Independence day for SsangYong’s Rexton

SSANGYONG Australia has introduced independent rear suspension and permanent 4WD to its Ssangyong Rexton Limited as part of a mild facelift.

The premium model variant of the South Korean brand’s mid-sized SUV range has also been given a boost with an upgraded turbo-diesel engine.

The existing 2.7-litre common-rail diesel has been fitted with a new variable geometry turbocharger which increases power by 15kW to 137kW, while torque moves up by an impressive 62Nm to 390Nm.

Despite the extra urge, the flagship Rexton’s combined fuel consumption figure remains at 9.2L/100km, according to the ADR 81/01 standard.

The Rexton Limited has also been given a mild exterior tweak, but the changes are hard to pick with the naked eye.

Pricing remains pegged at $53,990.

Strangely, the upgrade does not apply to the other model variant in the Rexton range, the $42,990 Sports. This model continues with a solid rear axle and a torque-on-demand 4WD system. It also misses out on the turbocharger upgrade.

Both Rexton models seat seven people and are only available with a diesel engine. Both versions of the diesel engine are mated to a five-speed automatic transmission.

The Sport model comes standard with ABS brakes and four airbags, while the Limited model adds electronic stability and traction control.

The upgraded Rexton will be joined by a revised version of SsangYong’s smaller SUV, the Kyron, in June.

The Kyron features refreshed styling as well as some changes to the interior trim and dashboard.

It is understood there will be no major mechanical upgrades for the Kyron.

The upgraded Rexton and Kyron, along with the new Actyon and Actyon Sports models released this month, are central to SsangYong Australia’s plan to hit 3000 sales this year.

The company hit a high of 2645 sales in 2005, before slipping back to 2206 last year.