The most impressive 7-Seater for its price: How does it drive?

• Price: NIS 215,000
• Competitors: Mitsubishi Outlander, Chery Tiggo 8 Pro, Skoda Kodiaq
• Liked: Interior, spaciousness, engine, gearbox, price, and appearance
• Disliked: Ergonomics, operation, and range of safety systems, no spare tire
• Rating: 8/10

The Rexton and I are crawling through the morning traffic on Route 5, music playing, drumming on the steering wheel, and looking around. At 2 o'clock, there’s a BYD Atto 3, at 11 o'clock a Tesla Model Y, behind at 8 o'clock there’s a Skoda Enyaq, and in my rearview mirror is an MG ZS. Suddenly, I realize I’m driving a sort of dinosaur. It’s large, boxy, with a ladder frame underneath, rear-wheel drive, and the power comes from a diesel engine. This is a combination I can’t recall the last time I saw in a non-commercial vehicle. And yet, the Rexton 2x4 is one of the most relevant new players in the local market.

Why? Let’s dive into the numbers and local history. These are the numbers of the main players in the 7-seater crossover group since the beginning of 2024: Mitsubishi Outlander - around 3,800 units, Chery Tiggo 8 Pro - around 2,900 units, Skoda Kodiaq (in a model replacement year) - 967 units, and Peugeot 5008 (also in a model replacement year) - 551 units. Another competitor, whose marketing was stopped this year, is the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, so we’ll take its 2023 delivery figure as an indicator, which stood at 587 units. If we rely on previous full years, we’re talking about a market of around 15,000 units divided among the main players.

The Rexton isn’t a new player in the market. It was launched back in 2001, and the current generation in 2017. But it has always come to us in 4x4 versions. Now, for the first time, the 2x4 version is being launched, with rear-wheel drive only, and a price reduction of NIS 45,000.

For KGM/SsangYong, which until now hasn’t managed to sell more than a few hundred units a year of all models in Israel, this is an opportunity to enter a fairly central market segment. SsangYong, which was on the verge of bankruptcy just two years ago before being acquired and transformed into KGM, must do what it can to remain relevant. And a 7-seater vehicle at a price of NIS 215,000 is very relevant.

Design: Two things need to be said here. First, the Rexton is probably the least polarizing product in terms of exterior design that this manufacturer, known for its, let’s say, aesthetically challenging designs, has produced. The second is its size, with dimensions that technically place it in the category of the Kia Sorento and its peers. Even in that category, it’s considered large. The Rexton doesn’t just stand out significantly above its competitors in its price range; it stands out, period. It’s very tall, with an upright front, bulging wheel arches, and ground clearance suitable for a real off-roader (22.4 cm), which we’ll return to later. In other words, I can imagine heads turning in the office parking lot when someone arrives with this instead of the Mitsubishi Outlander they had before. "Oh, hello, who suddenly became a vice president..."

Interior: The interior hides pretty well the fact that the Rexton is originally not a young vehicle, introduced in 2017. But a straightforward appearance, without too many complications, helps it still look good even after quite some time. The test vehicle has a color scheme of dark brown, black, and cream, with some plastic panels in a metallic finish.

For those who don’t delve into the plastic details, the overall impression is that it’s not inferior in appearance to its competitors. Ergonomics is another story. Disconnecting annoying controls only from the menu on the dashboard, most of them only while stationary. There’s no physical button for volume control, and it can only be adjusted from the steering wheel or by pulling down a menu on the multimedia screen. At least the climate control buttons remain separate, but when you touch them, they also appear on the screen with the same functions. Why?!

Other than that, the driving position is high, very high. You’ll sit half a head to a full head higher than the rows of crossovers around you. The front seats are generous and comfortable, the second-row seats are generous but slightly less comfortable, and even the third-row seats, usually reserved in this category for small children, can seat teens or a compact adult.

Cargo Space: Like all 7-seater crossovers, even if it tries hard, in the end, seats 6 and 7 will come at the expense of cargo space. However, in its case, it’s less bad than with its competitors. Even when all seats are in use, it leaves 240 liters for important items, and the rest can go on the roof rack. Like all Rextons, it’s not equipped with a spare tire, neither full-sized nor small.

