SsangYong road test reports and car reviews

SsangYong Rexton Rexton-II LTD model 2006

I bought my Rexton-II LTD in 2006 and have only done 61,000km but have had zero issues with it. Indeed I yesterday returned from an 8,000km trip in extremely hot temperatures (up to 45C travelling at 120kph across the Nullabor). My only "extras" are air bag assistance on the rear suspension to stop it bottoming with a load on and fitment of aftermarket shock absorbers as the front and rear suspension damping was a bit out of phase. I usually change vehicles every 18 months but I like this one too much. As an asked I also have a Musso Sports I bought new in 2007 (as a runout special) and it too has been trouble free and extremely comfortable. I belong to the Australian Ssangyong Club Forum ( http://tinyurl.com/292lb6 ) and there is no incidence of engine failure on Rextons here in Australia.

SsangYong Rexton 2008

The Ssangyong Rexton 4X4 is very comfortable with great safety elements. I am a Ssangyong fanatic!

SsangYong Actyon 2009

I found this car to be very narrow in the cockpit area, which left me feeling cramped and uncomfortable when driving long distances. I also feel a vehicle of this size should come as a standard 4x4 as you are paying the same amount of road tax as them and due to its inability to drive in snow due to the back wheel drive this leaves you very vunerable to hazard, due to the size and structure of it. I also found that this car has not been designed to be a family car due to the lack of space, both in the boot and in the back passanger seats. I was very disappointed with the engine power also, as it has no turbo, which made over-taking difficult, especially when carrying passengers.

SsangYong Rexton 2.7 2006

I own a Rexton 2.7, 06 plate I bought from new with 28,766 on the clock. There is a noise coming from the nearside front wheel and the car feels like its got a puncture. When I try to brake the pedal feels like there is a stone in the pads and the esp warning light and buzzer sounds. I have taken it to a local garage but nothing comes up on the diagnostic machine. The noise is not there all the time, it varies. Does anybody know what it could be as the car has been a good tow car and that is the only problem I’ve had?

SsangYong Rexton 2006

This was a great car until last month when the engine went with 4 months warranty and 30,000 miles on the clock. The garage say that oil starvation caused the problem - NO WAY - we did our oil every couple of weeks and the oil light NEVER illuminated. The garage also noted this in their report to Ssangyong BUT they will not do repairs because of missing service which would of made no difference as it obviously is a fault with this car. If anyone has any advice it would be appreciated. PS The garage is looking for £3,700 to repair the damage! Could Tam Thompson (Rexton review - 26/10/2007) please contact me at jackiehray[at]hotmail[dot]com thanks...

Responses to this review
I have a 16 month old Rodius, which had no problems until 4 weeks ago when the engine seized. The car was overdue a service so ssangyong have said they will not cover the costs. Just wondering did Mrs Wray's wrangle end any more favourably? - Martin Brady from Northern Ireland

Hi Mrs Wray, I have been looking at a 2006 sliver rexton for sale in Pentices of Omagh with the same milage, is it possibile this is your vehicle and would you recommend buying? The dealer seemed anxious for a sale and is worrying me that there may be a history with the car. I can be emailed on: leewkennedy@btinternet.com - Lee Kennedy from County Londonderry

SsangYong Rexton II 270S 2008

Have absolutely no problems with this car at all!! For a big thumper it is very smooth to drive and surprisingly nippy in lower gears. Cruises effortlessly at 90+ while still offering reasonable mpg, (30+). Smooth and comfortable as a soft off-roader it also pulls my touring caravan with ease - almost as if nothing is there. I strongly recommend this wagon for anyone who wants the feel of a much more expensive 4X4.

SsangYong Rexton II 2007

18 months of total satisfaction. We have just returned from Switzerland, experiencing the heaviest snow conditions of the last ten years. The car never put a foot wrong. On the motorway it will cruise effortlessly at 90 to 100 and still return superb economy, 33 to the gallon, two up and the kitchen sink! There might be a lot of Merc technology in this vehicle but Ssangyong should be given credit for its design and build quality. I feel sorry for those who need to pay thousands extra for a star.

SsangYong Rexton II Rexton 2008

I love mine and had no problems at all, great value for money and done 30k in a year.

SsangYong Kyron 2007

Hi from South Africa, Ssangyong, not a very popular vehicle in SA, it has however attracted me by the relatively cheaper price in comparison to other SUV’s. The extras are excellent, diesel power is always a better option, seeing the price of petrol in SA. 4X4 power is excellent for trekking off road in the SA bush. Very comfortable, very spacious with enormous amount of space in the boot. Definitely not a car that you see often on the road but then again, why would you want to drive the same old same old as everybody else - Service history all in order - Recommend BIG TIME!!!!!! (Had to select England - SA not available).

