SsangYong Motor, the fourth largest South Korea-based car manufacturer, is expecting a boost in sales for its SUV-rich lineup. The increase comes from the lift on local regulations regarding camping-car makeovers, according to industry officials on Wednesday.
The National Assembly passes a revision in July to the Motor Vehicle Management Act permitting the customization of cars following the growing trend of outdoor activities.
The revision would allow cars registered as passenger vehicles to be customized for camping purposes from the first half of next year.
According to Statistics Korea, in just seven years, the number of Koreans going camping has grown tenfold. It was tallied at 6 million in 2018 from 600,000 in 2011.
The sharp growth of the country’s camping gear market is expected to boost Ssang Yong Motor’s SUV sales. The increase boasts a value standing at 1.7 trillion won ($1.42 billion) last year, up from 20 billion won in 2008. The carmaker’s lineup provides excellent options for campers who find it handy for outdoor activities.
According to the company, campers are most inclined to purchase the 5.4 meters long Rexton Sports Khan pickup trucks and the 5.1 meters long Rexton Sports.
Large loading capacity and spacious cabin rooms are attractive for campers who want to remodel their vehicles for utility and pleasure. These characteristics enable the scalability for camping gear and outdoor activities. SsangYong said it enhanced the two pickups’ power and fuel economy by 3 percent.
Glamping, also known as glamorous camping or luxurious camping, is becoming popular for many customers. The G4 Rexton large SUV is drawing popularity for glampers as it offers load capacity and comfort for riders at the same time. The SUV is a flagship model of SsangYong, and it features multiple advanced driver-assist technologies, including lane change assist and blind-spot detection. The carmaker also finished the interior of the G4 Rexton with suede and other premium material trim.
SsanYong said younger customers’ attention is drawn to the Tivoli and the Korando gasoline, which features intelligent adaptive cruise control. The Korando gasoline also won a low-emission car certification. The certification provides discounts on fees and toll charges for public parking.
“As a growing number of people enjoy camping, they tend to choose SUVs for their trip, because they have the strength of camping vehicles and daily passenger cars at the same time,” a SsangYong Motor official said. He also added that various benefits are available for those purchasing SsangYong vehicles this month.
