Korean car manufacturer SsangYong doesn't really have a presence in the UK as such, its cars have in recent years having been brought over to the country by various well-meaning importers who clearly have aspirations to become the next Alan Sugar.
Unfortunately, this postage and packing way of selling cars doesn't really work in Europe- it's simply not possible to take a car out of the completely different market it has been designed for and plonk it straight in the middle of a marketplace where priorities are placed on different things.
In Western Europe particularly we like our SUVs to be more car-like in their pretensions, sleek and fashionable. All three things are not qualities you would immediately associate with a SsangYong - particularly the Rexton, although its butch 4x4 thing will no doubt have some charm in various parts of the country.
The styling here is more benign than a SsangYong has been for quite some time - you wouldn't be as embarrassed to be seen in a Rexton as you might in other of the Korean company's cars.
The Rexton is actually very well put together, but there are some poor lapses in the quality of the materials, particularly across the dashboard. The leather seats are a particularly nice touch though.
The rear seats aren't as commodious as those up front, and so the cabin is cramped for five, but four will be accommodated in decent comfort. The Rexton has a large boot, enhancing practicality and there are also plenty of areas throughout the interior for storage.
The driving experience is predictably flaccid - over-assisted steering offers no feel and the body rolls terribly. Thankfully this is contained by the fact that the car can't go fast enough through a corner to roll any more than it does.
The single Mercedes engine (although offered in two states of tune) that comes with the Rexton does have plenty of go. The more powerful model is the zestier, giving the Rexton some real shove. It has to be said the engine does lack refinement though, because it is actually an old Mercedes cast-off - the Germans were hardly going to hand over the E 350 CDI engine. It shows its age when you get to fuel consumption and CO2 figures - it is both thirsty and dirty, especially compared with some of the latest rivals. Overall, the Rexton is an average performer that hasn't kept up with the times, but does represent value for money.