WHAT do you see when you look in the rear view mirror of your car? Traffic building up behind or maybe a Garda car or motorcyclist about to overtake.
After driving the new Ssangyong Rexton W for a week I think I might be haunted with dreams of being in a
‘Black Maria.’ I drove the commercial version of the Rexton last week and it had a wire grille separating the passenger section and the cargo area at the rear. Every time I looked back I got the feeling that I was being escorted to the local Garda station or that there were wild dogs behind the wire.
This is a massive motor and would be ideal if you need to go off road or want to tow a trailer or caravan. It would also be useful for a small builder or handyman as there is huge room in the back, while the cabin is just like a normal SUV.
Naturally I would have preferred the seven-seat version, but having made several trips to the recycling centre already this year there is no more junk in our shed to dispose of. There is plenty of space at the back and there is probably enough room for one of those small cement- mixers, if you are in that line of business.
So plenty of space in the back, but the bad news is that the spare wheel is located underneath the car. I wouldn’t fancy changing one of those massive wheels at any time, but imagine trying to get the spare wheel out from under the car on a dark night when wearing you Sunday best!
The Rexton has been described as a
‘beast’ and I think it’s true, but it’s a friendly beast and the automatic version I drove was really easy to handle. I drove a black model where the rear windows had privacy glass and I suppose that added to the
‘beast’ effect.
My passengers all loved the high driving position, it certainly gives you that
‘King of the Road’ experience. As the driver I really liked the feel of the steering wheel. Overall I had no complaints except that the automatic was a bit thirsty in city driving and there was a bit of a rattle from the wire grille on bumpy roads. But the rattle helped to keep me alert when I was alone in the car on a long journey.
It’s a huge motor and you will appreciate the reversing sensors. I enjoyed the commercial version, just a pity I didn’t have odd jobs to do last week.
Prices for the Commercial version are e34,119 for the manual and e36,719 for the automatic. Road tax is only e333. Only available as a 2.0-litre diesel.