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SsangYong
Rexton
Y400·
2018-2026
suv-4wd
Value
Price (AUD)
$20k-$70k
Body styles
5-door wagon (5 or 7 seat)
Drivetrain
Rear-wheel drive (2.0 petrol base), Part-time 4WD (dual-range, low-range transfer case)
Origin
Korea
Built in
Korea
Overview
The fourth-generation Rexton (Y400, facelifted to Y450 from 2021) is SsangYong's body-on-frame seven-seat 4WD wagon, sold in Australia from late 2018 as ELX, EX, Ultimate and later Adventure trims. It shares its ladder-frame platform with the Musso ute. Unusually for the class it is genuinely a serious 4WD - part-time dual-range 4WD with a low-range transfer case and a 3000-3500kg braked tow rating - sold at a sharp price under a class-leading 7-year warranty, which is the whole value proposition. The mainstay is the 2.2L 'e-XDI220' (D22DTR) turbo-diesel four; a 2.0L turbo-petrol (e-XGDI200T) rear/all-wheel-drive base model was offered in the early years before being dropped as the diesel became the volume seller. The pre-facelift diesel uses a Mercedes-derived 7-speed auto and was rated at 133kW/420Nm and 3000kg towing; the 2021 Y450 facelift fitted an Aisin 8-speed, lifted outputs to ~149kW/441Nm and the tow rating to 3500kg. Strong value and capable off-road, but it trails the Prado/Everest/MU-X on refinement, has a thinner dealer/parts network, and the 2.2 four works hard at the full 3500kg - the known issues are mostly DPF/emissions and electronics rather than bottom-end engine failures.
Engines & variants
2.2L e-XDI220 turbo-diesel (Y400, 7-speed)
Engine
2.2L common-rail turbo-diesel I4 (e-XDI220), with DPF and SCR/AdBlue
Config
I4 turbo-diesel
Displacement
2157cc
Power
133kW @ 4000rpm
Torque
420Nm @ 1600-2600rpm
Drivetrain
Part-time 4WD (dual-range)
0–100
~11s
Economy
8.7-10 L/100km combined
Tow (braked)
3000kg (pre-facelift)
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
7AT (Mercedes-derived 7G-Tronic), 6MT (early)
Timing chain / belt / gear
Chain-driven
Pros
- Genuine body-on-frame dual-range 4WD at a budget price
- 7-year warranty - best-in-class buyer protection
- Mercedes-derived 7-speed auto shifts smoothly
- Strong low-down torque and seven seats
- Cheap to buy used relative to Prado/Everest
Cons
- DPF/SCR emissions hardware dislikes short urban trips
- Only 3000kg braked (vs 3500kg later) and works hard towing
- Thinner dealer/parts network than the Japanese rivals
- Infotainment and electrical glitches reported on early cars
- Weak resale value
Known problems
medium
DPF clogging / failed regeneration on short trips
The diesel particulate filter won't passively regenerate on short, low-speed urban driving, leading to soot loading, repeated forced regens, oil dilution and warning lights. Owners doing only stop-start city km are the most affected.
Fix: Regular sustained highway runs (20+ min) to allow regen; forced regen or DPF clean if blocked; address before back-pressure stresses the turbo/EGR.
medium
EGR clogging and intake soot build-up
Soot accumulates in the EGR valve and intake, causing rough running, lost power and limp mode - typical of an urban-driven modern diesel.
Fix: EGR and intake clean; keep up highway running and quality fuel/oil to slow re-fouling.
low
Infotainment / electrical glitches
Early Y400 cars (2018-2021) are widely reported to suffer infotainment crashes, unresponsive touchscreen/menu buttons and assorted electrical gremlins.
Fix: Software updates under warranty; head-unit replacement if a hardware fault.
2.2L e-XDI220 turbo-diesel (Y450 facelift, 8-speed)
Engine
2.2L common-rail turbo-diesel I4 (e-XDI220), uprated, with DPF and SCR/AdBlue
Config
I4 turbo-diesel
Displacement
2157cc
Power
148.6kW @ 3800rpm
Torque
441Nm @ 1600-2600rpm
Drivetrain
Part-time 4WD (dual-range)
0–100
~10s
Economy
8.7-10 L/100km combined
Tow (braked)
3500kg
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
8AT (Aisin)
Timing chain / belt / gear
Chain-driven
Pros
- 3500kg braked tow rating with the slicker Aisin 8-speed auto
- More power and torque than the pre-facelift diesel
- 7-year warranty still applies - strong buyer protection
- Capable dual-range 4WD and seven seats for the money
- Sharper value than Prado/Everest/MU-X used
Cons
- 2.2L four works hard at the full 3500kg - towing stress/heat reported
- DPF/AdBlue emissions maintenance is ongoing
- Still trails rivals on cabin refinement and dealer footprint
- AdBlue top-ups and SCR faults add running cost
- Resale lags the Japanese establishment
Known problems
medium
Overheating / drivetrain stress when towing near 3500kg
Owners report cooling and overall drivetrain stress towing a heavy caravan in hot weather - the 2.2 four and its cooling system are working at their limit at the full 3500kg, especially uphill in summer.
