The Sleeper Awakes
by David Morgan (23 Oct 04)

The rise, fall and rise again of the SsangYong badge in Britain has left many potential buyers with a nagging nervousness about the marque's future. The name all but disappeared from the UK as the budget Musso slipped under the Daewoo moniker before making a permanent exit. With it went the SsangYong name - the marque was sleeping, but many thought it was dead.

That's probably why sales of the new Rexton model have failed to shine as brightly as the manufacturer had hoped. Only 964 examples of the excellent five-cylinder turbo diesels and greedy straight-six 3.2 litre petrol models have been sold nationwide since their June 2003 launch. But there is every reason to believe that this able Korean budget 4x4 is just getting into gear and may yet do well.

It certainly deserves to. A combination of Mercedes-Benz power plant and drive-line design, efficient Far East construction, European looks and a competitive price list have made the Rexton a force to be reckoned with.

I spent 1000 miles with a 270 Xdi SE automatic, and apart from a few reservations would have little problem in recommending this likable five-door to budget-minded 4x4 drivers.

The petrol Rexton sells in penny numbers, but the turbo diesels make great sense. The new 2.7 litre Mercedes-designed oil-burning version is a potential star. It's far more refined than the older-design 2.9-litre unit fitted to the entry level 290 range and boosts power from a modest 116bhp to a punchy 163bhp. It also delivers around 25% more torque at 2400rpm. At 250lb/ft the 270 generates another 62lb/ft of pulling power compared with the 290.

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