Rhino dragon

The Rhino ute is soon to move from the SsangYong ‘twin dragon’ brand to KGM

It’s by no means a big player in the one-tonne ute segment, but we’ve always been admirers of the SsangYong Rhino. Soon to be a KGM Rhino of course, following the Korean company’s acquisition by KG Group, but let’s acknowledge both brands for now. Gets confusing otherwise.

Especially as there’s not really a lot new for the Rhino in the switch to KGM, save a new name for the vehicle menu on the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto screens. “KGM” takes up less space anyway.

The Rhino range has been rationalised in recent times: we’re down to just two models, both with the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four and the full 4x4 system: the $54,990 Rhino and the more dressy $61,990 SPR featured here.

Rhino has always been novel in offering two tray lengths and that continues. The standard model has the shortest tray in the mainstream one-tonne segment at 1300mm, albeit with an unusually tall wellside, which still makes it pretty useful. But for an extra $3k you can have the Rhino XL, which adds 300mm to the deck, making it a tad longer than a Ford Ranger or Toyota Hilux.

All Rhinos come as standard with a “bed inner cover”, which is a nice touch. But it’s a one-piece clip-on affair that feels pretty flimsy when you’re walking around on it, especially compared to the tougher spray-on liners you get with more mainstream utes.

Other recent upgrades include a reshaped front with an enormous grille and a flash new interior with digital displays, most of which is borrowed from the similarly upgraded Rexton (Rhino is basically a Rexton ute).

SPR is the luxury specification: Nappa leather upholstery, dualzone climate control (via a slightly fussy looking touch panel on the console that actually works really well) and power-operated heated/ ventilated seats for both driver and front passenger.

Rhino still looks endearingly weird, especially in the cool Amazonia Green colour of our test vehicle, and it’s certainly very different to the likes of Ranger or Hilux. It still feels pretty honest, without breaking any new ground on packaging or technology.

While Rexton gets an upgraded diesel and 8-speed gearbox, the Rhino sticks with lower outputs and 6-speed; but it still feels lively and strong. The peak 420Nm torque is certainly enough to muscle the SsangYong along when it needs to and it’ll tow a class-competitive 3.5 tonnes.

Passenger accommodation is particularly good. The Rhino’s rear seat offers good legroom and the seatback is comfortable by ute standards; rear ventilation outlets, too. But the centre lap belt is a huge fail and effectively reduces this ute to a four-seater.

Up front, the new SPR-specific instrument cluster is clear and nicely laid-out, the tablet-style infotainment screen less so. The graphics are pretty murky and the whole thing looks a bit half-done, but of course the workaround is to use phone projection and let Apple or Google configure your screen via a USB-C cable connection.

Which would be great in theory, but our test vehicle couldn’t hold a connection for any more than 30 seconds. Every time you drove over a small bump or looked sideways at the plug, the screen would cut out and then automatically reconnect a few seconds later. Over and over and over again. We’ll give the company the benefit of the doubt and assume it was a glitch with our particular car.

Although, speaking of ride: Rhino’s is pretty agricultural. Ladder-frame 4x4 utes are not known for their cushy chassis configuration, but the Rhino’s lumpy ride still feels well out of sorts compared to the likes of a Ranger or even Hilux these days.

So it’s not the latest and greatest, but the Rhino SPR is still a hugely endearing double-cab ute that stands out a little from the pack — in a good way we reckon, but it might not be for everybody.

It feels honest, but it’s a shame it’s not cheaper. The SPR certainly offers a lot of standard equipment for $62k. But it’s still more expensive than Ford’s hugely accomplished Ranger Sport biturbo or even the launch price for the all-new Mitsubishi Triton VRX (full leather, fancy 4WD system) — both $59,990.