RAMPAGING RHINO
SsangYong‘s latest ute
Taupo's Kitenui Deer Farm isn't far from civilisation, but it sure feels that way. Acres of beautiful rolling hills, enough wild life to humble Noah's Arc, and a cabin in the centre of it all lined with old guns, paintings, and pairs of antlers as far as the eye could see. It was here that we'd meet two of the most interesting people in New Zealand.
The first was property owner Murray Matuschka; farmer, artist, avid hunter, and someone brimming with fascinating tales — like when Burt Reynolds stopped by for a visit.
The second was conservation advocate Jamie Joseph who chases justice for rhino poachers in Africa with her Saving the Wild organisation. This involves crossing the enormous continent, exposing rhino horn trading syndicates and corrupt officials.
With all the enthralling stories, it was easy to forget that we had a vehicle to drive; the new SsangYong Rhino double-cab ute.
It's fair to say that while SsangYong has come a long way, the brand's standing in the Kiwi marketplace still sits well behind its Korean brethren. But led by the recently replaced Rexton and now the new Rhino, it's hoped a resurgence is on the cards.
That resurgence starts in the name, Rhino. SsangYong had the choice of naming its steed the
Actyon or the Musso (Korean for rhino), as it's termed in other markets. But instead it went with Rhino after consultation from former speedo cop, sausage/ alcohol connoisseur, and Radio Hauraki host Leigh Hart.
Like most of its competition, the Rhino shares DNA with an SUV, the Rexton. But unlike those from Ford, Toyota, Holden, and more who base the SUV off the ute underpinnings, SsangYong has done it in reverse — basing the ute off the SUV.
That might sound like semantics, but it's undoubtedly the biggest point of difference with the Rhino. Because of its SUV bones, it has an enormous second row of seats. Leg and knee-room is commodious and the bench seat is comfortable, making this arguably one of the most passenger-friendly utes on the market.
An odd point to open with perhaps, but more and more people are buying these kinds of vehicles as stand-in family cars (as evidenced by the utes that sit seemingly permanently atop New Zealand's sales charts).
The trade-off for all this luxury is a short rear bed — the shortest in class in fact, at 1275mm. SsangYong says that the Rhino's predecessor's compact dimensions were part of its allure to customers, and that this will trickle down to the new model.
With the thirst for refinement and usability from those using utes as family vehicles, SsangYong probably has a point. And, for those who disagree, the Korean manufacturer has an ace up its sleeve in the form of an upcoming long-wheelbase variant with a 1610mm tray — making it the only car-maker in the segment to offer a SWB and a LWB.
Pricing starts at $25,990 plus GST ($29,880) for the two-wheel drive manual petrol, with the toptrim SPR four-wheel drive turbodiesel priced at $43,490 plus GST ($50,000). A 2WD petrol automatic and a diesel-powered Sport 4WD available with manual and automatic transmissions fill the gap, with price-tags ranging from $34,480 to $40,420. Each model has a five year/100,000km warranty.
SsangYong has yet to issue pricing for the LWB model, and it's not scheduled to land here until mid-2019. But it says that it will come with a premium of less than $3000 over the stubbier models driven at launch.
Having a petrol-powered base model is another element that appears to defy the rest of the double-cab segment. But, given that 45 per cent of the outgoing Actyon ute's sales were entry-level petrols, it seems to be a formula that works.
The petrol is a turbocharged
2-litre unit, developing 166kW and
350Nm. The turbo-diesel is
2.2-litres, and produces 133kW and 400Nm. Towing capacity is
2.8-tonnes (petrol) and 3.5-tonnes (diesel). Both options are built inhouse by SsangYong, while both transmissions — automatic and manual — are six-speed examples sourced through Aisin and Dymos respectively.
Sampling both drivetrains while circumnavigating Taupo, I found them refined and quiet. The petrol requires a fair bit of revving to get the most out of it, and the manual transmission is somewhat vague, but admittedly these things are standard fare in the ute world.
The longer the day went, the harder it was to find big fault in the Rhino. Driving on and off-road, its damping (wishbone up front, five-link with coil springs in the rear) was comfortable and compliant compared to most of the competition. Steering was soft, but precise enough to place the ute accurately on twisty roads.
Standard equipment is predictably impressive, too, with things like a handy power socket in the tray available in the base model. Opt for a range-topping SPR, and you get a 360-degree reverse camera, Nappa leather, and 20-inch wheels.
There are downsides to the Rhino. Along with the SWB's small bed, a shallow approach angle (22.8) saw us nose into the ground a couple of times during the offroading portion of the launch. And passengers sitting in the central second-row seat have to make do with a lap seat belt while, disappointingly, 2WD models come with just two airbags.
But all in all, the Rhino makes a strong first impression. It's somewhat handsome, and — at $50k for its top trim-level form — a compelling alternative to the more established players in the segment.
SsangYong aims to sell 1000 of the things here in 2019. And there's no reason why it shouldn't.