Rexton is well worth a look

By Eric Blair
KOREAN car maker SsangYong has had a somewhat chequered history in Australia over the past decade.
Its vehicles were originally sold here by Mercedes-Benz, then they were re-badged and sold as Daewoos before, with the local demise of that company, dropping off the scene altogether.
Now the Korean marque is back, this time being sold here in its own right.
While some versions of SsangYong’s older models such as the Musso again being imported, it’s the Rexton 4WD wagon which is very much the focal point of the company’s operations.
The Rexton is a medium to large vehicle with seats for either five or seven.
Power comes from either a 2.7-litre or 2.9-litre turbo diesel, or a 3.2 litre straight-six petrol unit.
All are closely related to Mercedes engines, with the 2.7 being a new design and the others fairly old ones.
Importantly Rexton is a genuine off-roader.
It comes with a full chassis and a dual-range transfer case.
This, combined with some modern electronic traction controls to give Rexton enough off-road ability to suit all but the most serious of off-road drivers.
The tizziness of some previous SsangYong vehicles is gone and the Rexton is far more conventional in appearance especially in profile and at the rear. This should appeal to Australian buyers.
We’ve been able to take the Rexton RX270 Limited for a good test recently.
As mentioned the 2.7-litre turbo-diesel in the RX270 is a newer engine than the others.
It provides good power and, more importantly for off-road performance, plenty of torque at most revs.
However, it’s not exactly willing to rev and if you do punt it along hard it can become on the noisy side.
Given the rest of the vehicle’s no-nonsense design, let’s say this is a real engine for real-life conditions.
The RX270 also benefits from a five-speed automatic transmission instead of the four-speed used in the others.
The Limited has heated seats, automatic headlights and wipers and power-folding door mirrors.
On-road the Rexton is as smooth and quiet as most others in its class.
The seats are generally comfortable and are large enough for most Australian backsides.
Steering is well weighted and there’s reasonable feel for this type of vehicle although the suspension may be on the soft side for some tastes.
In off-road driving this SsangYong 4WD is very capable.
Engagement of low range is a simple pushbutton operation.
Traction is good with the tyres not clogging up too badly in muddy conditions.
The electronic aids are all but imperceptible, though you do get some mechanical thumping at times as the diffs engage/disengage.
SsangYong Rexton is well-priced, finished to a high standard and is refined on the road, particularly in its 2.7-litre format.
It’s well worth adding to your shortlist of 4WDs, especially if you plan to get down and really dirty one day.
Inquire at Stewart Webster Land Rover, corner Frankston-Dandenong Road and Klauer Street, Frankston. Phone 9773 6888.