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Ssangyong Stavic Diesel 2.2 eXDI 7-Seater (A) Facelift Review
12 Dec 2018|19,123 views
Facelift (What's New)
Redesigned bumpers and headlamps
New, more powerful 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine
Improved seven-speed automatic transmission
Cabin materials are now slightly better
Five years ago, my ex-colleague Regan wrote that the second generation Ssangyong Stavic, which was unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, was "less of a joke and more of a serious family option" compared to the first generation model.
However, despite it being much better looking that the first, he still wasn't very impressed with Stavic's cabin quality, stating that the "materials feel a bit tacky".
I wish he were still here to see this one. Because strangely, as if the South Korean-based automobile manufacturer took some serious offence to what he wrote and went back to the drawing blocks, that's exactly how they improved the Stavic for 2018.
The updated Ssangyong Stavic has been improved in terms of design, both inside and out
Regan approves, we think
While essentially sharing mostly the same underpinnings as before, the facelifted Stavic is now dressed sharper inside and out, and is run by an all new powertrain.
For starters, Ssangyong has gifted its seven-seater MPV with better-quality leather seats, wood trimming along the dashboard, a new infotainment unit and our personal favourite, a much more modern looking steering wheel.
For second-row passengers, there's now also the availability of a USB charging point on the back of the front central armrest. It's not much, but all in all it helps the cabin of the Stavic look a feel like a proper modern-day family car that daddy and mummy won't feel impoverished in.
Better-quality leather seats and wood trims along the dashboard contribute to a slightly more premium feel
Elsewhere, the Stavic continues to deliver the family-friendly experience it's known for, with a comfortable seating position for all on board, as well as a spacious and airy cabin.
The improvements to the car continue on the outside, with a new, more aggressive-looking front bumper with a sleeker grille that's reminiscent of the Volkswagen Passat, a resigned bonnet, redesigned front fenders and HID headlamps with LED daytime running lights.
The nip and tuck to its exterior gives it a look that's more lively than dreary, which also contributes towards it appearing more like a biggish SUV than an MPV, which according to car-buying trends, is what the majority public prefers.
However, despite it being much better looking that the first, he still wasn't very impressed with Stavic's cabin quality, stating that the "materials feel a bit tacky".
I wish he were still here to see this one. Because strangely, as if the South Korean-based automobile manufacturer took some serious offence to what he wrote and went back to the drawing blocks, that's exactly how they improved the Stavic for 2018.
Regan approves, we think
While essentially sharing mostly the same underpinnings as before, the facelifted Stavic is now dressed sharper inside and out, and is run by an all new powertrain.
For starters, Ssangyong has gifted its seven-seater MPV with better-quality leather seats, wood trimming along the dashboard, a new infotainment unit and our personal favourite, a much more modern looking steering wheel.
For second-row passengers, there's now also the availability of a USB charging point on the back of the front central armrest. It's not much, but all in all it helps the cabin of the Stavic look a feel like a proper modern-day family car that daddy and mummy won't feel impoverished in.
Elsewhere, the Stavic continues to deliver the family-friendly experience it's known for, with a comfortable seating position for all on board, as well as a spacious and airy cabin.
The improvements to the car continue on the outside, with a new, more aggressive-looking front bumper with a sleeker grille that's reminiscent of the Volkswagen Passat, a resigned bonnet, redesigned front fenders and HID headlamps with LED daytime running lights.
The nip and tuck to its exterior gives it a look that's more lively than dreary, which also contributes towards it appearing more like a biggish SUV than an MPV, which according to car-buying trends, is what the majority public prefers.
Goodbye Mercedes
But perhaps, the Stavic's most important improvements go beyond skin deep. The outgoing pre-facelift model was powered by a Mercedes-Benz 2.0-litre that produced 155bhp and 360Nm of torque.
This updated one bids goodbye to that, and it now runs on a Ssangyong-made, Euro 6, 2.2-litre turbodiesel with 176bhp and 400Nm of torque.
While 176bhp doesn't sound like much, it's the 400Nm of torque that really surprises when you mash the throttle. It's enough to push you a little into the seat, and spin its rear wheels in the wet.
The new 2.2-litre turbodiesel produces 21bhp and 40Nm more torque than the 2.0-litre it replaces
Off the line, the 2,020kg Stavic will go from 0-100km/h in 11.2 seconds, which is highly respectable for a car of its mass.
There's also a new, faster and smoother-shifting seven-speed transmission, which replaces the old five-speeder, at play. While it's still not on par with most Japanese automatics, it's noticeably less clunky than before and not much to complain about.
With its double-wishbone suspension up front, and independent multi-link rear suspension, there's little to complain, too, by way of ride quality.
