The first generation car is more in demand in a liftback body, while the basis is the frame design of a pickup truck produced at the same time. The cars have good technical characteristics and provide a decent level of comfort in the cabin. An important detail is that the power units were created under a license purchased from Mercedes-Benz. Cars on the secondary market are cheaper than Japanese and European classmates; less reliable Chinese equipment may compete. Like any car, Actyon has weaknesses, the main ones of which we will list based on the experience of the owners.

Specifications

• Five-door SUV;
• Engine: diesel 2.0 l, 149 and 179 hp, gasoline 2.3 l, 150 hp;
• Transmission: rear-wheel drive, 5-speed manual transmission, 4-speed automatic transmission;
• Maximum speed: 163 km/h;
• Acceleration time: gasoline engine - 12.2 seconds, diesel -14.1 seconds;
• Fuel consumption: on the highway gasoline engine - 9, diesel - 7.5 km/h, in the city gasoline engine - 15.7, diesel - 11.5 km/h;
• Fuel tank volume – 57 l.

Advantages and benefits of SsangYong Actyon

1. Good equipment;
2. Diesel engine;
3. There is a low gear;
4. Comfortable interior;
5. The body is resistant to corrosion;
6. High-quality plastic on the bumper;
7. Reliable gearboxes;
8. Durable timing drive;
9. Affordable price.

Weaknesses of Ssang Yong Aktion

• Engines:
• Bridge fastening beam;
• Fastenings to the body;
• Hub;
• Springs;
• Fuel system;
• Front driveshaft.

Power units

The gasoline engine is the problem area of ​​the car. In the winter season, problems arise with its launch. A cold engine may stall after a few seconds after it has been started. This is repeated more than once. An official dealer will help fix the problem if the car is under warranty. He suggests replacing the firmware, but this measure does not bring the desired result. Local craftsmen found another way to solve it - bend the ramp and install new O-rings. Since the cause of the malfunction is the incorrect location of the fuel frame.

The problem with diesel units is the exhaust gas temperature sensor, which is installed on the turbocharger. This element has a short resource and quickly fails. The malfunction negatively affects traction. Every 40 thousand km the sensor needs to be replaced. The cost of the procedure is about 6,000 rubles.

Front axle beam.

Quite often, dangerous cracks appear in the bridge support beam. Most often, the problem occurs in cars that have been actively used off-road. In case of untimely detection, the front axle breaks off from its mounting points and damages the engine crankcase. The malfunction can be detected by inspection in the pit. If there is a crack, you will need to weld it and install a reliable patch in place of the damage.

Body strength.

Poor body strength, problems with fastening to the frame. Close attention should be paid to inspecting the body. It is necessary to carefully inspect all fastening elements and the body itself. The inspection must be carried out in a pit or on a lift with a good level of lighting. The disease is treated by welding work and is a clear consequence of design flaws.

It has a low level of reliability. Failure can result in serious material costs; it is manufactured assembled and the bearing cannot be replaced separately. Superficial diagnostics are carried out on the go; a characteristic hum will reveal the problematic part. A more detailed inspection must be done when inspecting the chassis in the pit.

Even relatively “fresh” specimens sag greatly. This is easy to determine visually. It is recommended to pay special attention to the rear springs. The original is made from a thin rod with a diameter of 13 mm. If the Actyon was operated with a full load, the car simply rests on the bump stops. The problem is corrected by replacing the springs with the simultaneous installation of spacers.

Fuel system.

The car is equipped with reliable equipment from the famous Delphi company. Its disadvantage is its very high sensitivity to fuel quality. The first sign of a problem may be unstable operation of the power unit. To ensure that the purchase is not accompanied by significant costs, it is recommended to spend money on computer diagnostics. Do this even if there are no alarming symptoms.

Front driveshaft splines.

The front driveshaft splines are a disease of SanYeng Aktion. This problem can be attributed to factory defects. During active use in sports mode, the splined joints break, which is indicated by the appearance of play. It is recommended to diagnose such an alarming symptom at a service station.

