SsangYong Rexton 2024 review: Ultimate - off-road test

The MY23 SsangYong Rexton is available in two variants: the ELX and the Ultimate.

Our test vehicle is the MY23 Ultimate. It’s a seven-seat body-on-frame 4WD wagon with a $55,990 price-tag (recommended drive-away).

Standard features include an 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system (with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and sat nav), a wireless phone charger, six-speaker sound system, sunroof, quilted Nappa leather, heated and ventilated front seats, driver's seat position memory, privacy glass, a powered tailgate, second-row air vents and ambient lighting. The Rexton has 18-inch ‘diamond-cut’ alloy wheels.

The MY23 Rexton Ultimate wears a price tag of $55,990 (recommended drive-away). (Image: Glen Sullivan)

Exterior paint choices include 'Grand White', 'Fine Silver', 'Marble Grey', 'Pearl White', 'Space White' and 'Atlantic Blue' (on our test vehicle), which costs $595.

Our test vehicle also had a tow bar ($1710 fitted) and an electronic brake controller ($690 fitted).

As standard it has AEB, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning and collision warning, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, driver attention warning, front vehicle-start warning, front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree camera system.

The 'Atlantic Blue' paint on our test vehicle adds $595 to the price tag. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

As mentioned, the MY24 Rexton is due to go on sale in Australia in October 2023. It will be available in three variants: ELX, Adventure (a new spec level) or Ultimate.

The MY24 Ultimate has a recommended drive-away price of $58,000 – that’s $2010 more than the MY23.

It will have a new dash layout and high-mounted 12.3-inch touchscreen multi-media system, and a dual-zone climate control hub, operated via the touchscreen.

Upfront of the MY23 Rexton Ultimate is a 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

The MY24 Rexton range will be available in six body colours: Grand White, Pearl White, Atlantic Blue, Marble Grey, 'Graphite', and 'Space Black'.

The powertrain remains the same: a 2.2L four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, producing 149kW and 441Nm and an eight-speed automatic transmission and steering-wheel paddle shifters.

A 'Sport Pack' ($2000), which is an option on the Ultimate, adds shadow chrome front grille, tailgate, and rear bumper garnish, LED front fog lights with shadow chrome surrounds, shadow chrome 20-inch alloy wheels and black roof rails. Metallic paint will still cost $595.

It’s a clean layout with a premium look and feel (there’s Nappa leather seats and interior trim on this Ultimate) and there are plenty of soft-touch surfaces.

Fit and finish are nice, solid and impressive at this price.

The multimedia system is okay to use, but the 8.0-inch touchscreen is too small. The MY24 Rexton ups that screen to 12.3-inches.

The front seats are power-adjustable. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

Otherwise, functionality, storage and charge points around the cabin are more than satisfactory, including a wireless phone charger with sliding cover, two USB ports (centre console) and 12V power outlet in the console box, plus two USB ports and a 12V power outlet in the second-row centre console. 

All seats are leather-accented, heated and on the right side of comfortable. The driver’s seat and front passenger seat are also ventilated.

The front seats are power-adjustable - eight-way for the driver and six-way for the passenger.

The second-row seats – a 60/40 configuration, which folds, reclines and tumbles – are supportive without being overly so.

With the 50/50 third-row seats in use, boot space is listed as 236L. There’s a 12V power outlet in the cargo area.

With that folding third row stowed away, there’s a claimed 641L of cargo space. With the second and third rows stowed, there’s a claimed 1806L.

The Rexton has a cargo capacity of 641 litres when the third row is stowed. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

Every SsangYong Rexton has a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine producing 149kW/441Nm. And that’s matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This is a relaxed, sluggish pairing.

The Rexton has part-time 4WD with selectable low- and high-range 4WD and an auto-locking rear differential.

Under the Rexton's bonnet is a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

It’s quite reasonable on-road if you’re willing to forgive a few flaws.

The cabin is quiet and ride is plush, but the engine and transmission is a smooth but sluggish pairing, acceleration is doughy underfoot, the brakes are spongy and slow to bite and the shifter is annoying.

Once on the open road, though, the Rexton is very comfortable, refined and easy to spend long trips in. It simply cruises along quietly and that makes for a relaxed driving experience.

However, off-roading, especially low-range 4WDing, swiftly exposes some of the Rexton’s less-than-ideal characteristics, which impact any potential it may have as a 4WD tourer.

The Rexton is very comfortable, refined and easy to spend long trips in. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

First up, ride and handling are generally adequately composed on sealed surfaces, with independent suspension all-around, but the Rexton quickly loses composure on dirt tracks, becoming jittery on light corrugations and then thumping through more severe corrugations, ruts and potholes.

The Rexton is too low, at a listed 203mm, and underbody components are vulnerable to rocks, tree stumps, and track debris.

It has the shallow off-road angles to match that low-slung stance: 20.5-degree approach, 20.5-degree departure and 20.0-degree rampover angle. All far from ideal, but about right for a vehicle that’s more in tune with urban than country life.

For the first time in a long time*, I chose not to drive a test vehicle on a few of my usual 4WD challenges, including a steep set of rock steps, because the risk of incidental damage was just too great. (* It’s possibly the first time ever. I can’t recall. Yep, I’m old.)

The Rexton has the shallow off-road angles to match that low-slung stance. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

Wading depth is unlisted, but likely around the 500mm mark.

The automatic locking rear diff is a sound idea in theory, but doesn’t work so well in this application. It’s clunky, abrupt and allows too much wheelspin before the diff-lock engages.

It also disengages abruptly, sometimes when you’re not even up, over or through the particular terrain you’re tackling. I noted similar issues with the Mahindra Scorpio I recently tested.

The Rexton’s tyres – Kumho Crugen (255/60 R18 108H) – are marketed as “all season”, but while they’re fine for on-road driving, they fall well short of suitable for anything other than light off-roading.

The Rexton's underbody components are vulnerable to rocks, tree stumps, and track debris. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

Sounds like I’m ripping into the Rexton, eh? Well, it’s not all bad news.

In terms of mechanicals and off-road driver-assist tech, the Rexton has adequate torque across a decent spread of revs, engine braking is good, and hill descent control is okay.

Steering has an adequate balance at low speeds, throttle response is reasonable, and there’s plenty of visibility, which is crucial for difficult 4WDing.

But, ultimately this is a city-friendly 4WD that is best suited to light off-roading, as in driving on well-maintained tracks in dry weather.

The Rexton has adequate torque across a decent spread of revs and hill descent control is okay. (Image: Glen Sullivan)

At a stretch, a driver with experience could take the Rexton onto hard-packed sand, or on slight to medium hills with minor obstacles in all weather, but this 4WD is so low that ground clearance will always be an issue off-road.

If you are considering the Rexton as your touring vehicle, it’s worth noting the payload is 830kg, gross vehicle mass is 2960kg and gross combined mass is 6460kg.

Towing capacity is 750kg (unbraked) and 3500kg (braked).

The Rexton has no ANCAP safety rating because it is untested. 

As standard it has a comprehensive suite of driver-assist tech, including AEB, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning and collision warning, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, driver attention warning, front vehicle-start warning, front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree camera system.

The Rexton is yet to be ANCAP tested. (Image: Glen Sullivan)