Next-gen SsangYong Rexton revealed; to be launched in India as flagship SUV under Mahindra badge

Korean carmaker SsangYong owned by Mahindra & Mahindra has released images of the next generation Rexton SUV ahead of its global debut at the upcoming Seoul motor show 2017.

Also read: Next-gen Mahindra Thar in the making with inputs from Pininfarina and SsangYong

Derived from the LIV-2 concept unveiled at the Paris Motor Show 2016, the new Rexton's face gets major rework. The flagship SUV of SsangYong gets revised bumper which is now angular, with newly designed headlamps and black body cladding. The prominent character lines and thick C-pillars can be seen from the images. Interestingly, the new Rexton gets the new logo which is more compact and crisp. However, the company has not mentioned any plans to change the current logo so far.

Company is yet to release the image of the rear while, an interior image has been dropped. It gets a dual-tone dashboard with black and brown finish. The addition of wood-finish strip on the passenger side and a diamond pattern leather strip add to the premium feel. SsangYong will reveal engine details at the Seoul show while reports indicate the SUV will be powered by a 225hp 2.0-litre turbo petrol and a 181hp 2.2-litre diesel mills.

The new Rexton is important to India as it will be launched as flagship SUV under Mahindra badge by the end of 2017. It will be positioned above the XUV500 and the SUV will replace current SsanYong Rexton in India. This also means end of the road for Mahindra's Korean subsidiary in the country.

Codenamed Y400, the Mahindra SUV extracted from the new Rexton will have few design tweaks. The major change will be an imposing vertical slat featuring grille just like other Mahindra SUVs. The India-spec is expected to draw power from an 184hp 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine mated to a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic gearbox.

It will go up against the likes of Toyota Fortuner and the Ford Endeavour. The SUV will also feature an alpha numeric name like XUV500, TUV300 and KUV100 in Mahindra's stable.