SsangYong Stavic (2005-2015)

Better than it looks – Voted ugliest car ever. Unusual i would call it. You will mot impress you mates with it. However you will be impressed. After a while. I replaced my Tarago ultima for one of these out of curiosity and here is what i think. There is more space in this than in space itself. At 5.2 meters it is the largest passenger car. Its long and its wide and its… Read more

stands tall. Bigger than people movers but still a big wagon as it doesnt have sliding doors. Unlike other people movers the third row seat doesnt fold into the boot, instead it is removable. If you are strong. Very strong. Its heavy. Very heavy. It's a major flaw compared to those that fold into the boot. However it slides back and forth so you can have a big luggage space even when not removed. Unfortunately the middle row seats are not removable limiting the length of the otherwise huuuge cargo space. Also i keep hearing about they rotate, but i can't see how. Interestingly unlike other seven seaters, the third row seats are a lot more comfy than the second row where the sitting position is awkward for adults as the seat is too low. Must be spot on for kids with short legs. There is plenty of boot space even with seven passengers i can put an unfolded pram in the back. Front seats are comfy, the interior is not the most refined, but dashboard is padded, soft to touch, meets expectations. Stereo sounds quite decent compared to other more respected car manufacturers. Its no secret when the engine is running, makes plenty of noise, but not bad when cruising along. Its no rocket but the 2.7L TD engine does a good job moving around the 2.3 tonnes. 5speed gearbox is smooth, i feel like it could do with a 6th gear. The large plastic trims in the back are not the best fit and make some noises on uneven roads. The big nose of the car gives easy access to the engine and components, a big bonus to people who like working on their cars. To this adds the simplicity of the rear wheel drive arrangement making it an old fashioned easy to work on car. Having said that, there is a lot of Mercedes DNA in it so shop around for spare parts, and as it is not a tarago, they might be harder to find and cost more. When you drive it in traffic expect people will judge it, and judge you with the look in their eyes. But when you turn on your indicator, people will go out of their way to let you in for the same reason. All in all this is a car that surprises most people as expectations are not so high, and although little rough around the edges, it offers more than many others. And nobody wants them, so you can pick one up for peanuts.

Exceptional – We were looking for a new 7 seater when we had our 4th child. Stumbled across Stavic by luck.. didn't even know these were in Australia. Purchased it in Jan 2016 ours is a 2015 updated version. Could bot be happier. Have had no issues yet. Have done 32000 in 3 years with the usual school runs and occasional day trips. The car averages 7L to 100km… Read more

on freeway empty to 7.8-8L on freeway loaded. Does 8.5L around town. Excellent for a 2.2t car. The turbo has a slight lag and hesitation, however you only feel this from a standstill. However once the turbo speeds up which takes 1 second fells like you can pull an entire house out of a swamp and still accelerate uphill. No kidding. The gine has plenty of grunt. But remember this is not a race car. Rather one built for a family cruising. The bood is huge never mind the baggage lights.. just turn them on manually.. no big deal. The car comes with a full size spare. Not too difficult to get out.. all good. Plenty of room. I like it. Would definitely buy another, but i don't think i ll need to at any rate soon. The verdict? 9.5/10.

A Real Surprise Purchase – When I decided to buy a new car it took me about 6 months searching on the internet to find the best choice, I was 73 at the time and wanted a roomy car as we have many grand and great grand kids. So I punched in 7 seats, diesel automatic, cost, economy etc. Internet came up with about a dozen models of which to my annoyance Ssangyong came up all… Read more

