It was just a short time ago that Ssangyong went through a bit of a rebranding exercise, introducing some new models to the market while at it. Launching and promoting a new brand is tough work, so sometimes these updates happen gradually throughout the line-up – the Rexton is one of them, being a familiar face sporting a new badge.
This is the second generation of the seven-seater, which was introduced back in 2017. Since then, it’s been updated to bring new front and rear designs and some amenities, but the bones stayed mostly the same. Unapologetically a big SUV, the boxy three quarters don’t hide the fact it seats a volleyball team plus the coach, and the way the lines work with the car’s height gives an indication that it is a proper ladder frame vehicle.
One of its main customer value propositions here is the space on offer, and jumping inside you see it really does deliver on that front. There is plenty of room on the front row, with soft seats that offer only manual adjustments and no lumbar support, but with three levels of heating and cooling which work extremely well.
The ergonomics of the centre console are spot on, offering plenty of storage, easy charging options and a good array of physical commands. This centre console is also where you’ll find the vents for the second row, where the trend of roominess and comfort continues.
The third row is as spacious as expected for an SUV of this size. Access is good because the second row has ample room to move forward, even if the angle of the seats leads to compromised head room. With this row up, boot size is greatly compromised, but in “regular” five-seat configuration, the two-tiered boot is cavernous.
The rest of the configuration of the car is done through the screen in front of the driver and the buttons on the steering wheel, and it is light in features and simple to use. To help you manoeuvre, you rely only on parking sensors and a rear camera looking almost straight down, but visibility is great due to the big windows and mirrors.
And how is it to drive? Press the engine start button and the two-litre diesel comes to life, clattery as diesels get. When not pushed hard, its roar disappears alongside the other sounds, but if you stomp on it, it will let itself be heard all the way until the very early upshifts. It is easy to drive smoothly: the eight-speed gearbox is quick to upshift to maximise the torque available. With three people and light luggage it never felt underpowered and could easily deliver to the claimed tow rating of 3500kg.
During motorway driving, I observed consumption figures of around 9L/100km, leading to 750km of total range. At 100km/h, this is a very quiet SUV, with barely no wind and tyre noise making their way into the cabin. The large tyres also mean that motorway reflector markings are imperceptible, and that you will occasionally get some spin and squeal when taking off with more gusto.
Ladder frame vehicles like this are not made for windy roads, so while I haven’t had the chance to try it, the Rexton packs the goods that could lead to some proper off-road prowess: 4WD High and Low selectors are available on the centre console, for you to extract more of the Rexton when not on paved roads.
Vehicles are segmented to meet different criteria depending on what potential customers are expecting. 4WD seven-seater SUVs tend to offer space, towing capability, comfort and, sometimes, off-road competency. If your fleet could use a motorway mileage monster with all the room you could ask for, at the right price, the KGM Rexton could be a good alternative.
Words and photos by Harry de Souza
