It may not seem like it, but it’s nearly seventeen long years since the current SsangYong Rexton was revealed to the world. An all-new model is just around the corner, and SsangYong has released the first teasers in the form of sketches of the mid-size D-segment SUV.
The next-generation Rexton will be launched with the Mahindra badge in India.
The next-gen Rexton is a production model based the SsangYong LIV-2 Concept showcased at the 2016 Paris Motor Show. Borrowing design cues from the concept, the production-spec model gets a mild tone-down on the exterior styling and interior layout. This new SUV, codenamed Y400, is scheduled for world debut at the 2017 Seoul Motor Show next-month.
In India, the Y400 will be sold under the Mahindra brand name and will be positioned above the XUV500. The Mahindra-badged version will get a few design tweaks, the most obvious change is the Mahindra family face, which will incorporate a new grille with vertical slats, reworked headlamps, new fog lamp surrounds and bonnet creases that run to the grille.
The interiors have a premium feel and the equipment list will be long.
Under the hood, the Y400 irrespective of brand is likely to be powered by a 2.2-litre diesel engine producing 184 HP and 420 Nm. The engine will be offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed automatic transmission. There will be a 2.0-litre petrol engine too with 225 HP output, which is likely to join at a later stage.
This is Mahindra’s answer to the upcoming Q501 (premium SUV) from Tata Motors which is based on Land Rover Discovery Sport. The initial reports suggest that the India-spec SUV is most likely to use ‘XUV700’ nomenclature. Company sources also say that this full-size, seven-seat SUV could undercut the Fortuner by a massive Rs 4-5 lakh.
This new flagship SUV from Mahindra’s range will play a key role in brand building for the company.
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Also see: Mahindra S201 Compact SUV confirmed, slots above KUV 100
