The third largest carmaker in South Korea, SsangYong, unveiled its all-new fourth generation Rexton at the 2017 Seoul motor show which opened on March 30.
Launched as the G4 Rexton in Korea, SsangYong’s flagship SUV will be called the Rexton in the Iranian market when the vehicle is released in Iran.
The G4 is riding on the success of the Tivoli compact SUV which saw its import numbers jump with 6,823 units shipped to the country in the first 11 months of the previous year.
The new Rexton is built on an all-new body-on-frame chassis developed jointly by SsangYong and POSCO, Korea’s leading steel making company, NDTV Auto wrote.
Called ‘Quad Frame’, the new, high-tensile strength steel chassis boasts a higher torsional stiffness and lower weight, which is expected to translate into a improved ride and handling as well as fuel efficiency.
The new Rexton is an all-new design based on the LIV-2 concept first shown at the 2016 Paris motor show. In terms of styling, the new Rexton still looks a bit old-school like most body-on-frame SUVs but has well-balanced proportions and some modern touches like projector headlamps and LEDs which stand out.
Power to Impose
Standing 1800mm tall, it’s an imposing SUV nonetheless, more in the mould of the Fortuner the Rexton’s rival in the local market.
The interiors are where the new Rexton genuinely stands out, not in terms of design but the quality the well-appointed cabin exudes.
In terms of features too, SsangYong has thrown everything it can into the new Rexton. The high-end 10-speaker infotainment system gets a massive (largest in class) 9.2 high-definition screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto mirroring software.
In fact, SsangYong says that all the contents, including the navigation can be displayed in HD quality for the first time. There’s also a 360-degree camera, auto closing doors which lock automatically when the key is carried away from the car and a powered tailgate.
The Rexton scores more brownie points with the space on offer. There’s a huge amount of space inside that big cabin with ample legroom and headroom. Though the Rexton will be sold as a seven-seater, the launch models at the Seoul motor show came in only five-seat configuration.
Powering SsangYong’s range-topping SUV is a 2.2-litre e-XDi220 diesel engine paired with a Mercedes-sourced seven-speed automatic gearbox.
No engine outputs have been disclosed as yet though sources say that this new motor is likely to produce 175hp and 420Nm of torque. Power is channeled to either the rear or all four wheels via a selectable four-wheel-drive system.
SsanYong Iran’s distributor has not yet confirmed the launch of the new Rexton model, however, according to photos from the launch of the SUV, company representatives were taking selfies next the vehicle if that is any indication.
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