the time. And that was mainly because it was pretty cheap at about $30.000. Finally I decided to have a look at the car and take it out for a test drive. For it's size it was amazingly easy to drive and handle. I settled for the Stavic 2 lt. Diesel. It was Feb. 2014. At the time we drove regularly from Geelong to Porepunkah holiday cabin. The big car did 7.1 lt to the 100 km and that was loaded with gear. Even with loaded trailer it pulled well, we still got about 8 lt to the 100 km and that was really a pleasant surprise. My experience was that it performed and handled very well with very little noise in the cabin. The car is big with plenty room for 7 people in it and baggage. Versatile in seating as well. I didn't like the instrument cluster position in the centre of the dashboard, but got used to it in the end. I also think that for such a big car a reversing camera would have been appropriate and GPS. However, I did these as an after sale project and it wasn't too difficult to do. There was plenty legroom for all in front and two back seats, but a bit limited in the back row for 3 adults that is. These were good for 3 grown up kids. Car is a bit high for people of my age to get in, but that is because of dodgy knees. The tow bar came with the car as an incentive and that was great. We had the car for almost 3 years to the date when I had an accident, which did damage to the front left hand pillar and passenger door, but nothing serious and the car was still driveable and all still worked. I drove the car for another two weeks after the accident. To my astonishment the car was a write off by my insurance company, purely because of spare part problems and the insurance gives life time guarantee on repairs. Spare parts would have taken months to be ordered from Korea and of course so would the repairs. I was a bit upset about this as I became very attached to the car and at my age that would have been my last new car. The car had only done 34.000 km at the time. However, I went back on the internet looking for no other car but Ssangyang Stavic Diesel and found one with 38.000 km on the clock. It was a 2016 updated model with still the balance of the factory guarantee on it. This one had the leather seats, the upgraded dashboard with separate odometer in front of the driver with too many calculations I care for economy. Apart from that the car is the same, but new about $8000 more, that is a significant increase in updated model. But still no reversing camera or factory GPS. After the accident and having a good look at the impact location, I realised how strong the body is of the Stavic and the extra protection of the intrusion bars in the doors. At the time of accident I had my 8 year old grandson in the back of the car and no one was hurt including the other driver of the car. There was no damage or whatsoever on the chassis, but just panel damage to door and front pillar. The engine (Mercedes design) is very smooth and strong for pulling and very economical for a car this size. Parking is a problem because of it's size and length and the size of the doors have to be taken in consideration as well when parking as they are big doors. With all the seats collapsed, you have an enormous space for whatever you wish to transport, but watch the weight as it will be resting on the back of the collapsed seats. I am mainly doing short drives these days and average 8 ltr's diesel to the 100 km, of course I have the car serviced as per maintenance schedule. Air conditioning and heating facilities are pretty good with individual outlets for the back passengers with also plenty of cup holders, one power point in back seat and one in luggage compartment. If you ever have to use the spare wheel, is a bit of a hassle to drop it and get it out particularly for older people. Location of the electric drivers seat are also easy to use. The back light in luggage compartment does NOT come on when you open it, it is a manual function, the rest is automatic. High beam adjustment is great. Fog lights I can do well without, but good for parking in the dark though. Brakes are very good and they do shudder when you have to break heavy, but that is normal with ABS system. I am not saying this is the best car for value, but I certainly get my value out of it, it is smooth to drive. My wife has used it too, doesn't like the size of it understandably, as she has a Mitsubishi Colt. All in all I am NOT DISAPPOINTED with the Ssangyong Stavic and consider it real value for money.

Best value for money – Purchased 2nd hand stavic due to low budget for a 7 seater thinking would it be good or not but it was an amazing experience how good this car is. Its great for a family with huge space and drives excellent. Usually this car is available in low budget but performs well than many big brands. It got Mercedes diesel engine.  Show details

A value for money people mover – 2015 model with upgraded steering wheel, purchased 14 months ago with 42000 on the clock, cloth trim for $13,500. Driving very smooth, huge room for passengers and loads, quieter than I thought. Fuel economical, Value for money. When bought, one of the rear cup holder racks and two of aircon outlet grills broken, fixed by dealer as still in the… Read more ·  1

warranty(it was first time sold in 2017). Good warranty service from dealer!

Only problem is one of the rear Kumho tyre(factory one) was out of shape, resulting the whole vehicle rattle. I have heard Kumho's bad name for over ratio of recycled rubber. Now just have the experience by myself. Also same as other review, paint on door handle and other trim easy to be off. Not a big issue.

Great vehicle – This is my daily driver which I use for work as a funeral director. After having owned my first Stavic for 7 years and 160,000kms and needing to replace another vehicle I found a 2013 SPR with just over 25,000kms. I paid top money but bought a hardly used car. It is great. The only prob has been the windscreen washer tubes perished and the… Read more ·  1

interior drivers door handle chrome has peeled. This is a common fault and happened on my other Stavic too. I love the extra speedo infront of the driver but the seat leather is quite hard.(prefer cloth seating to be honest). Just had 35000km service with no extra faults needimg repair. Looking forward to this one doing 160000km plus. I still have the old one which has been converted a transfer vehicle and the staff love to drive it over the van that they previously drove. Quiet , economical, roomy, with great performance from the 2 ltr turbo diesel. Apart from servicing, tyres etc I have needed an air con compressor, a brake light switch, head light globe and interior door handles (chrome peels off leaving sharp edge) windscreen washer tubing and a battery in 7yrs and 160000kms. Very inexpensive comfortable motoring

Not enough Os in Smooooth or Ooomph to describe this car – I bought this 2014 Stavic as a personnel transporter with heavy use each weekend in free flowing city traffic with lots of steep hills and roundabouts. It had 70,000 km on it and I have put 30,000 km on in 6 months. The stand outs for me are that is such a smooth car... to accelerate, to brake and drive around town, the fuel economy is great at… Read more

9.5 L per 100km (lots of steep hills) in town and on the highway it drops as low as 7 L per 100km, the people I transport LOVE the interior arrangement AND the service people always comment on how little wear it exhibits.

