New SsangYong Rexton SUV: prices, specs and release date

The SsangYong Rexton is due in UK showrooms from October, priced from £27,500.

Roughly the size of a BMW X5, the new Rexton comes exclusively with a 179bhp 2.2-litre diesel engine, is offered in three trim levels and is available with a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic gearbox.

With standard four-wheel drive and a towing capacity of 3,500kg, the Rexton is sure to appeal to caravanners and fans of equestrian sports. It should also appeal to big families, as the entry-level EX model comes with seven seats as standard. Stepping up to ELX trim brings the option of five seats, while the plush Ultimate model comes with five seats only.

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The old Rexton looked somewhat ungainly from the outside and is distinctly underwhelming inside, but SsangYong seems to have built on the strengths of its smaller Tivoli SUV when designing its latest model. The new Rexton is far better looking – even if it’s quite conservative – while the interior seems less thrown together and more cohesively designed.

Luxuries like Nappa leather dashboard panels and seats, a powered tailgate and dual-zone climate control indicate the new Rexton is moving upmarket, although it’s still cheaper than rivals such as the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe.

SsangYong says the new Rexton will be tough underneath, as its structure is made from 1.5Gpa giga-steel. Contextualizing that figure is tough without a metallurgy qualification, but it essentially means the Rexton’s metalwork will have a very high tensile strength. It’s backed up with SsangYong’s decent five-year/unlimited-mileage warranty.

Trim levels

Choose the cheapest Rexton – the EX – and you get 17-inch alloy wheels, air-conditioning, an eight-inch infotainment screen, power-folding door mirrors, all-round parking sensors, automatic lights and wipers, cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane-departure warning, traffic-sign recognition and auto-dipping headlights.

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Pay a not-insignificant £4,500 and ELX trim becomes available, bringing with it 18-inch alloys, upgraded dual-zone climate control, a seven-inch digital ‘Supervision’ instrument cluster, an upgraded 9.2-inch infotainment screen with sat nav, tinted rear windows, a heated steering wheel and soft Napa leather seats with electronic adjustment. Also included with ELX trim are keyless entry, two extra airbags (for the driver’s knee and the rear passengers’ sides), tinted rear windows and speed-sensitive power steering.

Want more? The top-spec Rexton Ultimate adds the seven-speed automatic gearbox as standard (it’s a £2,000 option on lower trims), as well as 20-inch alloy wheels, ambient lighting, upgraded headlights, LED foglights, a 360-degree parking camera, quilted Napa leather, heated and ventilated seats, a powered tailgate and stainless-steel garnish for the doors.

Ultimate trim also brings blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, which scans behind you when reversing, warning you of obstacles.

New SsangYong Rexton price and on-sale date

The new Rexton is on sale now, priced from £27,500.