Other problems.

Levers, steering rods. An unpleasant design feature lies in the fact that weak ball joints cannot be changed separately. It is recommended to carefully check the problem areas of the suspension in the pit. Carefully check the entire chassis; an unpleasant feature of the model is the low service life of the chassis. If it is “killed”, significant funds will be required to restore it.

Main disadvantages of SsangYong Actyon

1. Rigid suspension;
2. Ergonomic shortcomings;
3. “Crickets in the cabin”;
4. Poor sound insulation of arches;
5. Small trunk volume;
6. Low quality plastic in the cabin
7. Visibility when reversing.

Conclusion.

Despite the existing factory defects and operational problems, buying this car may be a smart move. It is not so difficult to find equipment in decent condition, on which the owner has already removed the factory "jambs". The main thing is not to neglect a thorough diagnosis of problem nodes.

Describe in the comments the sore spots and shortcomings of your SsangYong Actyon that were identified during operation.

Weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages of Ssang Yong Aktion was last modified: November 20, 2018 by Administrator

In 2011, the second generation of the model appeared, which turned out to be a crossover that changed the previous frame design. Let's see how far the Koreans managed to avoid the usual “childhood diseases” in such cases.

Surprisingly, there have still been no widespread and serious complaints against this car. From scratch, the Koreans managed to create a fashionable and quite honest car for their money, a fair margin of safety that clearly goes against the traditionally low residual value of SsangYong cars. However, it was not without its drawbacks.

2005 year. The first generation SsangYong Actyon was distinguished by its extravagance and body-on-frame design. All-wheel drive SUVs with a plug-in front end and lower gear, equipped with a 2.0-liter diesel engine (141 hp) or a 150-horsepower gasoline engine, were supplied to Russia.

In Russia, they were assembled in Vladivostok from vehicle kits. There were two engines: gasoline and diesel - both 2.0-liter, with the same power of 149 hp. At first they also offered a more powerful 175-horsepower turbodiesel, but quickly abandoned it due to low demand. It's a shame, because it is he who is considered the most successful. Meanwhile, there are few complaints about the remaining engines, and besides, they are not critical.

For a gasoline engine, the main complaint was about extraneous sounds and clanging when starting a cold engine. The valve timing regulator (about 12,000 rubles) or the stretched timing chain are acting up, a replacement kit for which can be purchased at a price of 15,000 rubles. The peak of complaints occurs for cars with 100,000 mileage. However, there are plenty of cars with high mileage that have escaped this fate. For diesel engines, the complaint about the poor service life of the exhaust gas temperature sensor on the turbocharger is considered to be on duty. Admiring the burning “check” with a mileage of up to 50 thousand km is pain and despondency.

Not bad for your money

Six-speed manuals and automatics manifest themselves in different ways. There are only a few complaints about MCP. But repairs sometimes occur after 100 thousand kilometers of the Australian automatic transmission attached to a diesel engine. The Hyundai automatic works much more successfully with a gas engine. But the suspension is not particularly reliable. It begins to knock and require fastenings to be tightened and replaced even at very low mileages. Problems, however, can be solved with little effort. The main consumables are the CV joint boot, front wheel bearings and, of course, stabilizer links. The body and paintwork hold up no better, but no worse than the average modern level, without obvious flaws. Decorative chrome fades over a couple of winters, but Actyon owners have learned to put up with the finishing and build quality of the interior. The car is essentially inexpensive. Such is the demand from her. A creaking driver's seat, crickets, poor fit of the plastic trim, a quickly peeling steering wheel and uncritical electrical failures - it's all there. However, this does not make the car any less attractive for its money on the secondary market.

Six months ago, a restyled version of the crossover was presented. A monocoque body, independent suspension on all wheels, a cute design and a good price - it seems like all the ingredients for success are there. In the 2014 model year version, the front end was changed, which is not unusual for a rejuvenation procedure. But the Koreans were not lazy and changed the rear lights, that is, they redid the body stamps, but was it worth it? Not sure.