I have lots of big hills to traverse and it takes the hills with the same (apparent) ease whether there are 7 people together with luggage and a trailer attached, or just me.

Mr – My mechanic said that they have disc brake problems after 100000ks .We have 50000 KS no problem I have had problems with the rear tyres seperating (kumo solas) the only thing I can complain about. My stavic gets good economy and drives great very happy to. I had a ssangyong for actrong sports 120000ks no problems  Show details

Completley Amazed. Unexpectedly good – I'm in the motor trade (as a dealer) and got this car as a trade in and expected it to be complete garbage. I drove it and then kept it for my own family use and have been completely amazed at how good a family car this is. Seems to get quite good fuel economy heaps of room, and is the only 7 seater I can name that actually has useable luggage… Read more

space with all 7 seats in use. It almost has as much space as a Pajero with 5 seats in use.

So its good, real good. To my complete surprise.

Looking for a used car - less than 150,000km, Seven Seater under $15,000 – With 3 children turning into young adults and with my wife driving around 900 kms a week for work the old 2003 Magna Wagon as not going to last much longer. We had a budget of $15,000 for a used seven seater car/van. This money would get us into 10 year old Mazda CX9, Mitsuibishi Outlander, Honda Odyssey etc and a 2011 Kia Grand Carnival. All… Read more ·  7

the cars we looked at had at least 120000 km on them and other than the KIA where 5 seats plus 2. Presently surprised when walking back to the car at the end of marathon sessions of talking to a variety of dealers at Car City, we stumbled across a 2013 Black Stavic that fitted our criteria 7 seats, turbo diesel, great boot space, tow bar, nice ride height with around 73,000kms for a drive away price of $14k. Picked it up and the wife has put on 3,000km in the past 2 weeks. Fuel economy is around 7 litres to the 100 and had to spend a little bit of money to get the rear camera to work as well as an plug and play wiring harness to get the media steering controls to work with the after market Sony Blue Tooth stereo.

Overall a great solution as the Stavic provides a roomy 7 seater, heating and air conditioning great, drives well and the most important thing is that the wife is happy. We got a good price on the car and around $200 dollars got the steering controls and the rear camera to work. You will need a rear camera as the car is 5.2m long which makes it fun reversing. I don't have the issue of discrepancy of speed mentioned in the previous review and need to take back under warranty as the indicator for the airbags came on. (will be fixed under warranty). Recommend that if you have a growing family this car does fit the bill and half the price of comparable cars from Toyota, Mazda and the like.

Price to get things working not covered by Used Car Warranty.

Rear Camera around $100. Blue Tooth Touch Screen Stereo for camera display and handsfree phone. Example sony xav-68bt around $300 second hand. Aerpro Harness have phone and steering controls work with after market unit around $140. Labour around $150 to install.

A very nice, dutiful and economical car – We purchased a Ssangyong Stavic in Dec 2016. We were looking for a 7 seater and were not decided on any particular brand. So, we shopped all around Sydney for 7 seaters. I browsed the internet and saw Ssangyong Stavic for the first time and found it pretty decent in pictures so we went to a dealer near us who told us that they don't stock… Read more

Ssangyong anymore. We couldn't find any dealers nearby. So we started looking for other cars. We had a look at Honda Odyssey, Kia Carnival, Hyundai Santa Fe, Holden Captiva (I don't know if I have missed any). All of them were way too expensive and some were not roomy enough (Odyssey for example). By chance, I happened to find a Saangyong dealer in Parramatta and we went to have a look. We were quite impressed when we first entered the car. One of the USPs from my perspective was that the 2-2-3 seat arrangement which meant there was no need to collapse seats for the back seat entry. We also found the car very spacious and contained all the things we wanted from the car (nothing fancy but everything we needed). On top of that, the car was available for $28k which was by far the cheapest car around with all the specs we wished for. So, we bought the car and we are very pleased that we did. It runs beautifully and is quite quiet :) for a diesel car. The air-conditioning of the car is absolutely wonderful. It reaches all the seats with the top vents in place.

