Mahindra is set to compete in the entry level luxury SUV segment with the SsangYong Rexton. It's not going to be a walk in the park for this SUV, but it has the merit to command a fair share of the pie

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Ever since Mahindra and Mahindra bought controlling stake in SsangYong Motors, South Korea’s fourth largest car maker in February 2011, it has been a wait and watch game to see when those machines would finally make it to Indian shores. Korean cars have done well in India in the past and we, as a country, have been rather receptive of these brands, making the decision to bring SsangYong to India an inevitable choice for Mahindra. The wait is finally over and the Rexton is the first fruit from the Mahindra-SsangYong tie-up which is surely a fine way to start with a whole new line of quality products for the Indian market. 

Incidentally Mahindra and SsangYong began their individual journeys on a rather similar note. Both companies first started out assembling jeeps, and thus formed their DNA. While Mahindra stuck to the basic layout for their product line up in the years to follow and established themselves in the UV and LCV market in India, SsangYong was quick to pursue a more contemporary and urban product under a technical partnership with Daimler-Benz. Now as the two companies come together, the best practices are bound to find their way into both company product line ups. For now, however, the Rexton will be the beacon of this new partnership and our first outing with it has definitely left us feeling that the future looks good for SsangYong’s Indian innings. 

Exteriors: Soft and Subtle

All the way from the curved headlamps and the arc-grille laced with chrome to the sharply styled fog lamps and the long roof rails, the Rexton is one good-looking vehicle. If at first sight you think it isn’t too aggressive in character because of the soft lines, you’re not all that wrong! Having said that, you cannot but help notice the familiarity in design between the Rexton and the Mercedes-Benz M-Class. No doubt, the M-Class is a class apart, but SsangYong’s association with the brand in the past has left a bit of a hangover and that is clearly visible in the design. 

The Rexton’s soft character extends to the rear as well with a smart set of vertical tail lamps. Black cladding all round the lower edge is a great way to disguise the SUV’s height and make it look sporty as well – enhancing those flared wheel arches. And then there is that very raked D-pillar line that slopes backward and gets even more accentuated by the wrap-around rear window. The spare wheel finds its place under the boot. 

The Rexton is a big car and the vehicle’s proportions go well with its blunt, but attractive styling that sees a very tasteful dosage of chrome – unlike some other cars, the bling hasn’t been overdone. Those 16-inch wheels fill up the arches well and you might want to take note of that gaping ground clearance that’ll make sure the Rexton drives over anything! With a 252mm ground clearance the Rexton makes ingress and egress an easier affair courtesy this very sturdy looking running board, which neatly stretches all along the side of the otherwise elevated stance of this SUV.

The three column LED tail lamp looks chic and very much in sync with the vehicle’s overall classy demeanour and subtle yet sophisticated style quotient. The latest generation of the SsangYong Rexton gets the ‘W’ suffix and proudly displays it on rakish D pillar. Speaking about badges, the Rexton comes with a plethora of them on its tailgate. The most prominent of the five badges is the one that announces the vehicle’s variant of choice, in this case the top-spec RX7. Just below are separate stampings establishing the RX7 Rexton as an All-Wheel-Drive vehicle mated to an Automatic Gearbox, and the fact that Mahindra has taken the onus for manufacturing it here in India. On the far left upper corner is a more apparent proprietary SsangYong badge.

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