What's the SsangYong Rexton like for family transport?

Hi lads. What do you think of a 2007 SsangYong Rexton as a family mode of transport? Also how safe and reliable are they? Im looking at one with 50,000 miles on it.

Thanks

Justin Patrick McElwee (Sligo)

Oct 2013 Filed under: family car

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Expert answer

Hi Justin,

In reliability terms, there doesn't seem to be much to worry about. The Rexton is one of those rare cars that's never been recalled for a manufacturing fault and the ancient Mercedes-based turbodiesel engines are long-lived and simple, mechanically speaking. Likewise, even though the cabin looks and feels cheap, it seems to be well screwed together.

The problems though are two-fold. One, the Rexton really is very crude. In terms of engine noise, performance, handling, ride quality and just about everything, it feels at least a generation, sometimes more, behind the best of the European, Japanese and Korean rivals. And sadly, we can't give you too many pointers on safety. The Rexton has never been crash-tested by EuroNCAP so we have no objective data on it, crash-wise. You pays your money, you takes your chances...

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser
@neilmbriscoe