A friend of mine recently took it for a couple of weeks and did around 3k with seven adults and a boot full of stuff in the car. He has given me great feedback about the car. He has said that he got excellent mileage out of the car despite the full load. He told me that he never found the car wanting despite the full load.

The only slight niggle I have (which a few have pointed out already) is the speedo showing on an average 10% more speed than actual. When I first drove it on a freeway, almost all the cars overtook me despite the double demerit points and police around while I was myself driving at 110 km/h. So, I checked on an app and I found this out. Saangyong told me the following ("As per Australian Design Rule (ADR) 18 specified the accuracy of +/- 10% of the vehicles true speed when travelling over 40km/h. The speedometer must not indicate a speed less than the vehicle’s true speed or a speed greater than the vehicle’s true speed by an amount more than 10% plus 4 km/h.

· As your vehicle complies to the standards set by the ADR this cannot be altered.

We do not recommend you use alternative devices other than your speedometer as a guide to indicate the speed at which you are travelling.").

The manual boot light (which also others have already pointed out) is a bit of an issue.

But when it comes to car performance, I could not be more happier. I hope the dream run continues......

Good Car – Have owned my stavic since new(2013), best value for my money. I love this car. Good space and my big family travels in comfort ( not squished) whilst there is respectable boot space. Very good car to run. Ssangyong should keep improving the interior (plastics) ,incl the sound system (more powerful speakers)  Show details

Awesome car – Great car for the price. Minus a little trouble from the diff, needing a replacement under warranty, it's smooth to drive. A little slow on the uptake compared to the Triton, but hey fill it with kids and there's no rush. A maroon interior would be nice, but the grey is sufficient. I am having issues with the airbag light, due to get fixed for… Read more

the third time under warranty, however. Heaps of boot space. Bluetooth works great. Maybe one day they will bring in the 9 seated version. 4wd too??.

Exceeded my expectations – I did a lot of research prior to purchasing my Stavic last month. I was in the market to buy a good value diesel 7 seaters and considered a number of diesel options including Holden Captiva, Isuzu MU-X, Hyundai iMax, Kia Carnival and Mitsubishi Outlander. After considering equipment levels, performance and pricing, eventually Narrowed down the… Read more ·  1

choice to the Stavic, Isuzu & Captiva. Test driven the cars and though I was initially skeptical of the Korean brand, the Stavic pleasantly surprised me with a nice drive feel. The engine is quite punchy and VERY quiet for a diesel, I have friend who thought the Stavic had a petrol engine (from inside the car). Considering the overall value, the Stavic test-drive convinced me that's the right car for my family (second choice was Isuzu then Captiva).

As I have not owned the car for long, I can't comment on the long term reliability nor the servicing costs, etc. But I can't find too many people on the net complaining on their Ssangyongs or Isuzus (unlike the Captivas).However, throwing an objective point of views, Holden would have sold a lot more Captivas compared to Isuzu and Ssangyong's, so this may be a contributing factor to the number of ownership complaints.

For all it's worth, so far the car is really pleasant and comfortable to drive. The auto gear changes smoothly, steering and built quality feels OK, no rattles so far and less plasticky than many other Japanese/Korean offerings. Just about a few negatives I can think of was the unavailability of the trip computer and reverse camera, even as an option.(on the standard model). The internal"room" lights must be manually switched off (other than the front "door" lights) and do not go off automatically when the car doors are closed (which could drain the battery). The seats are a bit too soft for my liking but this is an individual preference.

However, these minor issues should not stop anyone from buying the Stavic, as it is still a great value proposition given the sub-$30k pricing (I was not even charged extra for metallic colour) and the equipment levels included in the overall package.

If you are considering a Stavic, I recommend you test-drive it. I am sure you will be as pleasantly surprised as I was when I test-driven one.

Nice car but the warranty sucks! – I like the Stavic, the service costs are very high, and the warranty is terrible. The minivan has a decent engine, lots of room, but feels very cheap. Two plastic parts inside the centre console broke during normal use. ParramattaAutoCentre refused to fix under their warranty or ACL. $345 Unhappy!  Show details

I loved this car ...... Until – I've always liked this car, so when looking for a people mover it was my first choice. I purchased a new 2013 model Stavic In South Australia. Pro's : Great fuel consumption 850km per tank on average , the back seats are removable, seven adults plus luggage fit easily, the middle walk thru isle is great as there's no need to fold… Read more

seats to access back row, the cars interior is huge, it has four 12 volt chargers, all seven belts are lap sash seatbelts, the steering wheel features a radio control which could even change songs played via Bluetooth, and also changed radio channels and mode it also features cruise control on the other side which enables you to not only set the speed but accelerate or slow down via the controls .

