The Mahindra Group with its South Korean subsidiary brand SsangYong is betting big to enhance its presence in the Indian car market. After tasting success with the launch of the brand by introducing the SsangYong Rexton, the manufacturer is now planning to bring the Rodius MPV from the SsangYong stable to India to increase its utility vehicle portfolio. Recently, SsangYong showcased the new Rodius MPV with different versions at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The Rodius is a big luxury SUV available in 7, 9 and 11 seat layouts and is a segment premium than the Toyota Innova.
Earlier, SsangYong Korando SUV was in question for the next offering from the SsangYong stable after the Rexton but now the Rodius MPV is said to be the next offering from the Mahindra–SsangYong product portfolio for India. The SsangYong Rodius MPV features the all new 4-cylinder, 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine with variable geometry turbo charger producing 156 BHP of power and 360 Nm of torque, mated to an option of a 6-speed manual gearbox and a 5-speed automatic transmission, transmitting the power to the rear wheels as standard, while all-wheel drive comes with the top spec variant.
The ride quality comprises of independent suspension setup at the front and independent multi-link setup at the rear. The humongous 3-metre wheelbase allows the Rodius to accommodate 11 seats easily. The Rodius MPV comes well equipped with safety and convenience features including ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, ESP, Anti-Roll Over Protection, Airbags, cruise control, parking sensors, leather seats, ventilated electric seats and infotainment system with Bluetooth, AUX and USB connectivity options. We expect Mahindra to launch the SsangYong Rodius MPV later this year or early next year at a price of around Rs. 20 lakhs.