The pre-restyling Actyon was drawn by Italians, but the new version is the fruit of the imagination of Korean minds. It turned out well, but the former grace is no longer there. Square headlights, a dashing flourish of the lower air intake - somehow harsh. Yes, the taste and color of “Action” from “Aktion” is not far off, but the Asian origin of the new design cannot be hidden.

The salon has been radically updated. There is no delight here either, although it turned out more elegant, no doubt about it. Wood-look inserts, triangular deflectors, a navigation screen in the most visible place - this is better than it was, but worse than it could have been. And most importantly, the main “bug” of the car was not corrected: the steering wheel was still crooked. The hub is noticeably turned to the left, which is annoying. After a month of driving the Action, I still haven’t gotten used to it.

In addition, it is unclear what prevented the designers from making the climate control screen not orange, but, say, green. This bright spot stands out from the general style. In addition, the guys from Sollers, who gave me the car, took the cigarette lighter out of its socket, and there was a gaping hole there with the same orange backlight. Don't feng shui, you know.

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But there is also good news! There are enough seat adjustments for everyone, visibility is excellent, and the rich equipment seems to be specially selected for our climate. On cold days, I enjoyed the heated steering wheel, which, after first activation, turned on every time the engine was started (it must be turned off forcibly). As it gets warmer, the driver's seat ventilation comes in handy.

But the air conditioner... either it turned out to be defective in the test car, or we can sympathize with the Actyon owners - until we turned on the lowest temperature (the “Lo” icon on the display), warm air was blowing from the grilles. I turned on the coldest mode and it started blowing as if the whole of Norway had been stuffed under the hood: after a few minutes steam was coming out of my mouth.

That is, we either sweat or freeze, there is no third option. And the climate control itself is single-zone, so on a long journey with the company you will have to authoritatively defend your right to control the temperature in the cabin.

There are other “mulks”: if you press the end of the right lever, the washer itself will spray liquid onto the windshield several times until it becomes absolutely clean. I checked it under different conditions - each time the number of wiper sweeps and sprinkler activations was different, that is, the mode can be called intelligent.

The multimedia complex left a double impression. On the one hand, there is excellent iGo navigation with Navitel maps with a very fast and pleasant interface, on the other hand, there is a completely indistinct sound from the factory acoustics. No matter how you turn the equalizer or adjust the channels, the sound will be like a barrel, with overloaded bass and a flat midrange. There are three USB ports! One is on the center console, two are on the cords in the glove compartment. Three people can charge gadgets at once, and if you use all the cigarette lighters, then five. Bravo! But the speakers will still have to be changed.

I was pleased with the space in the back seat - I sat behind myself without any problems (with a height of 197 cm). The angle of the backrest of the second row can also be changed, and when folding the rear sofa, a flat horizontal platform is formed. Only now the fifth door lock works one time out of five: as soon as you get behind the wheel and start driving, the indicator on the dashboard will show - come on, dear, slam it harder.

The ride quality frankly confused me. Six months ago, I already drove a pre-restyling car with a gasoline engine (2 liters, 149 hp and 192 Nm), and then the car disappointed with its sluggish acceleration, but amazed me with its smooth ride. I decided to take the new Actyon exclusively with a diesel engine. The same 2 liters, the same 149 hp, but already 360 Nm of torque. In theory, he should drive more cheerfully. Not so.

According to the passport data, peak torque occurs in the range from 2,000 to 2,500 rpm. They didn't lie. The engine does not pull up to 2,000 at all. That is, absolutely. You press the gas, the car barely crawls forward. Suddenly, at two thousand, there is a sharp jerk - the car rushes forward as if stung. Good traction appears, but after 3,000 rpm it disappears just as it appeared - abruptly and irrevocably.

