Ssangyong Rexton 2001 test drive - 2006 SUV

Asian giant

Third Dragon from the country Choson
 

A bizarre look, a white all -round, famously climbed the sand hills, crossing the grassy hills, rolled down and gradually approached a small, but swift rivulet. On the left, the cliff, on the right is almost a steep forest slope, behind the steep clay-sand descent remained behind, and in front of a deep track, leaving under the water. Until now, Sanyn-Riverstone overcame complex obstacles with honor, but now ...
 
Without stopping, I squeeze the buttons with 4H and 4L icon. The front wheels and the low row in the handout are included in the work. Hope for toothy 16-inch tires, rather long passages of suspensions, relatively small overhangs, connected front bridge and a differential of increased friction in the rear. Eh, it’s a pity the road clearance is only 200 mm - either we float, or a half -ground in the belly. Well, the protection below is reliable - steel. Lowing, slowly but surely getting out of the clay slurry. Class! I must say, excellent cross -country ability is not the only thing that attracted the Korean all -around.
 
The largest and most spacious
From the very first seconds of acquaintance with recton, it becomes clear - this car of those that are able to arouse lively interest. Aggressive and explorescent large white all-terrain vehicle-believe me, on the road such a car monopolizes attention no worse than some bright red Italian sports car.
 
The appearance and some details of the interior are the fruit of the fantasy of the artists of the body atelier Italdephasis. Seoul customers clearly determined who should be equal to-BMW X5, Lexus RX300 and M-Class Mercedes-Benz, and the Italians managed to make the car stylish, unusual and at the same time solid. Although, I admit, with a careful examination, the thought does not leave that without Korean folklore there was no design.
 
Guys, do you have a new Toyota? - asked from somewhere below the guy in the field that stopped nearby at a traffic light. Behind all Korean-Italian delights, he did not seem to notice either major inscriptions or a bizarre emblem. How-how, say-Sanyn-Riverston? And you will not remember. You still remember! Translated from Korean Sanyn, two dragons. Rekston is the third alternate in the family after Korando and Musso. And its name, however, from Latin, must be understood as a royal voice. While our dragon, quietly rumbling, rolls on, it is worth noting that this is the largest Korean car. It is wider, higher and longer than Hyunde Terrakan and Sanya-Musso. Thanks to such dimensions and a successful layout in the cabin, it is comfortable not only to the driver, but also by the six that were here passengers: in the third (supplied, however, for a surcharge) a number of seats are conveniently located even a couple of dozen well -done.
 
The dusty capital was left behind. The speedometer arrow is 110, but it seems that you are going slowly. Neither the howl of the wind around the ties of the body, nor the annoying noise of the engine, or the slightest creak of panels. Only sometimes on bumps and potholes does idyll violate a slightly more rigid suspension than I would like.
 
Nevertheless, I got carried away and did not notice how the speedometer compartment a mark of 150 km/h. It turns out that thanks to the 2.9-liter 120-horsepower diesel, Mercedes-Benz and excellent aerodynamics (Lobic resistance coefficient 0.39) is able to drive quite quickly. However, only a good sports sedan can pass at such a speed at such a speed, and not a frame all -around with a high center of gravity.
 
I slow down and smoothly pass the turn at safe speed. Then I'm trying to accelerate intensively. It wasn't there! Even the accelerator pedal, alas, slightly helps with an automaton to get the desired acceleration. And it’s a pity - I remember, a direct competitor of the Hyunde Terracan Rectona with the same volume of the prior to the diesel fuel (there, however, with the Common Rail system) pampering much better acceptance. Well, okay. After all, a rather calm, balanced character on the asphalt can be combined with temperamental behavior on off -road.
 
HIDDEN THREAT
I liked the recton. A reliable Mercedes engine and an excessively proven over -the -wheel drive, the English automatic box and designer delights of Jujaro, successfully combined with Korean motives. But the main, as they say, a hidden threat to most competitors is the most affordable price in this class. Extravagant Dragon River with a gasoline engine of 2.3 liters, 140 liters. With. albeit in a modest basic configuration (ABS, steering wheel, immobilizer, heating external mirrors, electric windows) costs $ 26,800, a 120-horsepower all-up is asked from $ 29,600, and a powerful 220-horsepower 3.2-liter car can be bought for $ 33 500. At such prices, the third brother of the dragon family should be lucky.
 
 
 

The Sanyn-River-River, the Monkey debuted at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in 2001. It is produced only with a five -door station wagon. There are three engine options - gasoline 3.2; 2.3 l and turbodiesel 2.9 liters. Gearboxes - a mechanical five -speed or four -speed automatic.
 
 
Ssang Yong Rexton RJ290
General data: number of places - 5; Equipped mass - 1895 kg; Full mass - 2550 kg; maximum speed - 160km/h; fuel consumption in conditional suburban and city cycles - 9.3; 15 l/100 km; fuel supply - 80l; Fuel is diesel. Dimensions, mm: length - 4720; width - 1870; height - 1760; base - 2820; The track in front/back - 1550/1540; Road clearance - 200; The radius of rotation is 5.6m. Engine: diesel, in -line, five -cylinder, with a turbocharger and intercooler; working volume - 2874 SMZ; cylinder diameter and piston stroke - 89.0x92.4mm; compression degree - 22: 1; Power - 88 kW/120 hp at 4400 rpm; The maximum torque is 250 N.M at 2200 rpm. Transmission connected front wheels with a differential of high friction from the rear axle; gearbox - automatic four -speed; Transporting numbers: I - 2.74; II - 1.51; III - 1; IV - 0.71; h. X. - 2.43; The main program is 4.89; handout: I - 2.00; II - 1.87. Suspension: with reproach stabilizers, two -pipe hydraulic shock absorbers, springs, in front - independent on double transverse levers, and a dependent, transverse beam. Brakes: hydraulic, disk, front - ventilated, with a vacuum amplifier. Steering: a gear-rack with a hydraulic wiper. Tire size: 255/65R16.
 

Our certificate
By 2005, Sanyon plans to produce up to 176 thousand cars, to export them about the fourth part of them. The main bet is made just on the recton: by the end of the year it is planned to release 60,000 all -tribeships for the domestic market and 10,000 for Europe. Plans, frankly, grandiose, given that a year ago the company was feverish, and the total European sales of Korando and Musso cars a little exceeded 7,000 cars in 2000.
 
 
 
 
The most affordable in the classroom, excellent build quality and good aerodynamics, a painful motor, a spacious comfortable interior, good cross -country ability.
 

The lack of proper prestige of the brand, not sufficiently intense by modern standards acceleration, the inconvenience of disconnecting low transmission.
 
 
SUMMARY
A car memorable at first glance, bribing comfort, all -resistant qualities and the best at the classroom at a cost.
 
Text / Alexey Sergeev
Photo / Maxim Goncharov
 
 

A source: The magazine "Driving"