The SsangYong Kyron is a mid-size SUV built by SsangYong Motor with a Mercedes-Benz diesel engine. It was designed by Ken Greenley, received a facelift in 2007, and its name is an inaccurate portmanteau of the pronounced sound of the mathematical symbol chi and the word ‘run’, intended to mean ‘infinite run’.
SsangYong Kyron at a glance
| Maker | SsangYong Motor, South Korea |
|---|---|
| Type | mid-size SUV |
| Designer | Ken Greenley |
| Diesel engines | 200XDi and 270XDi, third-generation common rail |
| 270XDi output | 121–138 kW (162–185 hp), 340–350 N·m |
| Petrol engines | 2.3-litre, 112 kW (150 hp); 3.2-litre G32D, 162 kW (220 hp) |
| Gearbox | Mercedes-Benz 5G-Tronic W722-6, five-speed |
| Electronics | 32-bit engine control unit |
| Facelift | 2007 |
| Rally | 71st on the 2009 Dakar Rally |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the SsangYong Kyron.
History of the SsangYong Kyron
Design and name
The Kyron was styled by Ken Greenley, the British designer who had also worked on other SsangYong models. Its name was built from the pronounced sound of chi and the English word ‘run’, a combination the company intended to mean ‘infinite run’ — an inaccurate portmanteau, as SsangYong itself acknowledged. The car was facelifted in 2007, when the front and rear styling and the interior were revised.
Engines
The mainstay was the Mercedes-Benz diesel family. The 270XDi offered 121–138 kW (162–185 hp) and 340–350 N·m of torque, while the smaller 200XDi used the same third-generation common-rail technology. Direct injection slightly increased power and fuel efficiency, and a new 32-bit engine control unit replaced the 16-bit versions used by the previous two generations of common-rail technology. There was also a 3.2-litre G32D petrol engine reaching 162 kW (220 hp) and a 2.3-litre petrol four with 112 kW (150 hp) and 310 N·m. All models used a Mercedes-Benz 5G-Tronic five-speed automatic, the W722-6.
Competition
SsangYong planned a hybrid version using the same system as the C200 Eco concept, though the production car was never launched. The Kyron did compete: in the 2009 Dakar Rally, Isidre Esteve Pujol and his team-mate Eric Auge Medina finished 71st in a Kyron 2.7DCI.
Design and features
- Mercedes-Benz diesel: the 270XDi gave up to 185 hp and 350 N·m, with a five-speed Mercedes automatic behind it.
- Third-generation common rail: direct injection and a 32-bit control unit improved output and economy over earlier SsangYong diesels.
- Ken Greenley design: the same designer who shaped the Musso and Rodius styled the Kyron.
- Dakar experience: a Kyron 2.7DCI competed in the 2009 Dakar Rally.
SsangYong Kyron versions
- Kyron 200XDi: smaller common-rail diesel.
- Kyron 270XDi: 2.7-litre five-cylinder diesel, 162–185 hp.
- Kyron 2.3 petrol: 150 hp four-cylinder.
- Kyron 3.2 G32D: 220 hp six-cylinder petrol.
- Facelifted Kyron (2007): revised styling and interior.
The Kyron sat between the smaller Actyon and the larger Rexton. More models are in the SsangYong collection.
Video: SsangYong Kyron test drive
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- SsangYong Kyron, English Wikipedia: engines, transmissions, designer, motorsport
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