SsangYong Motor, the South Korean unit of Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra, has unveiled a stronger, tougher and lighter full-size SUV, dubbed the G4 Rexton.
Members of the media had the opportunity to take the top heritage trim of the model out for a 124-kilometer test drive from the MVL Hotel in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province to Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province.
Before the test drive, SsangYong Motor highlighted on the new quad-frame car body applied to boost safety and lighten the vehicle.
SsangYong Motor’s premium large SUV the G4 Rexton driving on the highway. (SsangYong Motor)
There was not much noise from outside the car while driving the diesel model on the highway at an average 90 kilometers per hour.
Even though it rained during the test drive, there was no problem talking with passengers sitting in the front and back seat.
SsangYong Motor, a traditional SUV powerhouse, increased the vehicle’s tensile strength by 22 percent on the new frame, the automaker said.
A quad frame platform made with ultrahigh-tensile strength giga steel rated at 1.5 gigapascals -- the first car worldwide to hit that specification -- has helped reduce the weight of the large SUV.
The G4 Rexton during an off-road test drive in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province. (SsangYong Motor)
With a lighter weight, the car showed a fuel efficiency of 10.5 kilometers per liter after the test drive, between the official fuel economy of the G4 Rexton marked at 9.5 kilometers per liter in the city and 11.9 kilometers per liter on highway.
The test drive included a short off-road ride to test out the car’s four-wheel-drive mode.
It gave a stable driving experience, comfortable enough for a beginner to speed across a bumpy and muddy terrain.
Equipped with a 2.2-liter diesel-powered engine and German luxury Mercedes-Benz’s seven-speed auto transmission, the G4 Rexton had smooth and optimized gear shifting.
The full-size SUV has a maximum of 187 horsepower and a torque of 42.8 kilogram-meters.
In terms of design, the G4 Rexton delivers an exclusive and classy look on the outside, breaking away from Koreans’ perception that full-size SUVs are unsophisticated.
Nappa leather seats with refined stitching also add to the luxury look.
The backseat of the G4 Rexton boasts ample leg room of 975 millimeters, larger than its rival Kia Motors’ Mohave SUV of 950 millimeters.
The rear seat was spacious enough that even the 180-centimeter photographer who was with us had a comfortable ride.
A 220 volt inverter installed in the rear seat, in particular, was a notable feature that showed the carmaker’s efforts to provide a convenient driving experience for busy tech-savvy motorists.
Advanced emergency braking system has been installed for first time among full-size SUVs to heighten safety.
The G4 Rexton also carries a full suite of electronic safety systems including: a lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert and blind spot detection.
The local automaker invested some 380 billion won over 42 months to develop the premium vehicle in an attempt to dominate the large SUV segment, the company said.
The G4 Rexton comes in four trims with a sticker price between 33.5 million won and 45.1 million won.
The starting price of the G4 Rexton is about 7 million won cheaper than Kia’s Mohave.
A total of 2,703 units of the G4 Rexton were sold in the first month of sales last month, among which top two trims made up over 70 percent, the company said.
By Kim Bo-gyung (
lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)