mizsmie wrote @ 5:01 PM |

On my last review on the stuff of the day i would love to talk about SsangYong Rexton (dedicated this to my friends Syud!). This is my review.

SsangYong Company History

SsangYong Motor Company KSE: 003620 is the fourth largest South Korean automobile manufacturer. It was founded as Hadonghwan Motor Company in 1954 and started by building jeeps for the US Army. Beginning in 1976, Hadonghwan produced a variety of special purpose vehicles. After changing its name to Dong-A Motor in 1977, it was taken over by Ssangyong Business Group in 1988 and changed its name to SsangYong Motor. The name SsangYong means twin dragons. In 1991 it started a technology partnership with Daimler-Benz (now DaimlerChrysler). Later, it purchased United Kingdom-based specialty car maker Panther Westwinds.

In 1997 Daewoo Motors bought a controlling stake, only to sell it off again in 2000, because the conglomerate ran into deep financial troubles. In late 2004, the Chinese automobile manufacturer SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation) took a 49% stake of SsangYong Motor Company.

SsangYong Rexton

The SsangYong Rexton is a 4WD Sports Utility Vehicle released in Korea in late 2001. The demand for this vehicle in Korea has been huge. The Rexton offers high standards of appointment, quiet on-road performance, car-like handling, and yet rugged off-road capability. It can be configured to seat seven people all facing forwards, or as a five seater for more luggage space.


Inspired and unique are the words which best describes Rexton's futuristic shape. The beauty of its smooth fluid shape never fails to elicit strong emotions while the execution is absolutely masterful right down to the smallest detail. Rexton wears its image of tough elegance well: It can be driven with pride to the opera house and is equally at home exploring the ends of the earth. And with a 0.39 drag coefficient that would put some sedans to shame, Rexton slices through the wind with an aerodynamic efficiency that reduces high speed wind noise to a faint whisper while helping minimize fuel consumption. Projection headlamps not only provide a dramatic focal point to the design but their triple lens array helps you see and be seen like never before. Large fog lamps and indicator lamps are neatly integrated into the front bumper while flared wheel arches provide a complimentary techno accent that harmonizes beautifully with the overall muscular image.

SSANGYONG REXTON 270Xdi RANGE


The big 4x4 market is a tricky one for new entrants to get a foothold in. Let’s face it, most of these cars sell on snob appeal and the equity in the badge on your bonnet is crucial. Therefore one would expect that a manufacturer like SsangYong, who will be quite unknown to most buyers, will have an uphill task on their hands getting their Rexton 270 Xdi onto customer shortlists. You’d be right. That is until these potential customers clock the asking price of the Rexton. With a rugged 163bhp diesel engine under the bonnet, the entry level SE version opens at just £21,999 on the road. That’s about the same price as a midrange diesel Freelander and undercuts the Mercedes ML270CDi by about £9,000. There will doubtless be some titters raised at the prospect of the SsangYong going head to head with a Mercedes, but there really isn’t too much in it. Both generate the same amount of power and both do a very good job off road and make a reasonable fist of things on the tarmac.

"The Rexton is built around a proper industrial strength ladder-framed chassis construction"

The Giugiaro-styled SsangYong looks properly premium. It’s big, imposing and features a number of neat details that really give it some credibility. Take a look at the jewel-effect lights and the smart chrome badging. Even the interior shows few signs of cost cutting. SsangYong have done a good job insulating the cabin from engine noise as the VM-sourced engine isn’t the quietest diesel unit when you lift the bonnet. From the driver’s seat, it’s reduced to a muted rumble and offers good torque although you need a heavy right foot from standstill when accelerating onto roundabouts or out of T-junctions. It’ll top out at 111mph and return an average fuel economy figure of 32.9mph. Although this vehicle isn’t designed to be mercilessly flogged off the line, should you see fit to do so, it’ll even crack 60mph in a respectable 13.2 seconds.

Those with keen memories may well remember the Musso and Korando 4x4s that briefly campaigned under the SsangYong brand here in the UK before being swallowed by the Daewoo empire. A private consortium revived SsangYong imports in early 2003 and started bringing in Rextons, selling as many as they could get hold of. Before long 700 had found UK owners and the company is confident it can achieve sales volumes in the order of 2,500 cars per year before too long. The product is certainly up to scratch. Whereas the Musso and the Korando were never much more than oddly styled curiosities, the Rexton looks to have a good deal more in its favour. It’s been on sale since summer 2001 in its domestic market, and has trounced its key rival, the Hyundai Terracan, despite production capacity being initially limited by having to share a line with the Musso. Work on the Rexton began in 1998 at the SsangYong R&D Centre in Pyungtaek. Although ItalDesign was initially commissioned to produce a clay mock up, the Koreans felt the design was too conservative and worked on it in-house. The result is certainly striking although some may spot definite Mercedes M-Class influences in its profile – itself no bad thing.

Although the Rexton rides well on road, it’s not been designed for exclusive blacktop use. On tarmac, it defaults to rear wheel drive operation but the push of a button forces the Borg Warner transfer case to engage either high range four-wheel drive for when things get a little slippery or low-range four-wheel drive for those occasions when you really need to lug yourself out of a spot. When in all-wheel drive mode in SE models, a vacuum actuator serves to lock all the wheel hubs automatically, further boosting traction. In plusher SX models, there’s a torque-on-demand system which engages x4 progressively according to conditions.

The Rexton is built around a proper industrial strength ladder-framed chassis construction. Although immensely strong, most rivals have abandoned this architecture in favour of monocoque chassis structures that give a more car-like drive. Given the Rexton’s luxury pretensions, it seems a trifle odd that it uses this he-man set up but the upside is that it feels almost indestructible when taken off road and the wheel articulation will get you out of many a tight spot. It’s ride on tarmac isn’t the smoothest but if you need a 4x4 that looks good but can still walk the walk when the going gets tough, the Rexton is a good value bet. The 270Xdi possesses a fair turn of speed and body control is better than expected but it lacks that polished final few percent that convinces people to stump up big premiums for a premium product. Bear in mind that low price and any criticisms we make should really be put into context.

The Rexton 270Xdi is available in either five or seven seat guises and the interior isn’t cramped due to a long wheelbase with tidy overhangs. The seating arrangements are versatile and there’s no shortage of cubbies and storage areas. The neat door bin bottle holders are a neat touch as is the dash-mounted pen holder and ticket clips in the sun visors. The way the rear wiper arm automatically retracts downwards to keep it out of the way of the flip-up rear window is also something to impress your otherwise puzzled friends with.

With no fewer than eight Rexton 270Xdi models on offer, ranging between £21,999 and £24,499, there’s no shortage of choice. Manual or five-speed T-tronic automatic, five seats or seven, SE or SX trim, it can all get a little confusing. My pick would be the basic 270SE with the manual gearbox, thus maximizing your value for money. It might puzzle your neighbour but just don’t let on how little you paid.

Ssaangyong Chairman

The SsangYong Chairman is a large sedan made by the SsangYong Motor Company of Korea. It is built on a Mercedes-Benz E-Class platform known as the W124, but styled to resemble a 1980s Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

(nice car!)

A long-wheelbase model is also available, and is favoured by some limousine operators in South Korea.

During the days when Ssangyong was owned by Daewoo Motors, this car was rebadged as a Daewoo for export.

Some things never go out of style. Chairman has been designed to be one of them. While the sleek lines that have defined Chairman's quintessential European styling since its introduction in 1998 remain largely unchanged, Chairman now has a notably more sculptured, masculine look.

The subtle refinements in Chairman makes for a perfect balance of classic form and modern function that's destined to become an elegant new luxury classic.

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