Ssangyong Rexton W 4x4 Test (Engine, performance, handling and fuel consumption)

The tests continue at Highmotor and we keep going with a pure 4×4, the old-school way, with a transfer case and a vocation for leaving the tarmac behind. With the new generation of the Rexton, the 4×2 variant is available, but we believe the greatest virtue of the Rexton W is being a true survivor, one of the few pure 4x4s left on the market, which is precisely why we tested the version with the transfer case.

The Ssangyong Rexton W 4×4 features a 2.0-litre engine with 155 CV, more than enough power to move this large off-roader that weighs in at two tonnes. In this first part of the test we will analyse everything related to the engine, performance, handling as well as off-road performance, and fuel consumption.

Engine and performance

The powerplant chosen to move the Rexton W is no longer of Mercedes origin like the previous ones; it is an Australian-origin engine developed by AVL. It is a 2.0 diesel with turbo and 155 CV. It may sound a little short on power, but in practice it moves the Rexton W with ease, and it is also a flexible unit with good responsiveness.

It responds from low revs, at 1,500 rpm it is already pulling, and it is quite progressive, although it is not particularly refined. That said, around 3,500 rpm the engine starts to run out of steam. The best part is that the 360 Nm of torque is available from low revs, so it is ideal for off-road driving, and the engine moves the two tonnes with strength and ease.

The engine comes paired with a six-speed gearbox, with a feel that could be improved and a short first gear that is ideal for 4×4 use. The sixth gear, which we only use on motorways, helps reduce consumption: at 120 km/h it turns at 2,200 rpm.

Handling

Being a pure 4×4 shows in the handling, because the suspension is geared towards off-road use. It is quite soft, and some of the inertia typical of an off-roader can be felt when driving, although on roads or motorways it is a pleasant and even agile car.

The downside is that the rear suspension (rigid axle) is not only soft but also firm-feeling, so it does not filter road irregularities as it should.

If we drive the Rexton W dynamically, it must be taken into account that it is not designed for that purpose, but I insist that on roads and motorways it is relatively comfortable (except on poor surfaces) and relatively agile given its suspension layout, weights and dimensions. And the suspension works very well off the tarmac, an environment where the Rexton W handles with great ease.

The steering is not very precise, while the brakes stop the Rexton W’s two tonnes effectively.

Off-road handling

As a good off-roader, the Ssangyong Rexton W has a transfer case. It is no longer the typical lever beside the gearbox; it is now a rotary dial, but it is still a transfer case with its different modes (4×2, 4×4 High and 4×4 Low).

To engage the drive, the car must be stopped and the dial turned; once turned, a light on the instrument panel indicates when the drive is engaged. Together with the transfer case, the generous ground clearance and the tyres with fairly high sidewalls and all-terrain tread are some of the features that make the Rexton W a capable 4×4.

To test it we took it into the snow, as seen in the photos, and we had no traction problems at all (the transfer case is a great advantage). We also tried it in the Galician mountains (firebreaks, stony terrain…) and the response was good. It is a pity that the side running boards can be an obstacle when heading off-road, although they are necessary for climbing into the car without having to jump.

In short, it is one of those true 4x4s that hardly exist today.

Consumption

Fuel consumption on the Ssangyong Rexton W is a figure we had to work out the old-school way, that is, by calculation, because it has no on-board computer (a significant shortcoming), so we calculated the figures ourselves.

Moreover, our unit’s consumption was particularly high because it was still new, with only 1,500 km when we tested it, meaning the whole test took place during the car’s running-in period. Even so, on the motorway it used 8 litres per 100 km.

On country roads it normally hovers around 9-10 litres per 100 km, and these figures should improve somewhat once the running-in period is over. In town consumption is high, and we doubt it will drop much given its weight and dimensions; in our test in particular it came to around 13 litres per 100 km.

Photos | R. Rodriguez (Test team)