When it comes to South Korean automakers, it’s fair to say Hyundai, Kia and Genesis come to mind, yet there’s another player: SsangYong. Sang what? If you haven’t heard of them before, the small truck and SUV-focussed manufacturer is better known in Europe & Asia-Pacific regions for their rugged abilities and polarizing (often cringe-worthy) looks.
There had been plans to bring them to the US, but due to the lingering pandemic and SsangYong’s current financial woes (aka filing for receivership), that’s now unlikely to happen. In fact, things are so bad that half of its workers have to take unpaid leave for at least two years as part of a plan to stay afloat. Yikes!
Despite all those problems, there’s now new a glimmer of hope. SsangYong has outlined a survival strategy that’ll revitalize the lineup with new products, including an electrified mid-size crossover codenamed J100. It also revealed a teaser sketch and confirmation that the J100 will spawn a pickup truck variant. Curious to know more? Let’s put our illustration tools to work and delve further.
Aesthetically Rugged
At first glance, the J100 is rather in-your-face; its frontal styling is bold with contrasting geometric elements, angular LED lighting and a chiselled hood. Powerfully dynamic front and rear fenders give it a staunch stance, as does the chunky lower black plastic cladding. There’s even a Land Rover Discovery vibe with its separate rear quarter windows and C-pillars, which wrap up and over the roof.
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The rear is equally geometric as the front. It features wrap-around tailgate glass, angular LED taillights with industrial detailing, and a swing arm-style tailgate with an externally-mounted spare wheel. A contrasting aluminum skid panel and tailgate spoiler finish off the rugged aesthetic.
A Nicer Place To Be
SsangYong’s current crop of offerings might seem decent at first glance; however, once you begin touching and prodding around, you can start to see evidence of cost-cutting. The J100 is expected to up the ante with more premium materials and improved build quality.
As with its smaller Korando sibling, the J100 will also be cleverly packaged, offering more space than its dimensions suggest. Technophiles will be catered for with a large digital drivers display, ambient lighting, wireless phone charging, WiFi connectivity, and a heads-up display. A plethora of driver-assists, including lane-keeping assist, road sign recognition, AEB with pedestrian detection and full-range adaptive cruise control, will also be available.
Under The Skin
The J100 utilizes an entirely new platform that’s both EV and internal combustion engine compatible. When it comes to dinosaur fuel, we anticipate it’ll use the current Rexton SUV’s 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four. This unit pumps out 198 hp (148 kW) and 325 lb-ft (441 Nm) of torque to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission.
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As for what powertrain the electric version will use… well, that’s a bigger mystery. Conjecture suggests it’ll use the same components as SsangYong’s first EV, the upcoming Korando e-Motion, albeit with a bigger battery pack and two 189 hp motors on the front & rear axles.
Rivals & Reveal
The J100 will compete against the likes of Nissan’s X-Trail/Rogue, Mitsubishi Outlander, Ford Escape/Kuga, Volkswagen Tiguan, Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe, Honda CR-V, Peugeot 5008, and Toyota RAV4.
An official reveal is scheduled for later this year, and sales will begin in 2022. A pickup variant (as illustrated in green) in the same vein as the Honda Ridgeline will also appear a year or two after the J100’s initial release.
Would you buy a SsangYong if it came to the United States? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Note: These are independent illustrations made by CarScoops’ artist Josh Byrnes based on official teasers that are not related to nor endorsed by SsangYong