Cons : There's no lockable storage space except the boot, the passenger doors are very large making it hard to park and allow adequate room to exit, after less than two years the chrome peeled off the front interior door handles, the hand holds broke after minimal use, the sun visor keeps dropping down, and the black exterior paint scratches easily. All except the paint were covered under the warranty , replacements were ordered but didn't arrive in the 15 weeks we waited for them.

Unfortunately my car was damaged in a accident and in ten weeks we never even received the price for replacement parts, let alone the parts

After 12 weeks with still no pricing my insurance company labelled it a financial writeoff .

Over all , the Stavic drove well and was a great family car, unfortunately parts aren't readily available and we've since replaced it with a different make of people mover.

Excellent car – The car is excellent and runs well. It is also quite economical on fuel - does Canberra to Melbourne (650km) with three-quarter tank. And for sub 30K price, you can't go wrong. Got to be careful with dealers though. The one in Canberra quoted more than twice the normal price to replace brake pad and rotor during service at odometer reading of… Read more

55000. Protested and called Ssangyong directly and was told to seek a second opinion. I ended up paying less than half the dealer's price.

Early days but good so far – Quiet and comfortable on highway for 7-8 lts/100 kms. Surprisingly powerful. So far reliable (purchased with 33k, now 47k). As per other posts, has great interior room and tows well. Some cheap items such as rear wiper switch on dash rather than stalk, and aircon/ventilation system is confusing, but overall fantastic value for money. Bigger test… Read more ·  1

will be reliability over long term. Also the local dealer is awful so have had to service elsewhere. But i agree with others, with better marketing, these would sell in far greater numbers. Best thing is to test drive and see for yourself. You too will be pleasantly surprised as it will exceed your expectations given its price.

Towing – I have just had a requirement to tow a 6 x 4 trailer loaded with chipboard completely filling the trailer. The Stavic never even noticed the load.This vehicle continues to impress. I have just past 6000 kms. Still early days but I definitely recommend this 7 seat vehicle fuel economy has been 12 Kls. per lt. in a city 100/200 country drive.  Show details

Affordable practicality! – I did much research prior to buying the Stavic. Coming out of a Mitsubishi Delica, we needed at least as much space. Safety features were of high priority as the Delica had none. Looked at vehicles by Kia, Honda, Mitsubishi, Benz, LDV, Hyundai and more. Eventually narrowed the choice to the Stavic and the Kia Carnival. While in some ways i… Read more

think the Kia is probably a better overall package, the price difference of more than twenty thousand dollars brought things into perspective.

We've had our Stavic for some time now and struggle to fault it.... engine is quiet and powerful and returns about 9.5l/100klm. Interior is extremely spacious and comfortable.

Heating, cooling, audio etc more than satisfactory. Ride is cushiony and smooth.

Suspension feel and light steering took some getting used to but love it now.

Best value people mover in Australia and if it displayed a better known badge it would be a big seller but no doubt carry a higher price tag.

Only complaints are: cup holders in front are pretty ordinary and the storage tray beneath the pull-out cup holders can't be accessed when the cup holders are in use. They are also unable to accommodate larger drinks/coffee cups etc.

The lack of a reversing camera was disappointing but not such an issue as to not buy the car.... an aftermarket option will suffice.

Also, the lack of SsangYong service departments in my area is an issue to some degree.

Just hope I don't need any warranty work done as my nearest service agent is two hours away.

Nevertheless, I am extremely satisfied with the vehicle and have recommended the SsangYong Stavic to others.

Love it – Uncharacteriscally quiet for a diesel. Merc-sourced transmission is smooth. Fuel consumption around 7L/100km-ish on the highway and about 9 mixed highway/urban. Massive boot space. With the third row of seats removed, double that space. Folding mirrors and reversing sensors handy in tight parking spaces. Climate control works well,… Read more

front and rear. Bluetooth handsfree just works.

Seats a bit firm but comfortable. When you realize what your getting for how comparatively little you're paying, you won't mind the relatively basic interiors.

Used in picky Singapore as a large cab. That's a vote of confidence.

Unfortunately, Ssangyong isn't a well-known brand in this part of the world. Had it been from a better known company heaps will be sold.