That is, for active driving it would be good to always keep the engine in this active zone. But here the “automatic machine” interferes, which strives to quickly move to the highest level. It seemed like we had just started, but he had already switched to second gear. The speed has barely reached 20 km/h, and we are already in third. Sharper presses on the gas pedal slightly delay the moment of switching, but the ride becomes gusty, like the wind in a port. So you move around the city in leaps and bounds. Or smoothly, but too slowly.

Changing lanes is a real torture: you turn the steering wheel, press the pedal, but the Actyon doesn’t move. After a couple of seconds, a jump follows, but the place where he wanted to change lanes is already taken. In heavy traffic, keeping a small distance from the car in front is not a test for the faint of heart.

The controllability is specific. The car obeys the steering wheel reluctantly, with noticeable delays. It is difficult to perform a “rearrangement” on the Actyon due to the fact that the car does not want to react to small turns of the steering wheel, and if you turn the steering wheel a little stronger, it literally shivers to the side. After three training runs, the required angle of rotation of the steering wheel was found, but the problem is that in an emergency there will be no rehearsals.

The suspension in the Actyon seems to be soft, but in this particular car it was spoiled by the optional 18-inch wheels. They are downright heavy. The suspension arms absorb any unevenness, but the driver constantly feels the vibration of the unsprung masses. I don’t just blame the wheels: the “old” petrol Actyon drove much smoother, but it had 17-wheel rims.

In gentle turns everything is very clear: if you over-gas it a little, the front end tends to move to a larger radius. I added gas and went inside. The rear axle is never felt on the asphalt; it only works when the front wheels slip. In the snow, understeer persists, which will play into the hands of those who switch to the car from a conventional front-wheel drive hatchback.

But off-roading – alas and ah – is not the strong point of the SsangYong Actyon. Yes, there is a ground clearance of 190 mm, there is even a cross-axle differential lock, but there is no “lowering”, and the low “apron” of the front bumper leaves no chance of properly stirring up the dirt. The worst fears were quickly confirmed - in a muddy rut, the transmission overheated after 5 minutes of driving. And the rear bumper caught on a snag completely discouraged the desire to further tempt fate.

All in all, a strange car. Some people are still confused with his name, but I still haven’t figured out how to relate to him. The urge is there, but in order to use it, you have to be perverted. You connect a bunch of gadgets to the radio, but the sound makes your ears bleed. There is all-wheel drive, but it's scary to drive off the road. Yes, diesel is clearly more economical than the gasoline version: the average consumption during that same “ragged” driving was about 10 l/100 km, while six months ago the on-board computer showed at least 16 l/100 km. But the gasoline engine is clearly more flexible, its thrust is much easier to control.

The beauty of the Actyon has always been the price. The basic version is offered for 799 thousand, but it is an “empty” car with a manual transmission and front-wheel drive. The simplest petrol Actyon with automatic transmission and all-wheel drive will cost 950 thousand, and the test car costs as much as 1,249,000 rubles! If you add 90 thousand, you can take the updated Kia Sportage with an excellent 184-horsepower diesel engine - it rushes like a tank. Or you can go all out and choose the Jeep Compass, which is sold in the maximum configuration with a 170-horsepower gasoline engine for 1,350,000 rubles.

It turns out that in order for the Actyon to be better than others in terms of price/quality ratio, it is preferable to buy it in medium trim levels. At the top, competitors are no worse and hardly more expensive.

21.10.2016

The SsangYong Actyon is a car that is far from new and has been successfully sold in large quantities for several years now. Among the masses, the car is called differently, for example, in STS it is called Akshen, and employees of insurance companies also call it. Some car enthusiasts also took over this baton, gradually modernizing “Action” into “Action”. But now we’ll try to find out how much “action” there is in this car, and what problems you will encounter after purchasing a used Sang Yong Aktion of the second generation.

