2018 SsangYong Rexton spied

All new SsangYong Rexton caught testing in the Arctic Circle.

There might be a cloud of doubt hovering over SsangYong’s future in India, but this much is for certain that the new Rexton will make its way into India. The question arises whether it will sport the South Korean manufacturer’s badge or will it be Mahindra’s new flagship model? Only time will tell. As we wait for the answer to this pertinent question, our magazine partners, Quattroruote, caught the all-new SsangYong Rexton doing winter tests near the Arctic Circle. This clearly shows how serious SsangYong is in testing this fifth generation Rexton.

Codenamed Y400, this camouflage SUV has been designed based on the LIV-2 Concept revealed a year ago. Though the heavily cladded Rexton didn’t reveal too many exterior details, but from the silhouette, its obvious the new generation SUV will be larger, in terms of wheelbase and length, from the current version. Even though SsangYong is close to finishing the development of the new Rexton, it will have its hands full once it hits the market as it will go up against the Ford Endeavour, Toyota Fortuner and Hyundai Santa Fe. We also expect the Rexton to be fully loaded with features and get a more premium cabin. SsangYong is also planning to introduce a pickup truck version based on the same Rexton platform or as the manufacturer calls it ‘new technical platform’. It will also feature all-wheel drive like the SUV version with differential locking. At the moment, there is no word of introducing the pickup truck in India yet.

The new Rexton will come with two engine options, the mainstay 2.2-litre turbo diesel and 2-litre four-cylinder petrol. While the former will churn out 178hp of power and 400Nm of torque, but the petrol’s output still remains unknown. We will just have to wait for the Rexton to make its debut in the latter half of this year.

Also read: Paris Motor Show - SsangYong LIV-2 concept revealed