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SsangYong has unveiled an all-new Rexton SUV at the Seoul Motor Show in South Korea.
Speaking at the launch, Johng-sik Choi, CEO of SsangYong Motor, said that the new Rexton will kick off a major re-invention of the SsangYong range: "Following the launch of Tivoli which set new standards for compact SUVs, the new Rexton will confirm SsangYong as a leading producer of large premium SUVs with traditional 4x4 values. We plan to build a full line-up of SUVs by introducing a new product every year over the next few years, including a brand-new pick-up truck. We will also focus our resources on creating further growth by developing an EV and other eco-friendly vehicles for the future."
The new Rexton is a much-needed replacement for the current model, which has been around in one form or another for 15 years now. The styling is all new, and while SsangYong says that it 'inherits its DNA from the original Rexton' there's rather a lot of Tivoli in the styling. In fact, it would not be unkind to call the new Rexton a scaled-up Tivoli XLV.
Once again it's a seven-seater, and SsangYong claims that it's one of the most spacious cars in its class, saying that even with the third row seats occupied you can squeeze four golf bags into the boot. It will also be the first SsangYong to offer 20-inch wheels, and the Korean firm is claiming a world first in that the new Rexton is made mostly of high-tech new 1.5Gpa-grade high-strength steel.
On the safety front, driver assistance systems include autonomous emergency braking, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert and blind spot detection. There's also a surround-view 3D camera system.
Inside, there's a 9.2-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a dual-zone fully automated air conditioning system that is said to filter even fine dust.
On the engine front, the new Rexton will be available with SsangYong's existing 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine, and a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit (unlikely to be sold in Ireland), both of which will drive through a seven-speed Mercedes-Benz automatic gearbox. All models will come with switchable four-wheel drive.
Sales start in Korea in the summer and the Rexton should arrive here before the end of 2017.