[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] With the advent of the 'untact era' due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), camping and 'chabak' (a travel style where accommodation is done inside a vehicle) have become new trends. Along with this, the popularity of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) suitable for chabak is also on the rise.
According to a survey conducted on 946 consumers by Encar.com, a domestic used car trading platform, on the 1st, the most suitable SUVs for 'chabak' were ranked as Hyundai Palisade for domestic cars and Ford Explorer for imported cars.
Among domestic cars, following the Palisade in first place were the Genesis GV80 in second, Chevrolet Traverse in third, Kia Mohave in fourth, and Sorento in fifth. The 6th to 8th places were Hyundai Santa Fe, SsangYong G4 Rexton, and Renault Samsung QM6, respectively. Among imported cars, the Ford Explorer received the most votes, followed by the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Volvo XC60, Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, Porsche Macan, and Audi Q7.
The Palisade, which ranked first among domestic cars, has a wheelbase of 4980mm, the largest in its class, which determines the interior space. The cargo space measures 509 liters when all three rows are upright, 1297 liters when the third row is folded, and 2447 liters when the second row is also folded, providing a massive space. Folding both the second and third rows creates enough space for an adult to lie down comfortably.
The Ford Explorer, which emerged as the top imported car, features a rear-wheel-based intelligent 4WD system that offers tailored driving performance for slopes and off-road conditions. The sixth-generation complete redesign model has increased length, width, and height compared to its predecessor. Its wheelbase is 5050mm, longer than the Palisade. The interior space offers 515 liters of trunk space when all three rows are in use, 1356 liters when the third row is folded, and 2486 liters when both the second and third rows are folded, providing ample room.
In addition to large SUVs, specialized camping cars have recently become popular. Hyundai recently launched the camping car 'Forest,' based on the small truck Porter II. The development concept of Forest is a 'moving house.' Its greatest advantage is space utilization.
By applying Smart Room and Smart Bed features, the interior space can be expanded electrically. Using the Smart Room extends the rear part of the vehicle by 800mm, and the extended area can be used as a bedroom. The Smart Bed function allows the living room to be divided into two levels. To address issues with public facilities such as showers and restrooms at camping sites, an independent shower booth and indoor toilet can be optionally installed. Various convenience features such as heating and cooling systems, refrigerator, sink, and microwave oven are also provided inside.
The number of camping cars registered domestically has increased about fivefold over five years since 2014. The government expects that with 6,000 vehicles converted into camping cars annually, a market worth approximately 130 billion KRW will be created.
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