Details of Cars

Daewoo Rexton: the Italdesign SUV sold with two badges

DAEWOO

SsangYong Rexton Y200
First-generation SsangYong Rexton, sold in some markets as a Daewoo. Photo by Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The Daewoo Rexton was the Daewoo-badged form of the SsangYong Rexton, a mid-size four-wheel-drive SUV introduced in late 2001. It was styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Italdesign and built on a slightly extended version of the Musso chassis, and Daewoo sold it in some European markets, such as France, without any technical or equipment changes.

Daewoo Rexton at a glance

Daewoo Rexton key facts
Original model SsangYong Rexton, first generation
Model code Y200
Produced 2001–2006 as a SsangYong; Daewoo sales ended in early 2003
Class mid-size four-wheel-drive SUV
Design Italdesign, Giorgetto Giugiaro
Chassis slightly extended SsangYong Musso
Petrol engines 2.3-litre with 150 hp, 3.2-litre with 217 hp
Diesel engines 2.7-litre common rail with 162 hp and 342 N·m, and 2.9-litre
Drive four-wheel drive only
Gearboxes five-speed manual by Tremec or four-speed automatic by BTR

Based on one source.

History of the Daewoo Rexton

An Italdesign SUV

The Y200 Rexton was produced from 2001 to 2006 and its design was styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Italdesign studio. It was offered only with four-wheel drive and one of four engines: a 2.3-litre petrol with 112 kW (150 hp), a 2.7-litre common-rail diesel with 121 kW (162 hp) and 342 N·m, a 2.9-litre diesel and a 3.2-litre petrol with 162 kW (217 hp) and 310 N·m. The 2.7 XDi was based on the Mercedes-Benz OM612 CDI engine but was significantly re-engineered by SsangYong.

SsangYong Rexton Y200
The same car from the rear. Photo by Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Two badges

In certain European markets, such as France, the car was also sold under a Daewoo badge, without any technical or equipment changes. Production of the Daewoo Rexton stopped in early 2003 to make way for the car coming in as a SsangYong instead; in June 2003 the Rexton was introduced in Europe under the SsangYong badge.

The chassis and gearboxes

The Rexton was based on a slightly extended chassis of the SsangYong Musso. At first it came with only two engines, a 2.9-litre five-cylinder diesel and a 3.2-litre six-cylinder petrol, both borrowed from the Musso and licensed from Mercedes-Benz. Diesel cars had a five-speed manual from the American firm Tremec or a four-speed automatic from Australia’s BTR Automotive, while petrol cars came only with the automatic. In 2004, with the arrival of the 2.7-litre XDi diesel, a five-speed Tiptronic gearbox from Mercedes-Benz became an option with that engine.

Design and features

  • Italdesign body: Giugiaro’s studio drew the first-generation Rexton.
  • Mercedes-derived engines: the 2.7 XDi was re-engineered from the OM612 CDI.
  • Four-wheel drive only: no two-wheel-drive version was offered.
  • Two badges: Daewoo sold the same car in France and a few other markets.

Daewoo Rexton versions

  • 2.3 petrol: the smallest engine, 150 hp.
  • 2.7 XDi diesel: 162 hp and 342 N·m, with a Mercedes five-speed Tiptronic later available.
  • 2.9 diesel and 3.2 petrol: the units carried over from the Musso.

The Rexton sat above the Korando and shared its engines with the Musso. More cars are in the Daewoo collection.

Sources

More from DAEWOO