You might think that the Ssangyong brand is a relatively new kid on the block. Yes it is relatively new in Australia, but Ssangyong have been building 4×4 vehicles for over sixty years. The latest offering from Ssangyong is the new 2019 Ssangyong Rexton, and this imposing SUV has size, style and very capable off-road ability.
The Rexton’s size is big, and from every angle the designers have done a nice job of creating a big SUV that is pleasant on the eye. Inside there is space for seven occupants, with the seats providing excellent comfort and space. Along with the second-row seats folding 60:40, the third row can be folded individually 50:50 to give more flexibility. Access to the third row seats is made easy by the double-folding second-row seats. There is an option for having the Ssangyong Rexton with just the five seats and a whopping boot space too, and I can imagine that this could prove quite popular as well. Seven classy exterior colours present the new Rexton in what I would describe as being executive colour tones which include blue, grey, white and black.
Hop inside the new Ssangyong Rexton and the cabin looks and feels nice and roomy. Drivers will find it easy getting comfortable behind the steering wheel which has reach and rake adjustment. The seat also has height adjustment as well. From the driver’s seat you have a commanding view of the road and other cars ahead of you; and you get the feeling that you’re driving a nice hefty SUV that is solid and safe. Throughout the cabin are plenty of good storage compartments for cups, bottles and other bits-and-bobs. The glove box, door bins and centre console are particularly big. In Australia we get the top of the line Rextons with very nice leather interiors with soft touch plastics inside the cabin. These are really nice vehicles to be aboard.
High-end Rextons get satellite navigation, quilted black or Ivory nappa leather trim, multi-adjustable seating, automated air-conditioning, ambient night lighting, dual-zone fully-automatic air-conditioning, intelligent seating, a supervision instrument cluster, keyless start, a heated steering wheel, DAB radio, DRLs, 18 or 20-inch alloy wheels, smartphone connectivity, rear air vents, two child isofix points, a reverse camera, cruise control, a powered boot gate, automatic headlamps and wipers, and a nice powerful leading-edge infotainment system with crisp audio sound. This Ultimate Rexton is a stunner, boasting luxury quilted leather and LED interior mood lighting. Infotainment systems in this model have everything you’ll ever need and are capable of talking with your phone and guiding you via satellite navigation to your destination.
The driver has the ‘supervision’ instrument cluster which provides quick, easy access to a whole range of important info. This information includes a whole range of safety warnings such as lane departure warnings, parking sensors, navigation assist, tyre direction warnings and smart power tailgate warnings.
Two choices of engine power come in the form of the 220 Diesel engine and the 200 Petrol engine. The 220 Diesel is a 2.2 litre turbo diesel that packs 133 kW at 4000 rpm and a lusty 420 Nm from 1600 rpm. This is the sort of power that makes the new Ssangyong Rexton effortless and comfortable to drive over huge distances. Put your foot down and there is a seamless supply of energy from the quiet E-XDi 220 powerplant.
Those who prefer engines to be run on petrol will make a bee-line for the 2.0-litre, turbocharged petrol engine delivering 165 kW of power and 350 Nm of torque. Again there is smooth, seamless power that comes from this particular driveline.
The new Ssangyong Rexton petrol models come with a six-speed auto from transmission specialists Aisan, while diesel models come with a 7-speed Mercedes-Benz E-Tronic automatic transmission. Both automatics offer smooth gear changes and are backed with a reputation of being durable.
As the Rexton is built on the rugged ladder chassis it is hugely capable when the going gets really tough off-road. Its selectable 4-wheel drive system is reassuringly capable, you can simply select ‘low-range’ which splits the torque equally between front and rear axles to provide all-round traction and ensure optimum grip across even the most challenging terrain. Having the Rexton built on a strong ladder chassis means that you have a substantial towing platform with a towing capability of 3.5 tonnes. Hill Start Assist acts as an automatic handbrake and is a great helper to have on your side when driving in tricky conditions or when towing. Hill Descent Control is a low-speed control that activates when the car is handling a steep downhill descent and it automatically controls the rate of descent.
Safety in a new Rexton is very good. The new Rexton is built with a body-on-frame construction and uses 1.5 Gpa ultra-strength steel which is a world first. 81.7% of the steel plate in the car’s body uses high-strength, high-density, high-tensile steel and this provides superb rigidity and protection in the event of a collision. EBD, ABS, ESP, BAS, nine airbags, isofix points and a tyre pressure monitoring system lead the way. KNCAP testing gave the latest Ssangyong Rexton the full five stars in their crash tests.
Few other SUVs on the market can match the brand new Ssangyong Rexton for size, equipment or power for the same amount of money. But it also has true 4×4 capability, so this is one new SUV to keep in mind if you’re on the lookout for an excellent SUV package with all the bells and whistles while being able to carry the family away for a holiday that combines plenty of open road touring as well as tackling some more difficult off-road excursions.
The current 2019 Ssangyong Rexton models include the:
For any more information on the new Ssangyong Rexton or, for that matter, any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Ssangyong dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!