A little history:

In 2010, the first generation Sang Yong Aktion was replaced by the New Actyon; the prefix “New” in the name appeared so as not to confuse the new model with the previous version, which was in no hurry to leave the market. In many markets, the second generation Actyon is sold under the name "Korando". The New Actyon is no longer a frame SUV, like the first generation, but a regular crossover with a monocoque body. The design of the car was developed by the best designer of the century, Giorgetto Giugiaro, who drew such cars as the Bugatti » And « Ferrari » . In 2012, at the Geneva Motor Show, the New Actyon was presented as a pickup truck, which has nothing in common with a regular crossover. The New Actyon underwent another restyling in 2013, changes affected the front and rear parts of the body, the interior of the car and the technical filling. The bulk of cars sold in the CIS were assembled in Russia at the SOLLERS - Far East plant. The release of the new generation is scheduled for early 2017.

Advantages and disadvantages of Sang Yong Aktion with mileage.

There is an opinion that the paintwork of Sang Yong Aktion is thin, and the body iron in places of chips rots to holes, however, real operating experience says otherwise. The paintwork is of average quality, but it cannot be said that chips and scratches do not appear on it at all; also, it cannot be said that in places of chips the metal does not rust, however, pockets of corrosion are superficial and can be easily removed with a rust converter. Chrome-plated body trim elements become cloudy after a couple of winters and sometimes begin to swell, especially on nameplates and the tailgate trim.

Power units

Three power units are available on the second-generation Sang Yong Aktion: petrol with a 2.0 engine (149 hp) and diesel 2.0 (149, 179 hp). At first, there were two diesel engines, then the more powerful power unit was discontinued. But, as operating experience has shown, the 179 hp engine was the most successful, since 149 hp. Not enough for this car. There are much fewer cars with gasoline engines on the secondary market than diesel ones. Many gasoline Sang Yong Aktions have problems with cold starting, especially in winter. For example, a cold engine can start, and after a few seconds stall, and so on several times. To fix the problem, the dealership offers to replace the firmware, but this very rarely helps. Some mechanics suggest that the reason for this behavior of the engine is the fuel rail, since it is installed at the wrong angle. If the car is not under warranty, then you can bend the ramp at an unofficial service center and change the O-rings.

Diesel engines are very reliable; the only thing that gives owners headaches is the exhaust gas temperature sensor on the turbocharger. The sensor has a short service life, which is why most problems occur in diesel engines. For example, the car loses traction, and the “check engine” indicator lights up on the instrument panel. Replacement of the sensor is required every 30-40 thousand km; such repairs cost 50-100 USD.

Transmission

The Sang Yong Aktion is equipped with a six-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission. Most cars on the secondary market are equipped with automatic transmission; manual transmission is found on average on 35% of cars. As operating experience has shown, both transmissions are very reliable, but some operational shortcomings were still identified in them. On cars with a manual transmission, sometimes when engaging first and second gear, you can hear an extraneous knocking or crunching sound; To fix the problem, you need to adjust the shift lever rods. In the operation of the automatic transmission, which is paired with diesel engines, jerks are observed when switching from 1st to 2nd, as well as from 2nd to 3rd gear, as well as jolts after stopping. Reflashing the control unit does not always help fix the problem. Also, in this transmission there are often cases of underfilling of oil, from 0.5 liters to 1.5 liters. The reliability of the all-wheel drive does not cause any complaints, but there are complaints about its performance characteristics. Many owners note that all-wheel drive was not connected in a timely manner.

Reliability of Sang Yong Aktion chassis

The car's suspension has a simple design: MacPherson strut at the front, multi-link at the rear. The second generation Sang Yong Aktion is one of those cars whose suspension starts to sound quite quickly, that is, after 20-30 thousand kilometers. Many experienced owners solve this problem by tightening all suspension connections. If we talk about reliability, then most often you will have to change the CV joint boots, fortunately, its cost is not high - 15-20 USD. Also, wheel bearings fail quite quickly; they last for 30-40 thousand kilometers. Rear stabilizer mounting bracket - 40-50 thousand km. The stabilizer struts can withstand no more than 50,000 km; for the original strut they ask for 25 USD. The remaining suspension elements last 100,000 km or more. If, when rotating the steering wheel from the extreme position to the opposite, you hear clicks or crunching sounds, the lower part of the steering shaft assembly with the ESD needs to be replaced; you will have to pay about 1000 USD for the replacement.