At the same time, while it's a rather hefty and massive car at 5,130mm in length and 1,915mm in width, it's no harder to drive than something smaller like a Honda Jade thanks to characteristics like a light steering.
Ssangyong has given the Stavic two more extra gears, which help with smoother, quicker acceleration
The takeaway, then, is that the Stavic is a no fuss, no muss family seven-seater for anyone who can look past the badge. So why don't we see more of these things on the road?
We reckon it's because of the stigma of it being an SMRT taxi, and that at $145,888, it's not far off in terms of pricing from a Honda Odyssey, which at top-spec costs $149,999.
Still, there's no denying Ssangyong's efforts to continue its fight in the MPV game, with the several improvements it's made to the Stavic. Regan, don't you agree?
But perhaps, the Stavic's most important improvements go beyond skin deep. The outgoing pre-facelift model was powered by a Mercedes-Benz 2.0-litre that produced 155bhp and 360Nm of torque.
This updated one bids goodbye to that, and it now runs on a Ssangyong-made, Euro 6, 2.2-litre turbodiesel with 176bhp and 400Nm of torque.
While 176bhp doesn't sound like much, it's the 400Nm of torque that really surprises when you mash the throttle. It's enough to push you a little into the seat, and spin its rear wheels in the wet.
Off the line, the 2,020kg Stavic will go from 0-100km/h in 11.2 seconds, which is highly respectable for a car of its mass.
There's also a new, faster and smoother-shifting seven-speed transmission, which replaces the old five-speeder, at play. While it's still not on par with most Japanese automatics, it's noticeably less clunky than before and not much to complain about.
With its double-wishbone suspension up front, and independent multi-link rear suspension, there's little to complain, too, by way of ride quality.
At the same time, while it's a rather hefty and massive car at 5,130mm in length and 1,915mm in width, it's no harder to drive than something smaller like a Honda Jade thanks to characteristics like a light steering.
The takeaway, then, is that the Stavic is a no fuss, no muss family seven-seater for anyone who can look past the badge. So why don't we see more of these things on the road?
We reckon it's because of the stigma of it being an SMRT taxi, and that at $145,888, it's not far off in terms of pricing from a Honda Odyssey, which at top-spec costs $149,999.
Still, there's no denying Ssangyong's efforts to continue its fight in the MPV game, with the several improvements it's made to the Stavic. Regan, don't you agree?
Facelift (What's New)
Redesigned bumpers and headlamps
New, more powerful 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine
Improved seven-speed automatic transmission
Cabin materials are now slightly better
Five years ago, my ex-colleague Regan wrote that the second generation Ssangyong Stavic, which was unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, was "less of a joke and more of a serious family option" compared to the first generation model.
However, despite it being much better looking that the first, he still wasn't very impressed with Stavic's cabin quality, stating that the "materials feel a bit tacky".
I wish he were still here to see this one. Because strangely, as if the South Korean-based automobile manufacturer took some serious offence to what he wrote and went back to the drawing blocks, that's exactly how they improved the Stavic for 2018.
The updated Ssangyong Stavic has been improved in terms of design, both inside and out
Regan approves, we think
While essentially sharing mostly the same underpinnings as before, the facelifted Stavic is now dressed sharper inside and out, and is run by an all new powertrain.
For starters, Ssangyong has gifted its seven-seater MPV with better-quality leather seats, wood trimming along the dashboard, a new infotainment unit and our personal favourite, a much more modern looking steering wheel.
For second-row passengers, there's now also the availability of a USB charging point on the back of the front central armrest. It's not much, but all in all it helps the cabin of the Stavic look a feel like a proper modern-day family car that daddy and mummy won't feel impoverished in.
Better-quality leather seats and wood trims along the dashboard contribute to a slightly more premium feelElsewhere, the Stavic continues to deliver the family-friendly experience it's known for, with a comfortable seating position for all on board, as well as a spacious and airy cabin.
The improvements to the car continue on the outside, with a new, more aggressive-looking front bumper with a sleeker grille that's reminiscent of the Volkswagen Passat, a resigned bonnet, redesigned front fenders and HID headlamps with LED daytime running lights.
The nip and tuck to its exterior gives it a look that's more lively than dreary, which also contributes towards it appearing more like a biggish SUV than an MPV, which according to car-buying trends, is what the majority public prefers.
However, despite it being much better looking that the first, he still wasn't very impressed with Stavic's cabin quality, stating that the "materials feel a bit tacky".
I wish he were still here to see this one. Because strangely, as if the South Korean-based automobile manufacturer took some serious offence to what he wrote and went back to the drawing blocks, that's exactly how they improved the Stavic for 2018.