SsangYong Rodius 270se 4x4 2005

Well, all i can say is we bought this vehicle to travel to and from Spain, it has never let us down and runs perfectly, we are now on 22,000 miles and being fully loaded both ways this car is a true work horse and all the interior plastics are still unmarked and exterior is unmarked. No other car could hold the people and bagagge that this does and I have owned cars costing double the price of this. Never have so many people asked me can thay have a look inside and how they like it, would certainly buy a new one.

SsangYong Rodius 2008

When this vehicle arrived for test drive, it did look even worse than I imagined. It has a loft extension on the rear and sits on 4 skateboard wheels. That said, the inside is very roomy, I soon realised why, when I picked my first passenger, they immediately lay on the floor to avoid detection by anyone they know. I appreciate this car is cheap, but, and more importantly, the resale value of this vehicle, I truly believe would be less than 4 figures.

SsangYong Rexton II 270se auto 2005

The car is only 36 months old and fully serviced but we can’t get the glow plug out! Mileage is only 28,541...

SsangYong Rexton 2.9 litre 2005

I can not agree with the report of the person with two Rexton, first of all because I own Ssang Yong Korando, RextonI, RextonII, Kyron and a Rodius/Stavic, all of which are excellent cars. All the aforementioned cars operate in Peru, South America and believe me, road conditions as well as weather conditions are more extreme than any other country! I can compare each of these models to other brands and can only say that no other brand in our market can compete or compare itself to this beautiful and wonderful German technology, all of which is Mercedes-Benz. I have driven with these cars as high as 5,500 metres above sea level at speeds of 170 - 180 km/h where no other machine will hold or endure this kind of treatment. I just think that the person with two Rexton does not know how to take care of his cars, probably due to general ignorance, there is a thing such as service booklet as well as minimal common sense on how to take care of a car!

Responses to this review
I think you are representing SSangyong as you rfeer to the market as ’our market’, so you are bound to defend them. I agree with the person with 2 rextons because I have had the same experiences of them. Steer clear of Ssangyong - Anne Scott from England

SsangYong Rodius 2.7 S T-tronic 2007

I've seen some terrible things written about this car and I have to say I think they’re very unfair. This is a brilliant car and having 4 children ranging from teenager to toddler in ages this car offers absolutely bags of space and a lot of car for your money. I've seen it being called ’hideous’ because of it’s shape but I rather like having something that looks a little different, but by all means spend another £5K on a boring Ford! Really, don’t be put off by anything you read and at least give one a test drive before making up your mind otherwise you could be passing up a real gem!

SsangYong Rodius S 5dr 2007

Can’t believe how much car you get for your money, an absolute bargain. I’ve only had mine for 3 months but it continues to impress me and so far it can do no wrong. Yes the materials used on the interior may not be up to the standard of other MPV’s on the market and there might not be as many extras fitted as standard but look at the price you’re paying and you’ll realise that you’re saving a HUGE sum of money for a car that performs well.

SsangYong Rexton

We purchased two Rextons in April 2006 - each engine in both cars has blown up - each vehicle has been serviced every six months at an average cost of £450 - The first car was fixed within warranty by NMG motors Norfolk, but was off the road for six weeks whilst waiting for spare parts - NMG and SSangyoung did not provide a loan vehicle so we hire a vehicle which cost us over £1500. The second vehicles engine has now blown up and SSyangyoung and NMG refuse to fix it landing us with a £10,300 bill for the repair. Their argument is that the vehicle which has done 40K should have been serviced every 6000 miles or every 7 weeks weeks our mileage at an average cost of £450 This is not what the salesman told us - he told us to service every six months, which we already thought was high and this is what we have done. The second vehicle which is now an effective right-off after 14 months is sitting at NMG - Wait for it - We received back the first vehicle with a new engine - I took it to a car wash and in the process the rear spoiler got caught, the window smashed and the spoiler damaged - the vehicle waited 4 WEEKS for a replacement rear window and is currently still with the garage for a further 3 weeks waiting for a spoiler part. Luckily this time the insurance is paying for a car. We have pleaded to SSangyoung UK and they refuse to take responsibility for the engine blowing up We did a ring round of SSangyoung dealers and found that this engine issue in not uncommon. Be very careful if you are considering purchasing this vehicle - We can only regret our decision.

SsangYong Rexton 11 2.7 xdi 270 SE

Having now given up on Land Rover because of mounting repair costs I needed a car that could tow my horse box and also be a comfortable family car. The Rexton II does this and in style! Don’t be sucked in by a badge name. This is a hidden gem in the 4x4 market. Top marks!!

SsangYong Kyron 2.0 SE 4WD 5dr

This is a really great car, great to drive and very reasonable to run. Looks good and you’re not likely to see one everytime you turn a corner. Well done Ssang Yong.

SsangYong Rexton Terecan

The Rexton looks good, there is a new 4x4 on the block. The Hyundai Terrecan is also a great 4x4.