Rodius gets a new engine

Selling the SsangYong Rodius MPV can’t be the easiest job in the motor trade. For starters, it carries a brand name that few have heard of, then there are the looks which, in polite terms, might not be to everyone’s taste.

However, in its favour, the Rodius features seven seats, decent equipment levels, a five-year warranty and a starting price of £15,995 - a combination that’ll be appealing to those who don’t care too much about driving, image, refinement, a lack of airbags or residual values.

For 2013, the old 2.7 litre engine has been replaced by the same 2.0 litre e-XDi diesel unit that’s already used in the Korando Sports pick-up. Developing 152 bhp (114 kW / 155 PS) with 360 Nm (265 lb/ft) of torque, it comes connected to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed automatic transmission, depending on the trim grade chosen.

Combined cycle fuel consumption of up to 37.7 mpg (7.5 l/100km) isn’t too bad, but carbon dioxide emissions range from 196 to 206 g/km, meaning an annual vehicle tax charge of at least £250 in the UK. In terms of performance, the Rodius will hit 105 mph (169 km/h), but SsangYong hasn’t even bothered to quote a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time.

2013 SsangYong Rodius - UK OTR Prices
Rodius S	£15,995
Rodius ES	£17,995
Rodius ES (Auto)	£19,495
Rodius EX (Auto, 4x4)	£21,995

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