It’s not the most photogenic vehicle in the world and it does have a rather strange name, but don’t let that put you off the SsangYong Rexton, because in every other respect it’s a used car gem.
Introduced to the UK in June 2003 the SsangYong Rexton gave buyers a bargain basement alternative to offerings from Nissan, Mitsubishi, Jeep and Land Rover. With new prices starting at just £18,000 for a full blown five-door 4x4 with a decent diesel engine, new Rexton's should have been flying out of the showrooms.
But a small dealer network, patchy advertising and some rather harsh reviews from journalists nearly consigned the Rexton to sales obscurity. Despite these troubles it soon found favour among buyers keen to put value before badge snobbery, and word began to spread.
One of the Rexton’s trump cards has to be its engines — two diesels and one petrol — all sourced from Mercedes-Benz. Such illustrious heritage stands any vehicle in good stead but you need to choose the right engine to suit your driving needs.
If budget is your main consideration then an early 2.9 litre diesel with 118bhp on tap should suit your needs. Prices start from about £9,000 for a 2003 03 with 40,000 miles, and in manual form you can expect to average around 32mpg.
Low mileage drivers may prefer the 3.2 litre petrol. With 217bhp there is no shortage of power but in combination with the standard four-speed auto box you will rarely better 20mpg.
But the pick of the bunch is undoubtedly the 2.7 litre turbodiesel. It didn’t join the line-up until late 2004 and prices start at about £11,500, but you do have the choice of a five-speed manual or five-speed Tiptronic auto box.
It is the same engine and gearbox combination that you will find in the second generation Mercedes-Benz C-class and, as you might expect, the result is pretty impressive.
Fuel economy should average 30mpg-plus, regardless of transmission, and with 165bhp and 250 lb ft of torque it manages to give the Rexton a reasonable turn of speed. All Rexton's can tow up to 3,500kg but this diesel is the one that feels most at home doing it.
On the road there is no hiding the car’s generous dimensions. At 4.72 metres long and 1.87 metres wide it’s a big vehicle and one that is happier on the open road than in the urban jungle. The turning circle is ponderous and, on models fitted with privacy glass, visibility when reversing can be a challenge. But these are problems common to most 4x4s so we have to forgive the Rexton these shortcomings.
Take the car off road and the depth of its abilities start to become apparent. It defaults to two-wheel drive under normal conditions, saving fuel and reducing road noise, but get it into the rough and at the touch of a button you have four-wheel drive. The system can be activated on the move and boasts a low-ratio function for extreme mud-plugging conditions.
Standard specification levels for the SsangYong Rexton were universally high with all models boasting alloy wheels, CD player, electric windows and twin airbags. Higher specification SE models feature climate control and all SX derivatives boast leather upholstery as standard.
Look at a used Rexton and it is often difficult to see how SsangYong managed to build such a well-specified car for so little money.
Any economies in terms of fit and finish do not show, and while the cabin is not quite leading edge in its design it is well screwed together and easy to use. Even well used examples seem to wear well. You can afford to be fussy when you are looking at second-hand examples and negotiate a price reduction if repairs or refurbishment are needed.
In a head-to-head contest the SsangYong Rexton outperforms many of its better known rivals. Factor in price and it starts to look like a champion of no-nonsense second-hand 4x4s.