Fix: Stay well under max with correct tow-ball/weight distribution; fit a transmission cooler and monitor temps; service cooling system.
medium
DPF / AdBlue (SCR) emissions faults
DPF soot loading on short trips plus SCR/AdBlue sensor and dosing faults trigger warning lights, limp mode and 'no restart' countdowns if ignored.
Fix: Sustained highway runs for regen; use correct AdBlue; diagnose SCR sensors/injector; DPF clean if blocked.
medium
Timing chain tensioner wear
The chain-driven 2.2 can suffer tensioner wear leading to chain rattle/slap on cold start; left unaddressed it risks timing slip and internal damage.
Fix: Investigate cold-start rattle early; replace chain, guides and tensioner as a kit at a specialist.
low
Infotainment / electronic gremlins
Touchscreen freezes, unresponsive menu controls and assorted electrical glitches persist into facelift cars, though improved over the earliest examples.
Fix: Software updates under warranty; module/head-unit replacement for hardware faults.
2.0L e-XGDI200T turbo-petrol (base, RWD/AWD)
Engine
2.0L turbocharged direct-injection petrol I4
Config
I4 turbo-petrol
Displacement
1998cc
Power
165kW @ 5500rpm
Torque
350Nm @ 1500-4500rpm
Drivetrain
Rear-wheel drive (or part-time 4WD, dual-range)
0–100
~10.5s
Economy
10.5-12.5 L/100km real world
Tow (braked)
3000kg
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
6AT (Aisin)
Timing chain / belt / gear
Chain-driven
Pros
- No DPF/AdBlue complexity - simpler emissions story than the diesel
- Cheapest way into a Rexton, quiet and smooth on-road
- Decent power for the class, refined turbo petrol
- 7-year warranty applies
- RWD base avoids the 4WD driveline upkeep
Cons
- Noticeably thirstier than the diesel, especially loaded/towing
- Far less torque-rich than the diesel for sustained towing
- RWD base model isn't a 4WD - check which drivetrain you're buying
- Sold only in early years - thin used supply
- Direct-injection intake carbon build-up over time
Known problems
low
Fuel thirst
A turbo-petrol four hauling a 2-tonne body-on-frame wagon is thirsty - 11-13 L/100km real world, worse when loaded or towing. Not a fault but a real ownership cost.
Fix: Not a fault; the diesel is the better choice for high-km or towing buyers.
low
Direct-injection intake carbon build-up
Like other turbo-GDI engines, carbon can accumulate on the intake valves over time (no port fuel washing them), causing rough idle and minor power loss.
Fix: Walnut-blast/intake clean at higher km; quality oil and avoid constant short trips.
low
Infotainment / electrical glitches
Shares the early Y400 electronic gremlins - touchscreen freezes and unresponsive controls.
Fix: Software updates under warranty; head-unit replacement for hardware faults.
Common problems (all variants)
medium
Thin dealer and parts network
SsangYong's Australian dealer footprint is small and parts can be slower/dearer to source than for the Japanese rivals; owners have reported warranty disputes where dealer and importer pass blame between each other.
Fix: Buy near a dealer, keep full service records to protect the 7-year warranty, and budget time for parts on out-of-warranty repairs.
low
Wind noise and cabin creaks/rattles
Wind noise at highway speed and minor interior/suspension creaks and rattles are commonly reported, reflecting the value-focused build versus pricier rivals.
Fix: Re-seat trim, lubricate suspension bushes/door seals; mostly NVH rather than a fault.
low
Front suspension and bush wear (off-road/load)
Control-arm bushes, ball joints and the independent front end wear with hard off-road use, heavy accessories or sustained towing on this body-on-frame chassis.
Fix: Standard 4WD front-end maintenance; replace bushes/ball joints as they wear.
low
Brake wear under heavy / towing duty
A heavy seven-seat wagon towing near its limit is hard on brakes - pads and rotors wear faster than light-duty use, and rotors can warp under sustained towing heat.
Fix: Quality pads/rotors; consider towing-rated pads for caravan duty.
low
Coastal / underbody corrosion (check used)
Modern galvanised bodies resist rust better than classics, but beach-driven or coastal examples can still show underbody and chassis surface corrosion if not washed down.
Fix: Underbody inspection pre-purchase; wash off salt/sand after beach and coastal use.