Ssangyong Stavic – Performance great for 2.0L engine. Handling comfortable on long trips, minimal engine noise. Interior practical, can remove rear bench seat for more space. Climate control air con works well for heating and cooling. Plenty of legroom but wife finds the leather seats too firm. Reliability excellent, servicing expensive, fuel 9.0-9.5l/100kms.  Show details

Underrated vehicle – A brilliant people mover, l purchased a 2016 Stavic and cannot fualt it admittedly I have only travelled 3000 kilometres . It's quiet for a diesel with plenty of power. I only wish that it had a reversing camera built in. Seating 7 adults with real leg room and a boot, it still keeps surprising me a real pleasure to drive.  Show details

Ssangyong Stavic – Used for touring in my photography business. Used on tour in National Parks on dirt, on long runs through the mountains and along the coast. Great vehicle, hasn't missed a beat. 30 thousand on the clock. So impressed my wife is looking at a Korando. Lots of space, large cargo area, removable back seat. Fuel around 9 L/100km. Easy access for all. Comfortable on 1000 km tours.  Show details

Great Value For Your Money – My car have done 71k on the clock in just over 2 years.....Running as new.Its very smooth and quite..we love our car..we even have a lexus rx450h but still we use our ssangyong for all the longer trips because it has so much room and kids love it.. In my personal opinion its an excellent family car for the price and surely its an under rated car..… Read more

so if you really after a good family car then go for it you will be pleased with your decision.. Because this car offers a lot more than what we pay it..We love our car.

About to take ownership of #2 – We bought a 2006 model in 2013, low kms, and it was a very tidy car, unfortunately Stavros was T-Boned, by what we suspect to be a speeding (cant be proven) driver, he ploughed his pulsar into the driver door. The door though caved in on the outside, had the safety bar in the door that was still straight and solid, the door still opened and… Read more

closed, it protected my wife perfectly... unfortunately the hit was so big though that the motor sheared off its mounts and the car was written off, so after a few months of waiting, next week we pick up our new Stavic! these things can take a BIG hit and keep you safe! (p.s. there was nothing left of the pulsar)

Amazing vehicle best value for your money – We were looking at 7 seater for our growing family. We look at the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Tarago and the Kia Carnival but they all cost over 45K. I then ask owner of Ssangyong Stavic on Product Review website. Went down to the Ssangyong dealership took the vehicle for a test drive I was happy and amazed with its performance. I then deposit and got… Read more

a brand new Ssangyong Stavic SPR range which is the luxury for 35k including extra like Sat Navigation, Reverse Camera, Side Step, Slim Whethershield. I'm so glad that I bought this vehicle, I manage to get 700km plus on the normal day drive and over 1000km on long distance. We took it to Mt Buller for family road trip and I can tell you this vehicle got potential it was so smooth on long distance drive. My family love it and now my friend also want one as well. If you ever need a 7 seaters with roomy space you should checkout this vehicle.

Could you imagine how many of these you could sell if it had a different badge – These are a great value for money vehicle. Very roomy, great economy for a vehicle this size, very comfortable. Our kids (x5) are now getting older (hey 2 are now adults), and we needed a new car after our 1995 Tarago finally wore out. Looked around at all of the 7/8 seater vans around, and only stumbled onto the Stavic by accident. We didn't even… Read more

know they existed. Ended up with the vehicle that meets our needs for nearly 1/2 the price. If this thing had a badge from a better known company in Australia, they would not be able to keep up with demand.

I would recommend to anyone to go and have a look, if your anything like us you will drive it away.

Fantastic vehicle – I have had my Stavic for almost two years now and covered over 48000kms. Apart from sliding a road map under the front passenger seat which caused a minor electrical problem (computer wiring is under seat)fixed by dealer the car has been really great. I have been getting mid 8s Ltr/100kms which is good for a car of this size, it is quiet,… Read more ·  8

comfortable and solid. The doors close with a nice clunk, the dash plastics are padded as are the top door trims. It is so easy to slide out the rear seat and when in place there is still heaps of luggage room. Little touches like rear air con vent in the roof just make life more comfortable for everyone. The only criticisms I have are the steering feel I would like a bit more and less understeer and better quality speakers. Would I buy another? Most definitely. This is the best value 7 seater people mover on the market by far. My 95 year old dad loves it too as it is so easy for him to get in and out of and he loves the big internal door pulls. Also great service from Bergman's my local dealer.

