SsangYong’s all-new Rexton SUV will go on sale in the UK in 2017, but not before making its debut during this year’s Paris Motor Show.

Apparently, the new model looks a lot like this LIV-1 concept car that showed up during the 2013 Seoul Motor Show, and according to Auto Express (who say they’ve seen it in person), prices will start from around £26,000 in the UK.

The magazine was invited to SsangYong’s state-of-the-art R&D center near Seoul where they were given a close look at the new Rexton, codenamed Y400. SsangYong explained how the Rexton was directly inspired by the polar bear, traditional Korean aesthetics, but also Korean mountains, pine trees, as well as traditional art and furniture.

There’s also apparently a hint of Volvo XC90 about its blunt silhouette, which let’s face it, is a heck of a compliment. Other notable design traits are the sloping roof line (similar to the Tivoli) and the squared-off line above the rear wheel arch, which is carried over and reproduced over the front wheel.

“One of the trends today is for cars to have stronger shapes,” said Myung-Hack Lee, the man running SsangYong’s design division. “We are looking to create a very modern trendy image.”

Inside, the new Rexton was described as looking a bit like a Mercedes-Benz from one or two generations ago – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing as the quality levels were instantly impressive to those who got to see the car. Where most automakers are making buttons disappear by integrating as many functions as they can into the car’s center console display, the Rexton will still rely on a wide array of physical buttons (alongside its own touchscreen interface).

Customers will get a choice of leather and wood finishes for the dash, with plenty of chrome detailing all-around, though lower quality plastics are still present on the bottom-part of the center console. At the rear there’s decent legroom, and the 7-seat option is there to provide flexibility for those in need.

“The Y400 is a frame type design but as of now, most SUVs are switching to a monocoque type not a frame type. But that’s our strategic model, to build and explore the market as a frame based SUV,” said the company’s president & CEO Johng-Sik Choi.

“It may be a traditional type of SUV but we put a lot of technology into this model and its major market will be the emerging markets, Russia, China and South America, so we believe there is still a lot of demand there. And it fits in with our model of being an SUV specialist.”

The Rexton will get SsangYong’s new 2.0-liter GDi turbocharged petrol unit, but probably not in the UK. Instead, buyers will need to make due with the older 178 BHP 2.2-liter diesel from the current model, mated to the same Mercedes-Benz 7-speed automatic.

About a year after its launch, some markets will get to enjoy the new petrol unit, together with the more modern 8-speed automatic, also sourced from Mercedes.

Note: SsangYong LIV-1 Concept pictured

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