The SsangYong Rexton has always been about getting as much SUV as possible for your money, and the third-generation model, launched in 2017 and given a range of updates in 2020 continues that tradition - this is an SUV that approaches the size of a BMW X5, a car that starts at nearly £70,000, that costs under £40,000 new, and even less used.
Of course, the Rexton isn’t nearly as desirable as the BMW, nor can it meet its performance, refinement, or features. But if size, space, towing ability and value for money are your main concerns, then the Rexton has an awful lot going for it.
Closest in spirit to the Rexton are the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe, while models like the Skoda Kodiaq, or if you prefer something even more rugged, a Mitsubishi Shogun or Toyota Land Cruiser, may also fit the bill.
It seems like every brand wants to move upmarket these days. While that means most cars feel more like luxury products than they used to, it also means less choice for those who don’t mind something a little more down-to-earth. The SsangYong Rexton hasn’t escaped this trend, but when it’s always been such a bargain, the end result still represents good value for just how much car you get.
It’s one of those cars that you might even be tempted to buy new rather than a car thats a year or three old from another manufacturer. But used Rextons can still represent a useful saving, and maximise that relationship between size and value: this is a car the size of a BMW X5 that can quite easily cost half as much.
You do have to make some sacrifices. The Rexton offers only one engine, a 2.2-litre turbodiesel, and it won’t set your world alight in terms of performance or economy. The upside is that the torquey engine and the Rexton’s big, tough, body-on-frame chassis design (which doesn’t do much for ride or handling) means it can tow trailers of up to 3500kg.
That’s where the Rexton scores best: as a workhorse. Equipment levels are good throughout the range and while SsangYong has fiddled with trim levels a few times, most come with seven seats. In other words, whether you need to move people, objects, or pull trailers, it can cope pretty easily.
The Rexton’s closest competitors are probably its Korean rivals, the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe. Both also represent good value, though neither is quite as rugged. If the latter is a concern, then used models like the Toyota Land Cruiser and Mitsubishi Shogun both score highly and promise good long-term reliability too.
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You don’t have any choice when it comes to engines in the SsangYong Rexton - there’s a 2.2-litre diesel, and you can take it or leave it. It doesn’t do a bad job of hauling the Rexton around though, at least in the automatic variant we’ve tried, and it’s worth keeping an eye out for 2020-on models, with their more powerful version of the same engine.
In terms of trim, some early EX models came with seven seats, but this was later dropped as standard fitment. In later cars, third-row seating is standard, so you can once again benefit from a seven-seat layout even in the entry-level Rexton Ventura. Given the high standard of equipment in all models, we’d have no problems directing you to this cheaper variant.
SsangYong Rexton 2.2 Diesel: There’s just a single engine available in the Rexton, a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel. Early variants produced 181PS, with later cars making 202PS. A six-speed manual was available for a time, but the more powerful engine comes with only an eight-speed auto. That combination is good for a 0-62mph time of 10.7 seconds, while SsangYong claims combined economy of 32.9mpg.
The current SsangYong Rexton range has four trim levels, of which even the entry-level Ventura is well-equipped - there can’t be many other base models that get both heated and ventilated front seats, or eight-way power adjustment for the driver’s seat. That said, the higher trim models do offer even more kit, which probably explains why you’re just as likely to find Ultimate Plus models for sale on the used market.
The SsangYong Rexton Ventura gets the range off to a strong start with 18-inch alloy wheels, a 12.3-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel, faux leather trim with an 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat (including heating for all seats and ventilation for the front pair), LED headlights, and cruise control.
The SsangYong Rexton Ventura Plus adds built-in TomTom navigation, a powered tailgate, and privacy glass on top of Ventura trim.
The SsangYong Rexton Ultimate gets Nappa leather seats, HID headlights, cabin mood lighting, a 3D parking camera, and touch-sensitive door handles.
The SsangYong Rexton Ultimate Plus builds on Ultimate trim with wireless phone charging, air conditioning for the third row seats, suede inserts for the Nappa leather seats (along with suede door and dash accents), a driver’s seat memory function, rear passenger door sunblinds, a power sunroof, and 20-inch alloy wheels.
The SsangYong Rexton’s dimensions are:
Length: 4850mm
Width: 1960mm (without mirrors)
Height: 1825mm
The SsangYong Rexton’s boot size is:
240 litres (seven seat mode)
1806 litres with second and third rows folded
When you’re searching for a used SsangYong Rexton, check carefully to see how much the mode cost when new, as this will play a big part in how much the car’s annual VED or ‘road tax’ will cost. If it had a list price below £40,000, then your annual bill will be only £180. If it cost more than forty grand, this spirals up to £570 in the second to sixth years of registration.
The lowest insurance group you’ll find for a SsangYong Rexton is an earlier EX model, which sits in group 28 with either the manual or the automatic gearbox. A later entry-level Ventura rises to group 34, while an Ultimate Plus is in group 39. That’s quite hefty for a car with a SsangYong badge and may make insurance more expensive than you expect, though it’s not too far out of the ordinary for the class - the Kia Sorento spans groups 30-34.