Very good people mover for the price of sedan – Done 7000Km. No problem. Accidentally drove over kerbs over parking space, car jumped about without any damage. Fuel efficiency like a big sedan with enough power to overtake easily. Window glasses a bit loose but nothing otherwise wrong. Bought 2013 made 2014 compliant SPR with 31500 last year. Initially steering a bit too sensitive and needs… Read more

time to get used to. Our old cars are nearly 20 yrs old that stavic steering needs a bit of getting used to for us. Leather seats are a bit firm. Climate control excellent. CD player and blue tooth average. Installed GPS with reverse camera. 4 star ANCAP rating is same as Hyundai imax. It is a steal price wise. Very happy. Kids are very happy too. Will buy another. Hopefully price will not go up. Cruise control, park sensors, auto lights, rain sensing wipers. Park sensors can even sense high kerbs. I will be stuck to this people mover for a long time.

Great car - I love it, family loves it, why pay $20000+ more – I wanted a 7-seater and in the end decided I wanted a real 7-seater (i.e. one where an adult would be happy riding in any of the 7 seats), not one where the extra seats were an after-thought (hey, we have a bit of space, let's stick some seats in there). As much as I wanted auto-parking (Honda Odyssey, or Citroen Grand Picasso - which adults… Read more

would not be happy riding in the back of), I decided I was not prepared to pay the extra over the Stavic. A test drive of the Stavic convinced me that it is what I need.

It drives well, super-smooth auto gearbox (Mercedes Benz 5-speed). Steering is a bit bus-like, but that's expected from a vehicle this size. Fuel economy is just like a decent sized sedan. Even doing short trips around town I have never got to 10L/100km.

The seats are comfortable, there's heaps of space (I bought a dishwasher, just moved the seats forward a bit and put it in the back, and what's more, we can fit suitcases in the back without even moving the back seats forward).

Service costs are reasonable. I paid a bit over $200, providing my own oil, for the 1st 15000km service.

The engine is powerful, ample power for overtaking, ample power for heading to the snowfields or any hilly terrain. Don't be put off by a 2L engine. You don't need anything bigger.

The Stavic is big, so I had a reversing cam/GPS/audiovisual system installed. It's very useful, as you may need to choose a parking space wisely otherwise you'll have fun getting out.

Overall, I'm very happy with it. The only negative (minor issue): a few squeaks from the seat sliding/folding mechanisms, but a keen ear and some WD-40 sort that out. Also, the cruise control is playing up but the dealer is fixing it under warranty (awaiting a part). Otherwise, extremely happy. If you want a 7-seater, look no further. You do not need to pay the extra $10-20K+ for the iMax, Odyssey, VW Multivan etc.

great people mover – Was not sure about this car but I am so happy with it. It's quiet, spacious. Can fit 7 adults and still has a large boot. It feels modern and while not overly luxurious it doesn't feel like a budget car. I have the sports model. ( that's right - a sporty 7 seater ☺) it's ok with fuel. It's got power. Its damn good looking in black. I've had the… Read more

car for over a year and it hasn't given me any problems. The only annoying thing about this car is the light in the boot area is manual so it doesn't go on and off with the rest of the car lights and I have forgotten to turn it off many times when getting the groceries.

2014 stavic slow to go – Our stavic speedo is out 100kms on gps is 92kms, and 100kms on gps is 110kms on speedo, was told that it can be fixed but not under warranty at my cost, is a fault from factory. had ours 4 weeks and just about to go in and have first check

2006 Stavic 3.5L Petrol still going strong – Excellent space, very comfortable and well featured. Powerful and reliable Mercedes ML350 3.5L petrol engine with 2.5 tonne towing capacity. We bought it new in 2006 for $38,000 so its coming up to 9 years old. The seat layout and rear storage behind the seats is still the best around. The rear visibility is not great but the beeping sensor… Read more

helps, and I fitted a reversing camera, mostly for hitching up for towing.

The body has been fairly well scratched by kids and minor dingles and the door handles paint has been worn away. There are not many around so getting parts from wreckers is not that easy.

The kids complain about how it looks, probably because top gear rated it as the ugliest car but I made them point out 50 positive things about how good the car is and I don't mind how it looks.

Starting to get a little rust at the top of the rear door where there is a weld join and the water sits, but after 9 years I would consider this very reasonable particularly as it has a lot of beach visits, has only been washed about once every 2 years and it is not garaged.

The only minor issues we have had were we noticed oil leaking on when parked. It turned out to be a seal in the transmission which the mechanic took a little while to track down but was not expensive to fix. Services are generally around $300, tyres are $250 each, so replacing 2 adds $500. I think we have only replaced 6 tyres total in 9 years but we only do about 10,000kms per year for schools runs etc.