Equipment: The 2x4 Rexton comes in one trim level. It includes dual-zone climate control with vents for the second and third rows and separate controls. The instrument panel is 12.3 inches, as is the multimedia screen, which has Android and Apple connectivity. There’s keyless entry, leather upholstery, steering wheel gear controls, and more. Compared to its competitors and their trim levels, it doesn’t lack any critical components. Even two items that I would think of as improving the quality of life, such as electric adjustment for the driver’s seat and a power tailgate, are things you can manage without.

The advanced safety equipment includes automatic braking, lane departure correction, adaptive cruise control, and a speed sign recognition system (very strict and loud).

Performance: At the front of the Rexton is a 2.2-liter diesel engine with 202 horsepower and 45 kgm of torque. It’s a "healthy" engine with surprising ability to move this long vehicle (4.85 meters) and especially heavy one (2 tons) in a pleasant way for daily use. True, in a world of electric cars and turbo petrol engines, 11 seconds to 100 km/h isn’t exactly an exciting figure - but in practice, you won’t feel a lack of power, and in any case, its excellent torque and the work with an 8-speed automatic gearbox ensure there’s always enough power available. And by the way, for those worried about the diesel rattling, you can relax; it’s present outside, but once you close the door, it’s hard to hear it.

Fuel Consumption: At the end of the test days, the combined fuel consumption settled at 11.5 km per liter, overall reasonable for a vehicle of its size, and not far from the consumption of petrol engines. Like other modern diesel engines, it requires the use of urea fluid, which needs to be added every 10,000 km or so, and in any case, there’s an indicator on the dashboard for it.

Comfort and Handling: As a vehicle designed for off-road use, the Rexton uses a stiff ladder frame, which encounters small cracks in the asphalt and transmits them to the body. When unladen, it’s stiff over bumps, and only on well-paved asphalt does it offer the benefits of good noise isolation. If your regular use includes urban maneuvering challenges and parking, keep in mind its dimensions.

Road handling was never the strong suit of large and heavy vehicles, and the Rexton indeed isn’t a lightweight ballerina in changes of direction. Nevertheless, and quite surprisingly, its road behavior is safe and predictable. You’ll hear the tires long before you approach the grip limits. The traditional rear-wheel-drive setup offers the advantage of precise steering since the front wheels aren’t busy delivering power while changing direction.

Bottom Line

SsangYong, which became KGM, has been in the Israeli market for about 30 years. Now, with the Rexton (and soon with another model, the Torres), for the first time, it’s in a position to be competitive in one of the hottest categories in the local market.

The Rexton itself offers presence and impression, generous dimensions, a nice list of equipment, good performance, and successful road behavior. All in all, despite criticism about its ergonomics and ride comfort over small bumps, it’s a very successful vehicle at its core.

At a price of NIS 215,000, it’s aimed right at the heart of the popular 7-seater crossover category and can offer a very attractive alternative. We can’t blame a private customer who hesitates to invest this amount in an unfamiliar brand. On the other hand, we’ve seen thousands of people do the same with Chinese brands they couldn’t pronounce six months ago. Either way, its key to penetrating the local market will pass through fleet sales, where it will be more about the importer’s ability to convince companies to trust it rather than the product's characteristics themselves that will determine its fate in the local market.

Technical Specs: KGM Rexton 2X4

• Engine, Drive Type: Turbo diesel, 2,157 cc, rear-wheel drive
• Power/Torque (hp/kgm): 202 hp / 45 kgm
• Transmission: Automatic, 8-speed

Dimensions:

• Length (m): 4.85
• Width (m): 1.96
• Height (m): 1.83
• Wheelbase (cm): 286
• Trunk space (liters): 240 (7 seats), 1,806 (5 seats)

Performance:

• Acceleration 0-100 km/h (seconds): 11
• Top speed (km/h): 184
• Fuel consumption (test): 11.5 km/l
• Fuel consumption (manufacturer): 12.3 km/l

Safety:

• Euro NCAP crash test rating: Not tested
• Active safety: Autonomous braking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition

Emissions:

• Group 15 out of 15

Warranty:

• 3 years or 100,000 km