Salon

The quality of finishing materials and assembly of the Sang Yong Aktion interior is not of the best quality, as a result, extraneous squeaks begin to bother you even on almost new cars. The quality does not stand up to criticism; on cars with a mileage of 40-45 thousand km, the steering wheel becomes covered with bald spots and looks as if the car was driven 150-200 thousand km. Quite common cases of failure of cruise control, ESP sensor, and rear power windows.

Result:

The Sang Yong Aktion is an urban crossover with great capabilities that will appeal to a fairly large audience of car enthusiasts due to its pleasant appearance, all-wheel drive and low cost on the secondary market. If we talk about reliability, then despite a number of identified shortcomings, the car can be classified as reliable. And those problems that were identified are more related to the category of children's problems and do not require expensive repairs.

Advantages:

If you are the owner of this car model, please describe the problems that you encountered while using the car. Perhaps your review will help the readers of our site when choosing a car.

Best regards, editor AutoAvenue

Renault Duster is the clearest proof of this: there is simply no more affordable crossover on the market! The closest to the French car was the Korean San-Yong-Aktion, which recently also acquired an inexpensive gasoline engine. Why isn't there a reason to compare a cheap car with an affordable one?

Who is non-Russian?!

Despite the foreign emblems, both the French car and the Korean one are of Russian origin: the Duster is produced in Moscow, and the Aktion in Vladivostok. And the piquancy of the situation is that Renault dealers take a bribe for delivering the car to the showroom, and San Yong sellers somehow manage without this, although the car is being transported across all of Russia. Anyway.

You can argue until you foam at the mouth about who looks better - “Duster” or “Aktion”, but we don’t judge by appearance: felt-tip pens have different tastes and colors. Both are good in their own way. Renault, of course, turned out to be much more original - it definitely cannot be confused with any other car. Powerful sills connecting huge swollen wheel arches, short bumpers “lined” underneath with practical black plastic, promising good cross-country ability - the Duster looks deliberately brutal, it feels like a style thoroughly mixed with utilitarianism. The unique radiator grille is also good, stretched between the angular headlights, which will remind some of the popular Moskvich-412, and for others the rare Lancia-Fulvia-Sport-Zagato.

The appearance of “Aktion” is more intelligent and restrained, there is no provocation in it, but there is harmony. Stylists from the Italdesign studio pored over the design of the car and came up with a completely fine car, which lacks a little personality. Yes, the Korean car cannot be confused with any other crossover, but compared to its classmates it does not stand out in anything special. Maybe this is how it should be?

Poor, but clean

The straightforward appearance of the Duster anticipates the uncomplicated interior: the car seems to warn that you should not expect luxurious decoration in its interior. The only sign of luxury is leather “furniture” in the most expensive configuration. Everything else is outright hard plastic, from which the central and door panels are cast - in general, everything that surrounds the driver and passengers. However, it all looks so honest that it is completely disarming: I don’t want to criticize Renault for its feigned simplicity.

But you can find fault with the ergonomics. The front seats are comfortable and lateral support is subtle but adequate. However, the height adjustment of the driver's seat occurs by pulling the iron handle while simultaneously lifting the butt off the cushion, which is not entirely convenient. There are other sad things. For example, the steering column is not adjustable in length, and the mirrors are adjusted with a “crank”, which by some absurd accident was nestled under the parking brake lever. And the visibility through the “premature” exterior rear-view mirrors is very mediocre. Finally, the horn button, according to French tradition, is located at the end of the right steering column switch, which you remember only in those cases when, in response to patting the steering wheel hub, the car is imperturbably silent.