Regan approves, we think
While essentially sharing mostly the same underpinnings as before, the facelifted Stavic is now dressed sharper inside and out, and is run by an all new powertrain.
For starters, Ssangyong has gifted its seven-seater MPV with better-quality leather seats, wood trimming along the dashboard, a new infotainment unit and our personal favourite, a much more modern looking steering wheel.
For second-row passengers, there's now also the availability of a USB charging point on the back of the front central armrest. It's not much, but all in all it helps the cabin of the Stavic look a feel like a proper modern-day family car that daddy and mummy won't feel impoverished in.
The improvements to the car continue on the outside, with a new, more aggressive-looking front bumper with a sleeker grille that's reminiscent of the Volkswagen Passat, a resigned bonnet, redesigned front fenders and HID headlamps with LED daytime running lights.
The nip and tuck to its exterior gives it a look that's more lively than dreary, which also contributes towards it appearing more like a biggish SUV than an MPV, which according to car-buying trends, is what the majority public prefers.
Goodbye Mercedes
But perhaps, the Stavic's most important improvements go beyond skin deep. The outgoing pre-facelift model was powered by a Mercedes-Benz 2.0-litre that produced 155bhp and 360Nm of torque.This updated one bids goodbye to that, and it now runs on a Ssangyong-made, Euro 6, 2.2-litre turbodiesel with 176bhp and 400Nm of torque.
While 176bhp doesn't sound like much, it's the 400Nm of torque that really surprises when you mash the throttle. It's enough to push you a little into the seat, and spin its rear wheels in the wet.
The new 2.2-litre turbodiesel produces 21bhp and 40Nm more torque than the 2.0-litre it replacesOff the line, the 2,020kg Stavic will go from 0-100km/h in 11.2 seconds, which is highly respectable for a car of its mass.
There's also a new, faster and smoother-shifting seven-speed transmission, which replaces the old five-speeder, at play. While it's still not on par with most Japanese automatics, it's noticeably less clunky than before and not much to complain about.
With its double-wishbone suspension up front, and independent multi-link rear suspension, there's little to complain, too, by way of ride quality.
At the same time, while it's a rather hefty and massive car at 5,130mm in length and 1,915mm in width, it's no harder to drive than something smaller like a Honda Jade thanks to characteristics like a light steering.
Ssangyong has given the Stavic two more extra gears, which help with smoother, quicker accelerationThe takeaway, then, is that the Stavic is a no fuss, no muss family seven-seater for anyone who can look past the badge. So why don't we see more of these things on the road?
We reckon it's because of the stigma of it being an SMRT taxi, and that at $145,888, it's not far off in terms of pricing from a Honda Odyssey, which at top-spec costs $149,999.
Still, there's no denying Ssangyong's efforts to continue its fight in the MPV game, with the several improvements it's made to the Stavic. Regan, don't you agree?
But perhaps, the Stavic's most important improvements go beyond skin deep. The outgoing pre-facelift model was powered by a Mercedes-Benz 2.0-litre that produced 155bhp and 360Nm of torque.This updated one bids goodbye to that, and it now runs on a Ssangyong-made, Euro 6, 2.2-litre turbodiesel with 176bhp and 400Nm of torque.
While 176bhp doesn't sound like much, it's the 400Nm of torque that really surprises when you mash the throttle. It's enough to push you a little into the seat, and spin its rear wheels in the wet.
There's also a new, faster and smoother-shifting seven-speed transmission, which replaces the old five-speeder, at play. While it's still not on par with most Japanese automatics, it's noticeably less clunky than before and not much to complain about.
With its double-wishbone suspension up front, and independent multi-link rear suspension, there's little to complain, too, by way of ride quality.
At the same time, while it's a rather hefty and massive car at 5,130mm in length and 1,915mm in width, it's no harder to drive than something smaller like a Honda Jade thanks to characteristics like a light steering.
We reckon it's because of the stigma of it being an SMRT taxi, and that at $145,888, it's not far off in terms of pricing from a Honda Odyssey, which at top-spec costs $149,999.
Still, there's no denying Ssangyong's efforts to continue its fight in the MPV game, with the several improvements it's made to the Stavic. Regan, don't you agree?
Video by Low Fai Ming
Car Information
Ssangyong Stavic Diesel 2.2 eXDI 7-Seater (A)
CAT B|Diesel|12.8km/L
Horsepower
131kW (176 bhp)
Torque
400 Nm
Acceleration
11.2sec (0-100km /hr)
This model is no longer being sold by local distributor
All Used Ssangyong Stavic Diesel
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