What's the difference?
KGM – formerly SsangYong – has revised its seven-seat Rexton range for 2026, with some minor changes throughout the Australian line-up and a name-change for the Adventure, which has now become the Advance.
The Advance is a seven-seat large SUV with high and low-range gearing, an auto-locking rear differential and 3.5 tonne towing capacity.
Is this a value-for-money rival for the likes of GWM Tank 500, Mahindra Scorpio and LDV D90, or could it be a viable (cheaper) alternative to the Isuzu MU-X, Toyota Fortuner, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport or even Ford Everest?
Isuzu’s 3.0-litre MU-X has attracted plenty of fans over the years – and for good reason: it’s a seven-seat 4WD wagon packed with features, driver-assist tech and it has a decent 4WD set-up including a recalibrated rough terrain mode.
But the Japanese brand's 1.9-litre experiment has now officially ended – it’s a Gary-goner. So, for this test I’m driving its replacement: the 2.2L MU-X. This 4WD wagon has a, you guessed it, 2.2-litre engine – offering better claimed fuel consumption than the 3.0L, as well as an eight-speed automatic transmission and idle stop-start technology. And this MU-X has the same 3.5 tonne towing capacity as the 3.0-litre version, that’s 500kg more than the outgoing 1.9L MU-X.
So, how does this new 2.2L MU-X perform off-road? And does it make more sense as an adventure wagon than its 3.0L stablemate?
Read on.
The KGM Rexton Advance is a large 4WD wagon packing an adequate amount of appeal.
It’s nice to drive on the open road, it’s comfortable and it signals continued incremental progress for KGM in terms of quality and functionality.
It’s fine for light off-roading but its 4WD efficacy is lacking. While it's not in the same class as something like the Ford Everest in terms of refinement, comfort, and general quality, ultimately, a lot of its rivals represent greater value for money and all-round driveability as family vehicles.
And even though it does offer owners a chance to take their urban-focussed SUV into the bush, its price is climbing, and other rival vehicles offer a more refined overall driving experience.
The MU-X has plenty of appeal as a daily driver – dependable and it’s a proven 4WD wagon.
Does the 2.2-litre engine add anything substantial to the mix?
Well, it's better than the 1.9-litre, that's for sure, and there's a lot to like about this MU-X in terms of its off-road capability, driver-assist tech, standard features and all-round driveability. And, while the LS-T lacks the top-shelf polish of the X-Terrain, it’s still an appealing potential purchase.
But the 3.0-litre option is better because while the 2.2L is very effective off-road and general day-to-day driving, it lacks grunt and has to work that much harder and is that much noisier under load than the 3.0-litre in most driving scenarios, including 4WDing.