SsangYong Rexton 2021 Review

A simplified line-up for this year sees the 2021 SsangYong Rexton seven-seat large SUV range slimmed down to just two levels of trim, with the former base-grade Rexton EX variants dropped.

That places the previous mid-range Rexton ELX – the vehicle tested here – now in the entry-level position, and the Rexton Ultimate remains the flagship model.

The importer has also ditched the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, confining the variants to just one powertrain option: a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Prices now start at $47,990 drive-away for the Rexton ELX, and rise to $54,990 for the Rexton Ultimate. The only option is metallic paint for $495.

For 2021, the Rexton’s infotainment screen is new, measuring 12.3 inches, and a ‘rear cabin talk function’ is also new, providing the means to communicate with kids in the third-row seats without raising your voice.

Other standard features for the Rexton ELX include cruise control, dual-zone climate control, power windows, heated fold-in electric mirrors, leather-bound steering wheel/gear selector, leather-look upholstery, eight-way electric-adjust driver’s seat with position memory and lumbar support, six-way electric front passenger’s seat, heated/cooled front seats and heated rear seats.

The infotainment system is operated through an 8.0-inch touch-screen and incorporates six-speaker audio, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth and remote controls on the multifunction steering wheel.

Unusually, at this price, the Rexton ELX does not come equipped with satellite navigation.

But it is covered by a seven-year warranty – and unlimited kilometres. The service intervals are 12 months apart, or 15,000km apart for vehicles that travel longer distances in a year. There’s also seven years of roadside assistance thrown in.

There’s no crash safety rating available for the 2021 SsangYong Rexton, and neither ANCAP nor Euro NCAP have got around to crash-testing the Musso ute, which shares its platform, frontal crash structure and powertrain with the SUV.

While the Rexton’s crash performance is unassessed, it does at least offer a long list of safety and driver assist features.

These include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane change assist, high beam assist, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, rollover mitigation, front/rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.

The Rexton ELX misses out on the all-round camera monitoring that’s standard for the Rexton Ultimate. 

In terms of secondary safety, the Rexton features side curtain airbags, plus thorax-protecting side airbags and frontal airbags for the front seat occupants. The third-row seat is serviced by the side curtain airbags. In addition, the driver’s knee gets its own airbag too.

There are also two ISOFIX anchorage points in the rear, along with three top-tether points.

For loading kids into the third-row seats, parents will have to fold down the single-seat section of the second-row seat immediately behind the driver. This position detracts from safely loading in little ones, considering you’re doing it from the road side rather than the footpath.

The alternative is to fold forward the heavier and larger section on the near side of the car.

Power and torque have been raised by 15kW and 21Nm respectively for the 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel (149kW/441Nm) under the bonnet of the 2021 SsangYong Rexton.

It’s now the only engine available, but driving through a new eight-speed automatic, which is an impressive unit where smoothness is concerned.

In character, this engine is set up for off-road work. It’s all torque, with power coming in a distant second, which is not to say that it will be left behind in urban traffic.

But there is significant turbo lag in evidence from a standing start.

Under load at around 3000rpm, there’s some rattling present, but otherwise it’s a pretty quiet unit. At touring speeds (100km/h) the engine rumbles slightly, with the powerplant turning over at 1500rpm, but there are no signs of actual labouring at that sort of speed.

On a test run the Rexton posted a fuel consumption figure of 8.8L/100km, which is not far adrift from the official combined-cycle economy of 8.3L/100km.

Dynamically, the 2021 SsangYong Rexton feels like a heavy-duty four-wheel drive on bitumen. Which is what it is, of course.

The suspension feels overdamped at times, religiously transmitting every little bump and dip in the road surface, yet the Rexton is actually quite softly sprung, with a propensity to dive under brakes and roll in corners.

In other words, the suspension is properly sorted for climbing unsealed tracks that are steep and rutted. And with that qualification in mind, the Rexton’s on-road manners are commensurate with the standards of a commercial-based 4x4 off-roader.

