What's the news?
The Tivoli is the newest offering from Korean firm SsangYong and it is looking to make a big impact in an already crowed segment. Rivals include the likes of the Nissan Juke, Opel Mokka and Renault Captur. Priced from €19,995, it undercuts the entry level Mokka. Still, with low emissions, a large boot and a five-year warranty, it does have a lot to offer.
Exterior
The face of the Tivoli is quite handsome and purposeful with a slim line tracing the grille and headlamps, which is supposed to resemble a bird's wing in flight. There are LED daytime running lights and attractive headlamps, giving the front end some flair, as do the two-tone front bumper and sporty looking air vents.
Buyers can make their Tivoli stand out from the crowd via many customisation options. There are eight colours to choose from as well as five two-tone body and roof combos and either white or black 18-inch alloys. We'd go with the black each time, as they look smart with all colour choices.
Mechanicals
The Tivoli is available with both petrol and diesel engines, though the diesel won't be available in Ireland until August. The Tivoli's four-cylinder 1.6-litre petrol engine has 125hp at 6,000rpm and 160Nm of torque at 4,600rpm. The petrol model is front-wheel drive only and mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. All manual gearboxes come with stop-start, which SsangYong calls Integrated Stop Start (ISG).
The automatic Tivoli is equipped with three different driving modes to suit road and driving conditions - eco mode reduces fuel consumption, winter mode starts the car in second gear to help prevent wheel spin and power mode increases engine torque, which aids overtaking. A 'Smart Steer' system also allows the driver to adjust the steering weighting for specific driving conditions.
In terms of safety, there are up to seven airbags available and features include hill start assist, a tyre pressure monitoring system, parking sensors and a rear mounted camera to get you in and out of tight spaces.
The most efficient version of the Tivoli is the manual diesel model with front-wheel drive. This uses 4.2 litres/100km (67.2mpg) and emits 109g/km for annual road tax of just €190. The automatic all-wheel drive diesel version, however, emits 156g/km, attracting a €570 annual tax bill, while the entry-level petrol-fuelled Tivoli emits 149g/km, costing €390 a year.
Anything else?
There is plenty of front and rear passenger space, which is surprising for such a compact car. It also has a good-sized 423-litre capacity boot and that's including a full-sized spare wheel. The Tivoli comes with the SsangYong five-year limitless mileage warranty and roadside assist too - all worthy things to consider in this tough crossover segment.