In holidays we do long runs, previously towing a 1.5 tonne caravan, we are now towing a 2.5 tonne van which it handles well. We found on the old van the towball a bit low and would scrape the wheel arch on some speed humps, but the new van with hayman reece hitch alleviates this. We also have roof racks with bike mounts and have 2 bikes on the top while towing the van with 6 people so it gets a really good loading.

I am considering adding a GPS with bluetooth capability as they didn't have them back in the day, but they're standard in new models and it is the only thing lacking.

In the 9 years we have never had a breakdown or major issue. It has been inpexenisve to buy and run with great towing capability.

Highly recommended vehicle and great value.

7 Seaters Compare - SsangYong Stavic vs Hyundai Imax vs Kia Carnival vs Honda Odyssey vs Volkswagen – The reason you reading this article is because you want a car with space 7 seats and having all the accessories such as GPS navigation, reverse camera, bluetooth, MP3, USB, Side Steps, Leather seat, turbo Diesel, Less than 10L/100KM, Ability to Slide the back row of seats out and ability to hook Roof Rack, towbar ....yes you can have it all with… Read more

the Ssangyong Stavic for less than $35K drive away

In term of space the SsangYong Stavic length is as long as the Hyundai Imax and Volkswagen Multivan. However the Imax the seat is fixed. As for the Volkswagen Multivan ok the seat configuration is great but prepare to pay extra 20K for all the features mention above same as the Kia Carnival. As for Honda Odyssey for get about the space... there is no space.

Now in term of price the Hyundai Imax Diesel i-Max Total driveaway is about $42850, Kia Carnival Black MY14 CRDi Platium Total Amount Payable 52,800.00, Volkswagen multivan if you want all the feature above expect to pay more than $67,012.10 for Volkswagen Multivan Highline TDI400 7 Spd DSG. The Honda Odyssey we did not obtain a quote but it would be same range as Kia Carnival which is about $52,000 drive away with all the features listed above. Remember these price only apply because I negotiate hard. Expect to pay extra $5000-$7000 more :)

For price Comparison the Stavic price different with the Imax is $7850, price difference with Kia carnival $17800, Price different with Volkswagen Multivan $32,000 (I can buy another SsangYong Stavic as a spare :) with this hehehe) , price diffence with Odyssey is $17,800 and comparison with Mercedes-Benz, Viano the different is $45,000

So far I have driven 5000 KM so I'm about to due for my first service. From what I understand Service cost for Stavic is about $450-$500

Other will properly have the same service cost unless it is capped which I think it about $100 cheaper with KIA

With the price differences above you can use that money put in the bank to off set your mortgage and use that money to service the car for next 10-15 years and you still have spare. And in the case of Volkswagen Multivan and Mercedes-Benz, Viano the difference is $32,000, $45,000 you might as well buy 2 of the Stavic and leave 1 spare in the garage :)

Reliable ok .... there are bad review here this is because these people purchase the first generation ie Stavic before August 2013 .....if you read ....anyone who purchase the car after August 2013 they all rave and love the car....like anything Bad news or a stink travels further and fast than anything :)... sh!t happen to with any new car ...... doesn't matter what brand...just Google it and you will find some major issue with someone...somewhere... you will find majority people who purchase the first generation is complaining and curse they will never buy another one :) .....so you need to compare orange with orange.

Ok I got to admit I only drive 5000KM in my first month so I can not comment the reliability for the long run yet.... I will write another review with the next service 10,000KM and so on.....and yes ... if sh!t happen then I will be the first to complain it here :)

For me technology have moving so fast... a car cheap car like Hyundai or SsangYong in 2015 will have more advance and better technology reliability than a expensive car like Volkswagen Multivan which build in 2009 ... If you service on time and well look after your car it should serve you well at least 5 to 10 years ... and it time to get a new car anyway after 10 years.

So why go for a second hand car while you could go for brand new car with 3 year warranty for the same price as a second hand Volkswagen Multivan

If you buy and sell car then forget it...as value of Stavic will not hold ...but with the price difference above you still can afford to buy a new one in 5 or 10 years times :)

As for accessories I recommend to install reverse camera as the car is long and big and install the after market GPS navigation, reverse camera, bluetooth, MP3, USB...since these are more advance and more superior then Hyundai Imax - Kia Carnival - Honda Odyssey - Volkswagen Multivan factory OEM.

With safety - The first generation of Stavic... Ssangyong was to scare to perform a safety testing rating but with the new generation it about 0.5 or 1 star less than Kia Carnival - Honda Odyssey - Volkswagen Multivan

Final last word before my next review....do your self a favour go and test drive a Stavic and compare.