In fact, for on-road grip it’s in the same ballpark as the Ford Everest and the LDV D90 tested recently. The Rexton does show an inclination to push purposefully towards the outside of the corner with the engine powering on, but it’s safe within reason – and it’s certainly not alone among its rivals in that sort of handling trait. 

Once again highlighting the Rexton’s virtues as a ‘country lifestyle’ vehicle, the headlights prove to be effective and the auto high beam assist is fairly competent.

Furthermore, tyre noise from the Kumho 255/60R18 tyres is very well suppressed. The Rexton is a surprisingly quiet vehicle at touring speeds and on coarse-chip country bitumen.

Being capable of clearing rocks and drop-offs in the bush, the Rexton’s hip point is high, which might make it a bit of a climb for little kids to enter and exit. It’s even a step up for adults of average height.

There are passenger assist grips to climb up into the rear of the vehicle at least, but no such device for either the driver or front passenger.

Once inside, the driver is met by a very commanding view behind the wheel, with controls located correctly, other than the indicator stalk on the left of the steering column and the starter button out of sight on the dash. The front seats are well shaped for comfort and support.

Although it takes very little time to become familiar with the controls and displays, the initial impression seems confronting, with controls seemingly all over the place. In particular, the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning interface may require a bit of study, and ditto for the switchgear on the multifunction steering wheel.

The new 12.3-inch instrument cluster is pretty flash – literally. It provides easy, at-a-glance viewing of the various data points and there are multiple viewing modes to suit the preferences of any driver. And the instruments are easy to read.

Headroom and legroom are both quite generous for adults of the average size or slightly taller in the second-row seats. There is a 12V power outlet and a USB recharging port in the rear of the centre console, plus adjustable vents for each of the outboard passengers.

In addition, the Rexton offers good storage options in the rear, with a small bottle holder in each of the door bins, plus the folding centre arm rest featuring a small, covered storage receptacle and two cup holders.

Accommodation in the third row is not as generous. Although it will accommodate smaller adults – just – headroom is very marginal and the seats are mounted very close to the floor, providing little under-thigh support.

Lifting the second-row section of the seat into place after kids have taken their seat in the third row is quite a chore, if you persist on providing the kids access from the footpath rather than the road.

The seat on the near side is the 60 per cent section and is heavy to lift into place. Nor is that easy to do with the cord that has to be pulled from the third row.

Furthermore, occupants in the third-row seat will need assistance from someone standing by the second row seat to lift the base of the seat up and forward for egress.

There’s an additional 12V power outlet on the driver’s side for the third-row occupants, but no adjustable vents back there. And with the seats occupied, there’s precious little space for goods or luggage.

When lowered, the seats leave a step in the floor which would preclude larger items being loaded and sitting level for transport. And the boot’s false floor fits very snuggly and is difficult to remove or relocate higher.

Without power operation, the tailgate is heavy, but the struts do much of the grunt work.

Finally, there’s a full-size spare tyre on matching alloy road rim located underneath the boot, something that will be welcomed by hard-core off-road fans.

There are more than 20 vehicles classified as large SUVs in Australia with a starting price below $70,000, so there’s no shortage of competition for models like the 2021 SsangYong Rexton.

And that competition is pretty tough.

There are vehicles in the segment that will do what the Rexton can do, but with more finesse on the road. Conversely, few of those can match the Rexton's towing capacity of 3500kg capacity and a downball weight of 350kg.

And the Rexton is more affordable than most 4x4 versions of its major ute-based rivals such as the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Everest and the latest Isuzu MU-X.

From a packaging standpoint the Rexton represents a mix of good and average, but very few of the ‘average’ points would be deal breakers. A lack of an ANCAP safety rating is likely a hurdle for buyers to overcome however.

So there’s a market there for the Rexton, to be sure. But with only a few hundred vehicles sold over the first seven months of this year, SsangYong is yet to find it.

How much does the 2021 SsangYong Rexton ELX cost?
Price: $47,990 (drive-away)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 149kW/441Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 218g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested