2017 SsangYong G4 Rexton Goes to the Moon, Does Cool Durability Tests

Of the numerous videos released over the past week, we've decided to share some of the quirkiest ones, which portray the SUV driving on a gray lunar surface or doing its best impression of a rally car. The durability tests are cool too. It seems the G4 Rexton is a big deal for them because SsangYong is throwing a lot of money into marketing.

Overall sales were down 17.8 percent in April compared to the same month last year. And just to give you an idea of how small SsangYong is, only 2,725 of the 11,071 total cars were delivered overseas.

Underneath the sharp new Korean suit is an all-new body-on-frame chassis developed jointly by SsangYong and POSCO, a leading Korean steel company. Its high high-tensile strength steel construction contributes to higher torsional stiffness and lower weight.

Th styling is based on the LIV-2 concept show at the Paris Motor Show in 2016. But it's still quite conservative from some angles. Nevertheless, the Ford Endeavour and Toyota Fortuner which are its main rivals, aren't exactly the sharpest dressers.

The G4 Rexton is powered by the 2.2-liter e-XDi220 diesel engine paired with a seven-speed automatic gearbox sourced from Mercedes. There's also a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-banger with 225 horsepower, but it won't make it into European showrooms.

This new G4 Rexton is 4,850mm long - so about 15cm longer than the Hyundai Santa Fe. SsangYong’s offering is wider, too, at 1,920mm, with a bigger wheelbase at 2,865mm. Inside, it scores points with its brown leather, 10-speaker sound system, and 9.2 HD screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Convenience features include a 360-degree camera system and a powered tailgate.