving an MPV especially one as large as the Rodius.
The first thing that you will notice when driving the Rodius is its high driving position which gives you an excellent view of the road ahead. This is also beneficial for passengers as it makes for a more interesting journey. The only real drawback is that you have to be more aware of vehicles and pedestrians that are below your normal line of vision, especially at the sides of the vehicle and to the rear.
The Rodius is protected by ESP (electronic stability programme), which aids the driver should the car lose grip or go into a skid, which worked well when tested. ABS (anti-lock braking system) with EBD (electronic brake-force distribution) and disc brakes on all 4 wheels are standard across the range.