The insides of Aktion are thought out much better. From a style point of view, it may be inferior to the Renault, but if we talk about ergonomics, the Korean looks almost flawless - especially compared to the French. True, in the most budget versions the steering column also cannot “crane its neck,” but this can be easily corrected by choosing a richer version. But even the cheapest Aktions have a height-adjustable driver's seat. The finishing materials, of course, are also far from premium, but overall the interior seems richer. In addition, after restyling, the crossover acquired a new dashboard, which is very, very nice.

Taking care of your family

Both crossovers turned out to be very hospitable, but there are several nuances that complicate the life of Duster passengers. This is primarily due to the ease of fit. You need to have good coordination of movements to get onto the sofa without getting your trousers dirty. This is not easy to do: the door seems to be in a hole formed by a bulging threshold and an inflated rear wing, which are clean only when the car leaves the wash gate. The rest of the time, these important elements of the body are shrouded in dirt: when driving through even the smallest puddle, they tend to get dirty. But once you get inside, life immediately improves: even tall passengers will not feel cramped.

But Aktion still looks preferable from the point of view of passenger transportation. It’s easier to fit into it, and it’s comfortable to be inside: there’s enough space even for three. But it will be better for two: you can organize the central armrest and adjust the backrest.

Some are being brought!

In the basic configuration, the Duster does not have a split rear backrest - unlike the Aktion. However, the “Frenchman” can be forgiven for this: anyway, almost no one orders this car “naked”. The shape of the hold is close to ideal, and when unfolded, the loading area stretches almost two meters. The only disadvantages are the high loading height and the absolutely stupid trunk curtain, which does not roll up, but folds sagging, and also tends to fall down at every opportunity.

The loading area of ​​the Aktion with the interior unfolded is slightly shorter than that of the Renault, but it is noticeably smoother. True, the San Yong's hold space is trampled by wheel arches, but this does not greatly limit its cargo capabilities. In general, parity.

Towards a common denominator

Both crossovers can be equipped with both petrol and diesel engines. But we will still bring our duelists to a common denominator and will focus on modifications with 2-liter gasoline engines and manual gearboxes, since the Duster with an automatic transmission can only be front-wheel drive, and the Aktion automatic transmission so far relies exclusively on diesel engines .

Even being a 1.6-liter, the Renault drives quite well. However, two liters makes the car more versatile: with a powerful engine, the Duster feels confident on the highway, since at speeds over a hundred, acceleration is much more noticeable. The French compensated for the lack of a reduction gear with a short first gear, which turns out very quickly. So Renault owners will have to accustom themselves to starting with the second one - it feels like the first one here.

If you believe the sensations, the San Yong accelerates a little more actively. However, in terms of numbers it is unlikely to beat Renault: the advantage of 14 forces rather smooths out the difference in weight rather than shortens the seconds to a hundred. But the Aktion’s gearbox is more evenly “cut” into gears (both cars have six steps), and the shift clarity is a little higher. And if the dynamics of the gasoline version are not enough, you can turn to diesel engines, the most powerful of which develops an impressive 175 horsepower and gives the car very impressive driving performance.

Safety comes first

No one expects a crossover to behave like a sports car - driving a family car should be soothing, not exciting. Handling should be safe, not reckless, and all this fits perfectly into the Duster outline. It does not shine with the sharpness of reactions, but at the same time it does not bother you with the lack of feedback, although more could be expected from the rather heavy steering wheel. It's not shy about leaning into corners, but it does so quite cautiously. In general, he tries not to irritate him once again. But at high speed it perfectly holds a straight line, from which even very significant irregularities cannot knock it off. However, rear-wheel drive in the “Auto” mode is activated with a long delay, changing the nature of handling at the most inopportune moment. This problem can be smoothed out by ESP, included in the list of options, but cars equipped with a stabilization system, alas, cannot yet be ordered.

