Ssangyong Rexton

Korea’s third brand, SsangYong, has confirmed it’ll start selling cars again in Australia from this November, after a two-year absence. It'll be armed with three SUVs and a dual-cab ute, and about 20 dealers from the start. The range will comprise the Tivoli small crossover to rival to the Hyundai Kona, its larger XLV spinoff to fight the Nissan Qashqai, the new-generation Rexton 4x4 competitor to the Ford Everest or Isuzu MU-X, and its coil-sprung Musso dual-cab pickup spinoff.

The 2015 Ssangyong Rexton has been released in its home market with revised front-end styling, an updated cabin and an expanded equipment list. New to the MY15 version of the South Korean car maker’s flagship model is its vertical-slat chrome grille, HID projector headlamps, LED daytime running lights, and its alloy wheel design. The 2015 Rexton’s cabin gets a much neater multi-function steering wheel, a revised centre console, heated and ventilated front seats, and LED lamps.

The upgraded Ssangyong Rexton has been unveiled at the 2012 Busan motor show in South Korea, but production delays could mean the refreshed SUV will not arrive in Australia until 2013. Ssangyong Australia general manager Jeff Barber said a two-month delay on Rexton production for export markets might mean the brand’s heavily updated flagship seven-seater won’t hit local showrooms until the new year.