SsangYong Rexton road tests and consumer car reviews

SsangYong Rexton 2006

Great car with plenty of room. The suspension is a little bouncy, but I found this to be sorted when I changed to 20" low profile tyres (looked better also).

SsangYong Rexton RX 320 2005

The vehicle is good on the road, but the first few months after purchase the check engine light was continously on. The local dealer couldn’t solve this problem, but I did, the problem was the burnt connecting block cable near the gear box. This year the issue was noise in the front that sounded like damaged CV’s. Both the CV’s were changed, but the noise remained. The dealer suspected the front propeller shaft, but guess what? I later discovered it to be a loose chain in the gear transfer box. which just need to be replaced. This can occur when you have pulled heavey things or having locked the 4x4 several times.

SsangYong Rexton 2009

Exellent car, I bought My Rexton with diesel engine in April 2009. I love the way this car handles in the street. I have around 70,000 kms on the odometer. I have only spent in changing oil and filtesr when it need maintenance. I Always use the best Castrol Oil. I also use it to pull a trailer with 2 jetski without any problems. The engine has plenty of power. I recommend the Rexton to anyone who wants to have a exellent car with the feel of a expensive 4X4!

Responses to this review

May I know the series of the car? - Hm Yu from Norfolk

SsangYong Rexton 2.7 xdi s 2006

Hi! The car looks great, I have had the car for a year and had nothing but trouble with it and no one can fix it, it,s a joke! I have to take it to the specialist every time and even they can’t do anything, they can’t get the parts. Twice it’s been in now and I have found the parts for them. I have just been waiting 6 weeks now for a water pump and had enough so I tried finding the part myself; took 10 mins looking to find it, I can have it the following week, it’s a joke! Also, I noticed a few people with the knocking noise coming from the front of the car, I also have the same problem and no one can find it, has anyone found out what it is? In the last year its had more than £3500 spent on it, I took out 2 year warranty out on it, it’s a good job I did!

Responses to this review

After seeing numerous people saying they have problems with a knocking noise coming from the front i thought I’d tell everyone what this noise is. The noise comes from the 22mm nuts holding the bottom wishbone to the car, tighten these up, problem solved. Hope this helps! MC from Shropshire

SsangYong Rexton 2.7 2007

I bought my 07 Ssangyong Rexton 2.7 from a car dealership seven months ago. I was really pleased with it until recently when I discovered the automatic transmission was faulty. Subsequently I had to have the fault rectified which cost £2,200. I could not believe that a vehicle with a Mercedes engine and gear box with only 39,000 miles on the clock would have such a problem. The vehicle was out of warrenty and the manufacturers did not want to know. Also the whole exhaust system is knackered and needs replacing, I cannot get the system anywhere except from a Ssangyong dealer at a whopping cost of £1,260.00. Fortunately I am having a stainless steel exhaust system fitted which is a lot cheaper than the dealer quoted me. I am also very disappointed at how long it takes to get spare parts for this car. I have lost faith in this vehicle and worried about what will go wrong next. I would not buy this car again!

Responses to this review

Hi, I am just at the point of buying a Jeep Rexton 2007, 2.4L petrol. Your feedback is getting me really scared - Joseph Newman from Ghana

The dreaded Rexton. After replacing the automatic transmission and exhaust - grand total of £2,800.00 - I should have cut my losses and sold the vehicle, alas now it needs a front different another £1,600 to repair it. I am repairing it and getting rid! The after care is terrible - Jo Brown from Essex

SsangYong Rexton Rexton 2 SX 270 2007

Well where do I start? The first time I drove a Rexton I thought great this is just what I want, it had all the luxuries that I wanted and also the power to pull horse boxes and stuff like that. I also think it’s a great looking car. The dealer back up and SsangYong’s back up is terrible; from the very beginng I have had faults such as a knocking noise on the nearside front suspension, which just went away, I found that a little worrying but what was more worrying was that the dealer had no idea what it was and that’s a big problem with SsangYong the dealers know nothing about the cars and are very reluctant to do warranty work. The major faults came after two years; Track rods worn and had to wait 3 weeks for parts the drive shaft waited 2 weeks for parts, the prop shaft only waited a week for part but my shock absorbers are knackered and I am still waiting for the parts after FIVE WEEKS and also due to the shocks having gone and that’s all of them the steering rack is faulty as well. There have been many other minor things as well. I don’t blame the dealers, there is nothing they can do it is SsangYong who is to blame. I know cars go wrong but you don’t expect to wait weeks and weeks for the parts. At this point in time I wish I had never purchased a SsangYong because of all the hassle it has given me; I have owned many cars and have never had this amount of trouble getting them fixed sure they have gone wrong but parts have always been readily available.