The philosophy of Aktion is very close to that preached by Duster: it is safety, emphasized by the calm nature of handling. It’s not difficult to achieve mutual understanding with the car: the San Yong drives the way you’d expect it to. The level of feedback on the steering wheel is quite decent, and roll in corners can be called moderate. ESP is missing only in basic trim levels, and all-wheel drive works more adequately.

How far is it to the tractor?

Both cars are front-wheel drive by default: the rear axle is engaged only when the front wheels slip. The clutch that controls this process can be forcibly locked, but this will not be a panacea: with active off-road activities, there is a high chance of it overheating, leaving you without all-wheel drive.

Despite the fact that “Duster” and “Aktion”, by and large, are not designed for active efforts beyond the asphalt, they are still capable of something. Renault is especially good: it has higher ground clearance, smaller front overhangs, and greater approach angles. Perhaps, few crossovers can compete with the “French” in terms of off-road capability.

The Aktion driver will not have to go too far behind the tractor: it is significantly inferior to the Duster in terms of off-road geometry, and almost three extra centners do not have the best effect on cross-country ability.

Any roads are dear to us

It is very likely that in a few years legends will be made about the all-forgiving suspension of the Duster: Renault allows you to rush over any potholes with gullies without reducing speed and without any damage to the chassis: the energy intensity is simply amazing! At the same time, the smoothness of the ride seems quite decent - if, of course, you can go through all the bumps. But if you control yourself and drive carefully, the Duster may seem harsh: it diligently marks small irregularities. This is truly true: more speed - fewer holes!

Even if you don’t frantically stomp on the gas pedal, forcing the car to accelerate more actively, the engine will still rush to make itself known, revealing not so much gaps in noise insulation as its own penchant for karaoke. And at high speeds, the Duster begins to joyfully and loudly scratch the air with its angular body raised high above the road, disturbing the laws of aerodynamics.

Aktion behaves noticeably more modestly. It has a better streamlined body and a quieter engine - however, the last statement is true exclusively for gasoline versions: turbodiesels are not distinguished by acoustic modesty. As for the suspension settings, the “Korean” is not much inferior to the “French”: you won’t be afraid of it on our roads.

There is no limit to perfection

From the point of view of passive safety, the Duster, unfortunately, cannot be considered an excellent performer: it passed the EuroNCAP test with a C grade. In the event of a frontal impact, the crossover retained the strength structure of the interior, but was fined for the opening of the trunk lid. In addition, such a modest result by today's standards is largely explained by the risk of the driver receiving serious chest injuries during the so-called pillar test. Similar calculations are valid for a car with two frontal airbags, meanwhile, for cars produced in Moscow, only the driver’s air bag corresponds to the basic configuration, and the passenger airbag can be found in the “Expresion” and “Privilege” trim levels, having paid an additional 4,000 rubles, or you can get it in the most expensive version “Lux-Privilege”. But the stabilization system, although it is listed in the price list (RUB 13,000), can be ordered no earlier than the fall.

The new Aktion (also known as Korando in some markets) has not yet been tested for safety. However, you can expect that everything will be fine with it: the base has ABS and front airbags, but richer configurations include a stabilization system, as well as side air bags and curtains - the latter are not available for the Duster in principle.

Hit with a ruble

Price is the most important argument in favor of Renault: the entry price of 449,000 rubles is sheer dumping. And although for this money a sparsely equipped version with a 1.6-liter engine “on hand” and front-wheel drive is offered, it is still a full-fledged universal car with a not very rotten engine and passable city cross-country ability. So, even with all-wheel drive, the Duster is not much more expensive: it starts at less than half a million.

With a two-liter engine, the “French” costs 582 thousand - immediately with a 4x4 transmission. And if you sacrifice the drive to the rear axle, you can get a version with an automatic transmission - and even save a little. It's a shame that all-wheel drive isn't paired with an automatic transmission. And the most expensive “Duster” in the “Lux-Privilege” configuration is estimated at 681 thousand rubles.