Korean off-road ute and SUV to bring handsome new faces and interiors by the end of this year
KG Mobility – aka SsangYong – has revealed a second facelift for its Musso pick-up and the related Rexton large SUV in Korea, with both models being treated to a sharp new front-end design and refreshed interior.
Expected to be released in Australia during the fourth quarter of this year, the 2023 Rexton Sports Culmen (Musso) and Rexton New Arena (Rexton) – as they’re called in their home market – don’t bring any major mechanical upgrades over their predecessors beyond a 2kW bump in power from the familiar 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine (now 150kW/441Nm).
Aussie SsangYong owners and fans will spot those outputs are different to the locally offered Musso’s 133kW/400Nm outputs (420Nm for the XLV), and the reason for the disparity is the higher-output mill’s need for diesel exhaust fluid – the tank for which would’ve cost the Musso its full-size spare wheel.
The updated Musso’s new styling is headlined by a reshaped octagonal grille with bold horizontal ribs, all-new LED projector headlights, horizontal LED fog lights and a chunky new front bumper.
Similar changes have been applied to the Rexton, but its new diamond-shaped grille is far more subtle in its finishings and the bumper isn’t as chiselled as its ute sibling’s.
Changes have also been made to the SUV’s tailgate, primarily in the form of new T-shaped tail-light clusters and tweaked dual exhaust exits.
Both models ride on newly designed alloy wheels spanning 17 to 20 inches depending on the variant and both share an updated cabin design in which a new 12.3-inch infotainment system is given pride of place towards the top of the dashboard.
The relocated multimedia interface has freed up space lower down on the dash, which designers have filled with new horizontal trim elements, integrated air-vents and a redesigned climate control panel now featuring haptic buttons.
Where the two models differ is in their respective centre console designs, with the Musso’s still being lower set and more minimalist, while the Rexton’s is taller, squarer and, overall, more elegant.
The centre piece of the Rexton’s extra elegance is the Euro-style rocking gear selector, which hints at the wagon’s more sophisticated eight-speed automatic transmission. The ute comes with a six-speed self-shifting unit but both drive all four wheels via a part-time 4×4 system with the help of a limited-slip rear differential and low-range transfer case.
SsangYong Australia says local plans for right-hand drive versions of the updated off-roaders haven’t been finalised yet, but said the facelifted duo has an “estimated” local release date in the final quarter of this year.
A spokesperson added that the company should also have “clarity” on any potential ‘KG Mobility’ rebranding activities locally “soon”.
Whether or not the Australian-spec Musso and Rexton end up scoring the uprated diesel engine also remains to be seen.
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Keyword: Sexy second facelift revealed for SsangYong Musso and Rexton