Responses to this review

Well just an update on my shock absorbers, I was all set to buy an aftermarket set from Australia at a cost of $700 Aussie dollars when my dealer informed me that all the shocks had arrived and will be fitted tomorrow after 6 weeks of waiting. Now I will probably have to go through another saga because the damaged shocks have cause damage to my steering rack and I am worried how long I will have to wait for parts this time. Watch This Space!!!! Richard Firth from England

UPDATE: Well, the new shocks did not solve the problem and got the impression that the dealer was a little tired of me and just wanted to see the back of me so I took it to Ssangyong in Warwickshire who seem to know their stuff and actually sell Rextons, unlike most of the other dealers I have been to. They had the car for a day and said they thought my ride height was wrong and this was most likely to be because of collapsed springs. They were all set to change them until Ssangyong told them not to in case it was not that and I had to let them check it all over again (it’s about 130 miles from my house to the dealer), which I did but know they will only change the rear springs, despite me advising the fault is at the front. So I am having to pay for the front one’s myself and was even told I would have to pay for the investigation work as well, even though my Ssangyong is still in warranty but this has since been cancelled after I complained. The good thing is that Warwickshire Ssangyong are nice people and seem to be very compentant unlike all the other dealers I have visited. Well, when the springs are fitted I will let you know more. The Sangyong Rexton is a great looking car with a great spec at a great price but be careful if you ever have a fault!!! - Richard Firth from Cheshire

A further update, as of today the springs I need have still not arrived (it will be four weeks on Friday) and after speaking to the dealer it looks like I might be in for an even longer wait; according to Ssangyong in Warwickshire they are very worried because they are waiting for other parts for other cars which are off the road and have no idea when parts will arrive which can’t be good for their business. If you call Ssangyong directly you are told they have absolutley no idea when the required parts will arrive. I did however call Ssangyong in Germany and have been told they have the springs I require are in stock in the cental European warehouse so how can it have taken so long for them to arrive? The Ssangyong Rexton is a great car with a good spec at a great price but if you buy one, and you can’t buy a new one for love nor money at the moment as they say they are bringing out new models, be prepared for huge delays in waiting for parts if you need anything more than a brake pad or air filter. How on earth they retain customers with this sort of service is a mystery or perhaps they don’t because the after service with Ssangyong is a joke. Richard Firth from Cheshire

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.

Responses to this review

Suspension is my problem at the moment, maybe I should have upgraded. I have Rexton 2 on a 2007 plate and think it is a great car, ok it does not have a posh badge but it drives well and has a good spec but I have had some problems which are slowly grinding me down, the 1st being a clunking noise coming fron the front nearside suspension which I must have taken it to the dealer to be checked at least 10 times and now seems to have just gone away; a faulty ambient temp sensor when the UK had the coldest winter for years which meant my heating did not work; faulty downhill decent and esp sensors; worn drive shaft nearside; worn propshaft and now after spending hours in various dealerships saying my suspension is faulty only to be told no its fine I have just found a competant dealer who say yes all 4 shocks are faulty. My biggest gripe though is that there are so few dealerships in the UK that you have to drive miles to a dealership and when you do they are very reluctant to do any major work under warranty and before this current dealer was told come back when your service is due and we will have a proper look at it of course my warranty would have expired by then! Also when parts are required they order them and it can take weeks or months for them to arrive as they usually have to come from Korea - Richard Firth from England

Hi, nice to see someone else from Australia on here. Can you tell me why my SsangYong Rexton car alarm keeps sounding? I thought maybe cause you’re in a car club you may have heard of this happening before, I cannot seem to find anyone who knows why this is happening - Sophie Evans from Australia

SsangYong Rexton 2008

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

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?

Responses to this review

I have a Rexton 2 which I bought new in 2007. I have had from new a clunking noise coming from the nearside wheel/suspension when I turn right into corners or go around roundabouts and the weight of the car pushes on the front nearside wheel; I have taken it in to the dealer who says something needs tightening or greasing to fix it but it is still there (took in in this morning to be done again and was still there when I left dealer). I have now contacted Ssangyong head office for assistance because my warranty runs out soon and I don’t want to have to pay for it to be fixed when it does - Richard Firth from England

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!

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 Hamill’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

How did you contact Ssangyong head office??? - Janette Wray from County Fermanagh

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 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 Terecan

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