Ssangyong Logo

Brand Overview and Naming History

Ssangyong began in 1953 as Ha Dong-hwan Motor Company. It later operated as Dong-A Motor from 1976 until 1988, when it officially became SsangYong Motor Company. The name SsangYong translates as “Two Dragons,” reflecting the brand’s core symbolism that would appear in its later visual identity.

The company maintained a strong military and SUV heritage throughout its history. It remained South Korea’s fourth-largest car manufacturer until its rebranding in 2023 to KG Mobility under new ownership by the KG Group.

Ssangyong Logo Evolution

1. 1954–1963
2. 1963–1979
3. 1979–1988
4. 1988–1989
5. 1989–1992
6. 1992–1997
7. 1997–2001
8. 1998–2001

1954–1963: First Logo

This first emblem featured a simple, naive composition. It established the V-shape motif that influenced many later designs.

• Design: Stylized yellow letter “V” on brown background
• Colors: Yellow and brown
• Changes: Introduced with the founding of Ha Dong-hwan Motor Company
• Context: Heavily influenced all subsequent badges

1963–1979: Second Logo

The second logo marked the transition to the Dong-A Motor era. It adopted a stricter, more geometric appearance with flat lines and sharp angles.

• Design: Bold sharpened “V” placed under ExtraBold uppercase “H”
• Colors: Monochrome
• Changes: Strengthened visual presence with geometric, flat lines
• Context: Name and identity shift to Dong-A Motor

1979–1988: Third Logo

This design introduced a white and blue color scheme. The previous emblem elements appeared in white within a circle placed on a solid blue square.

• Design: Previous emblem elements outlined in circle on blue square with Korean inscription
• Colors: White, blue and gray rectangular frame
• Changes: Added black Korean inscription to the right
• Context: Final period before official adoption of the SsangYong name

1988–1989: Fourth Logo

The fourth logo coincided with the official adoption of the SsangYong name. It used a geometric blue construction with two levels of white lettering.

• Design: Geometric blue badge with two-level “SsangYong” lettering
• Colors: Blue, white and small yellow triangle
• Changes: Introduction of the full brand name in lettering
• Context: Matched the formal change to SsangYong Motor Company

1989–1992: Fifth Logo

This version featured a stylized double letter “S” in gray and red. The intertwined symbol accompanied a black emboldened wordmark, creating Ssangyong logo history during a period of partnership development.

• Design: Intertwined double “S” with bold “SsangYong” wordmark
• Colors: Gray, red and black
• Changes: Move to stylized letter-based symbolism
• Context: Used during the 1991 partnership with Daimler-Benz

1992–1997: Sixth Logo

The sixth logo represented a major departure from angular designs. It enclosed two horizontally stretched ovals within a thick ring, creating an elegant appearance.

• Design: Thick ring enclosing two stretched ovals forming infinity sign
• Colors: Black and white
• Changes: Shift to rounded, refined forms
• Context: Created a more sophisticated visual identity

1997–2001: Seventh Logo

This refinement of the previous ring-based design used more polished typography. Smaller lettering with increased spacing gave a cleaner, modernized look.

• Design: Polished sans-serif font with refined spacing
• Colors: Grayish-blue and white
• Changes: Simplified and modernized the 1992 design
• Context: Further development of the refined visual direction

1998–2001: Eighth Logo

The final Ssangyong logo introduced a stylized image of two wings forming an open ring that represented a dragon. This Ssangyong symbol became the longest-used modern identity for the brand.

• Design: Two wings forming open ring with classic sans-serif “SsangYong” wordmark
• Colors: Primarily monochrome or blue on white
• Changes: Major refresh introducing direct dragon symbolism
• Context: Coincided with global expansion and remained in use until 2023

Key Events and Ownership Changes

Several corporate milestones directly influenced or coincided with logo updates. The company formed a partnership with Daimler-Benz in 1991 during the intertwined “S” logo period, which supported SUV development using Mercedes technology.

Major ownership transitioned in 2010 when Mahindra & Mahindra acquired a 70 percent stake. The existing dragon-wing Ssangyong emblem continued without change during this period. In 2023 the KG Group acquisition led to the official rebranding to KG Mobility and replacement of the Ssangyong logo.

Visual Identity Attributes

Blue served as the primary color across most eras, conveying reliability, security and elegance. Early designs used yellow, red and brown accents before settling into more consistent blue, white and black palettes.

Typography evolved from bold geometric forms in early decades to refined sans-serif fonts with improved spacing in later versions. The core symbolism consistently referenced the “Two Dragons” name through V-shapes, infinity-like forms and ultimately explicit wing and ring elements representing dragons.

The design philosophy progressed steadily from simple and naive in the 1950s to geometric and corporate in the 1980s, finally reaching symbolic and elegant expressions in the 2000s. This Ssangyong logo evolution mirrors the company’s development from a local manufacturer to an internationally recognized SUV specialist before its 2023 transition to KG Mobility.