Ssangyong's fresh face

Ssangyong's mid-range Kyron SUV will be facelifted in June with substantial front and rear changes to deliver a more mainstream look.

It will join a heavily revised Rexton and a brand new Actyon to deliver a three-pronged SUV hierarchy that marks a complete departure from the ageing Musso models.

According to Ssangyong, the facelifted Kyron will have a "neater, more streamlined look" and a revised cabin with "enhancements to fascia and trim".

A recent preview indicated that the changes have the potential to place the Kyron on more Australian shopping lists. The Kyron's base powertain is the same advanced 2.0-litre turbodiesel as the Actyon and pricing starts at $34,490.

The Rexton, which is Ssangyong's seven-seater flagship, gained an upgraded version of the previous 2.7-litre turbodiesel earlier this year. Power figures have been revised to 137kW with a substantial 390Nm of torque, slightly lower than earlier claims but still a boost of 16kW and 50Nm over the previous model.

The revised engine was accompanied by a new independent rear suspension and a different all-wheel-drive system.

Rexton styling changes also delivered a more mainstream, muscular look says the company. Pricing for the range-topping Rexton Limited remains at $53,990.

As a result of the new or revised three-tiered SUV range, which now includes the new Actyon range launched last week (more here), Ssangyong is forecasting a 2007 sales total of 3004 units.

The sales forecast is a substantial increase over the 2006 tally of 2206, which dropped over the 2005 result during "a year of consolidation" according to Ssangyong. This included bringing the distribution in all states and territories except WA within the organisation of national importer, Rapson Australia Pty Ltd.

The new Actyon SUV is expected to account for 450 sales with the mid-range Kyron to sell 250 and the full-sized Rexton, 480. The Actyon Sports twincab ute is expected to add a further 1000 sales, the Stavic people mover 300 and the Chairman luxury sedan accounting for just 24 sales. The final runout of the Musso is expected to account for 500 sales.

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