SsangYong launches upgraded Korando Turismo to up sales

SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- SsangYong Motor Co., the South Korean unit of Indian carmaker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., launched the upgraded Korando Turismo SUV-like van Wednesday to boost sales this year.

The 2.2-liter diesel-powered Korando Turismo was first launched in February 2013. The latest face-lifted vehicle comes with various advanced features and amenities, the company said in a statement.

SsangYong Motor aims to sell 12,000 Korando Turismos this year in the domestic market, with shipments to the Middle East, Europe and emerging markets planned as well, a company spokesman said.

The all-wheel drive leisure vehicle is equipped with a seven-speed automatic transmission and a frontal obstacle avoidance system. It is priced "competitively" between 28 million won (US$26,000) and 52 million won depending on features.

The upgraded Korando Turismo competes with Kia Motors Corp.'s Carnival in the local market, the company said.

For the whole of 2017, the maker of Rexton and Tivoli SUVs sold a combined 143,685 vehicles, down 7.7 percent from 155,754 a year earlier.

Mahindra & Mahindra owns a 72.85 percent stake in SsangYong Motor.

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