SsangYong teases new SUV ahead of 2017 Geneva Motor Show

SsangYong has revealed rendered images of its new seven-seat SUV concept car, the XAVL, which will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

The Korean carmaker says the XAVL mid-size SUV is an updated and up-sized version of the five-seat XAV concept which was revealed at the Frankfurt show in 2015.

3

Expected to be a similar size to the Nissan X-Trail and Skoda Kodiaq, the XAVL concept’s name stands for “eXciting Authentic Vehicle Long”. Not terribly imaginative, but acronyms rarely are. Styling is an evolution of the XAV concept’s edgy lines, and, like the XAV, takes some inspiration from the Jeep-like second-generation Ssangyong Korando.

Besides boasting a bigger cabin and a third row of seating, the XAVL is also expected to feature a suite of new safety tech for passengers and pedestrians, as well as preview Ssangyong’s next-generation infotainment system with enhanced connectivity.

3

How far is it from the showroom? Well considering the XAV has yet to find its way to a production line, the XAVL is similarly unlikely to go on sale before 2020 – if it ever eventuates, that is. If it does, SsangYong claims the XAV and XAVL will be powered by a diesel and petrol engine in road-going form.

Even if the concept is turned in to a reality, however, we’re unlikely to see it on Australian shores any time soon. The SsangYong brand is in the process of being wound down in this country, and the Korean automaker sold a grand total of 371 cars in 2016.