Over the last 15 year’s we have been lucky enough to drive plenty of SUV’s. Some have been fantastic other less than impressive but when it comes to commercial’s few offer the comfort and bang for your buck that the SsangYong Rexton can. Nine times out of ten if you buy a commercial SUV it has been designed and built as a workhorse that will be somewhat agricultural or van like to drive. That’s fine if you don’t plan on doing big mileage but if you find yourself eating the motorway miles then there is nothing nicer than knowing your vehicle was first and foremost a passenger vehicle that was then converted into a commercial. Why is this, I hear you ask? Well, passenger vehicles are made slightly different using more sound deadening, better quality carpets etc and the Rexton is no exception. In fact the only thing that’s missing in the Rexton is the rear seats. They simply level the flooring, block off the rear windows, take away the safety belt anchor points and place a cage behind the front seats. This is all very easy to live with considering up front you get heated leather seats, air con, cruise control a quality 7-inch infotainment system and everything else you would expect in a premium SUV.
When started the new Euro 6 2.2 litre diesel engine is super quiet and but yet it still packs considerable punch compared to SsangYong Rexton engines of old. The maximum horsepower increased to 178hp and maximum the torque figure of 400Nm is up by 14.8% and 11% respectively compared to the previous Euro 5 diesel 2.0-litre engine. The good news is the CO2 emission levels have also been reduced by 5% compared with the previous model. To drive the Rexton really is a comfortable vehicles on just about every terrain. Our test vehicle was fitted with the new 7-speed automatic gearbox and although not the quickest shifting box on the market it is certainly smooth. The Rexton also comes standard with part-time four-wheel drive and with a simple flick of the switch you have permanent all-wheel drive or a low range gearbox for towing up to 2,600kgs out of difficult conditions. We completed just over 1000kms in our weeklong test drive and it was a pleasure to drive. Turning up to meetings it looks smart in the white metallic paint with tasteful 18-inch diamond cut alloys and the tinted glass, it would lead you to believe it’s simply a large passenger SUV.
For those of you that do need more seats there is a five-seat business edition or a seven-seat family edition also available on the Irish market. Prices start from €37,495, including VAT and VRT and delivery charges for the manual commercial 4WD. Commercial vehicles come with a 5 Year/150,000 kms warranty and 5 Year Roadside Assistance and all other models come with 5 Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty and 5 Year Roadside Assistance. Commercial purchasers will pay just €333 road tax and test drives are available from your local SsangYong dealer. We really enjoyed our time with the new Rexton. It was comfortable, economical even with weight in the back and just generally a nice vehicle to live with. If you are in the market for a commercial there really is no competition in this price bracket for the level of spec you will get. Do the decent thing, take a test drive and let us know what you think!
SsangYong Rexton Spec
Engine Size – 2.2L
Fuel Type – Diesel
Power – 178 hp
Torque – 400Nm
Acceleration (0-100km/h) – 11.0 seconds
Top Speed – 187km/h
Consumption (Combined) – 7.4L/100km
CO2 Emissions – 194g/km
Road Tax – Commercial €333
Base Price – €37,495
Price as Tested – €40,495
