A mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) equipped with air suspension as standard, primarily featured in vehicles costing over 100 million won, has been released in succession. Air suspension is a high-end specification, but the goal is to minimize price increases while improving ride comfort to secure competitiveness.
According to the industry on the 10th, Volvo has included air suspension as standard from the recently launched mid-size SUV 'XC60' B6 Ultra trim, a feature not present in the previous generation. Air suspension is a technology that automatically adjusts vehicle height based on road or driving conditions, using air pressure to absorb vibrations and shocks instead of metal springs.
Until now, air suspension has primarily been installed in premium sedans or large SUV models costing over 100 million won. While it enhances ride comfort, the cost is high. Known for its complex design structure compared to conventional suspension, it has many types of components, with high component prices.
With the installation of air suspension, the price of the XC60 has increased, but Volvo noted that they added convenience features while keeping the price hike to a minimum. The selling price of the XC60 B6 Ultra trim, which comes standard with air suspension, starts from 73.3 million won, about 3.3 million won higher than the previous generation.
The price per unit of air suspension is reported to be around 1.5 million to 2 million won. Assuming it is mounted on both front and rear wheels, it would cost over 6 million won in total. The XC60 uses a total of four air suspension units.
Audi also equipped the newly launched mid-size SUV 'The New Audi Q5' with air suspension in its top trim, the S Line Black Edition. This marks the first time Audi has applied air suspension to a mid-size SUV model. While it's difficult to make exact price comparisons as the S Line Black Edition is a newly added trim, it is about 5 million won more than the previous generation's top trim, the Premium (gasoline).
Many large SUVs costing over 100 million won have models equipped with air suspension. German automakers' SUVs, such as the BMW X5 and X6, Mercedes-Benz GLE and GLS, and Volkswagen Touareg, are representative examples. Air suspension is also equipped in models like the Land Rover Range Rover, Defender, Discovery, and Chevrolet Tahoe, Cadillac Escalade.
However, air suspension is noted for being prone to frequent failures and expensive repair costs. Often, parts are procured from overseas, resulting in longer replacement and repair times.