Merc power enlivens Rexton
punishment. Rexton’s maximum towing capacity has always been rated at 3200kg, but I’ve often observed the most hard-working SsangYong towing loads that appear to be quite a bit more than that at times.
As SUVs began to become more complicated and gentrified, the Rexton remained staunchly resistant to change, although the appeal of its attractive bodywork has aged gracefully and it still looks relatively fresh today.
So while L-sized SUVs began to ditch their trappings of 20th century car-making such as separate ladder chassis construction and part-time 4WD powertrains, the Rexton appeared to be stuck in some kind of time warp. This had a particular appeal to a certain part of the Kiwi psyche, and the Rexton is valued as the Korean equivalent of a live front axle-equipped Hilux or a 70-series Land Cruiser by some New Zealand communities.
These change-resistant folk are now going to have to adjust their mindsets to the much improved level of refinement and reduced environmental impact displayed by the new Rexton SPR 2.2 sampled here.
The changes to the Rexton during mid-2016 might have arrived on pedal-powered wings of gossamer, but the important thing is that they’re finally here.
The Rexton is now the Rexton W, and if you’re wondering how to identify the Dubbya from the ordinary Rex, you need to look for the new front fascia replete with LED daytime running lights.
Otherwise, the body of SsY’s flagship looks pretty much how it arrived in this market at the change of century, as does the interior apart from a dashboard revision that makes room for a 7-inch touch-screen.
This in turn makes it possible for the Big Rex to have a reversing camera, and the SPR is the best-equipped SsangYong model. Also included are power adjustable leather front seats with heaters, two secondary rows of leather-clad seats with heaters, two separate climate control
units, front parking sensors, and a six-speaker audio system.
Be warned that you’ll need to look elsewhere if seeking blindspot monitors, 360-degree cameras, lane departure monitoring, or autonomous emergency braking.
The insertion of a near-state-ofthe-art Mercedes-sourced diesel powertrain into this long-running architecture makes the SPR 2.2 a bit like one of those made-over Ponsonby villas where the fac¸ade is early 20th century and the back is a modern triple-glazed, folding French-doored sun-fest.
The new 131kW/400Nm 2.2 litre turbo-diesel four pumps out just two less kilowatts and two less newton-metres of torque than the 132/402Nm 2.7 five-cylinder diesel that it will eventually replace as New Zealand stock of the 2.7 runs out, and it allows the Rexton to take a great leap forward in terms of frugality, refinement, and emissions.
With many of the latest utes stuck at Euro 5 compliance, the Euro 6-compliant Rexton 2.2 now holds the air quality high ground for lifestyle diesel vehicles located at this price point, and this superb seven-speed auto-equipped parttime 4WD powertrain will soon be available in SsangYong’s Actyon ute range.
With the power and force peaks arriving earlier in the rev range than the 2.7, the 2.2 makes the Rexton feel more effortless and unruffled to drive.
Part-time 4WD along with engine mass savings combined with a more efficient gearbox than the 2.7’s five-speed permanent 4WD powertrain also enable an incredible fuel use saving of 2.0 litres/100km according to the lab results.
The $54,990 Rexton W SPR 2.2 might look similar to the model that first made its debut here late in 1999, but the familiar sheetmetal now cloaks what is arguably the most improved player in the diesel SUV segment.