However, the buyer has the option to choose a version with an automatic transmission and the TOD system, which implies automatic engagement of the front axle. Versions with the new 2.7XVT turbodiesel and the 3.2-liter gasoline engine come paired with a fully independent suspension and permanent all-wheel drive. There is no low-range gear here, but the frame is present. A very unusual combination.
EASY ON THE EYES
The exterior of the updated Rexton has become noticeably more pleasant. It now features style and strict lines. The front grille seems borrowed from Mercedes? Yes, and it looks great. It's not necessary to invent something entirely your own. Although there are plenty of original solutions in the exterior and interior of the Korean SUV. I have never seen such instruments: a speedometer with sea-green backlighting. A bold decision for a executive-class car, but surprisingly fitting for the character of the new Rexton. And it immediately wins sympathy.
Inside, the car is comfortable and cozy; the materials are pleasant to the touch and do not hurt the eyes. The steering wheel is, of course, plastic, not wooden, but this plastic does not cause rejection — it is even tactually more pleasant than, say, wood, which quickly becomes slippery for the palms. The interior quickly feels like home.
The designers did not overdo it with gloss, so a child who has dirtied the cabin is no longer an enemy. There is no disregard for the person here: homo sapiens is still above the Korean car. But the car is also good. I like this harmony.
WAITING FOR THE DIESEL WITH IMPATIENCE
We had at our disposal a version with an automatic transmission, an AWD coupling, and a 3.2-liter gasoline engine. From the first meters of the journey, it became clear: the Rexton not only provides comfort but also demands noble treatment — polite, unhurried, and smooth. Jerk the steering wheel sharply — it will respond with a noticeable roll. Press the brake pedal to the floor in an extreme manner — you will get a response that extreme is not for noble blood. Decide to hooligan and floor the gas pedal for a kick-down — the gearbox will pretend it is slow-witted so that you do not do that next time.
When I tried to give this "steed" free rein, a strange discovery awaited me. The sound during acceleration! It hummed strainedly, like a vacuum cleaner that had sucked in a rag. After all, the 3.2 engine is an excellent, kindest "Mercedes" unit from the old ML. What is the secret? It turns out the engine is no longer the same. It was seriously reworked, tuned for the SsangYong Chairman executive sedan (which is not sold here), and then suddenly decided to put it in the Rexton. The engine's revs were significantly raised, and now peak power comes at 6100 rpm, while maximum torque is achieved only at 4600. Car-like characteristics! So it puffs, trying to accelerate the heavy frame "box." While I press the gas and watch the lamp posts float by quite calmly, it keeps striving for its peak. The climb is heavy, and the peak is far away. Good thing SsangYong has a new diesel with more SUV-like characteristics in reserve. Soon they will bring it to us for a test.
SPECS: SSANGYONG REXTON
FANS WILL BE FOUND
Permanent all-wheel drive in the Rexton is implemented via an asymmetric planetary-type differential. It splits torque in a 40/60 ratio (front/rear). There are no lockers, not even simulated ones. However, the Rexton has good ground clearance: 247 mm under the front axle and 263 mm under the rear, which greatly helps the geometry of such a long body. In general, I did not deny myself a walk off-road. The low-hanging sills were a bit of a hindrance, but carefully scraping them over the hills, I moved on. As expected, the Rexton behaved quite comfortably, but the soft suspension did not allow fast driving, responding to the pace with longitudinal pitching. And why rush? The HDC system worked perfectly on the descent. Overall, it passed the off-road exam as a crossover.
I did not even try to test ruts or climb into a muddy pit, and I do not advise you to. Preliminary runs on sand showed that without a locker things are bad: we easily got stuck and happily spun just one wheel. Experiments with turning ESP on and off gave no visible result. So if you want real off-road in the Rexton, take the version with a hard-connected front end.
On the way home, I managed to speed up on the highway, reaching a maximum safe 180 km/h. The car holds the straight line perfectly, deviating neither right nor left. At speed, the steering wheel loses its softness and becomes artificially heavy. Only the asphalt waves bother (the softness of the comfort suspension takes its toll), but the rocking on them is not at all frightening.
This car will definitely find its fans with its design and level of comfort. The only question remains the engine. You need to think carefully: do you really need gasoline?
