Test Car Specifications
Model: 2023 SsangYong Tivoli Ultimate Nav 1.5 Petrol Auto
Price: Tivoli from £20,245, Ultimate Nav from £22,995
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol
Transmission: six-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Power: 163hp
Torque: 280Nm
Emissions: 175g/km
Economy/Range: 36.9mpg
0-62mph: 11 seconds (est.)
Top speed: 109mph
Boot space: 311-1,002 litres
Styling
It’s probably fair to say styling isn’t the Tivoli’s strong suit. It isn’t that it’s an ugly car – in fact there’s something charming about the proportions – but it won’t live long in the memory for passers-by. Particularly in a drab colour such as grey or silver. But it’s inoffensive enough and let’s be honest here: customers in the market for a budget small SUV aren’t likely to be especially image conscious. In short, the Tivoli looks good enough, and that’s all it really needs to do.
Interior
While the Tivoli’s exterior design may not be much to write home about, the interior has improved greatly since the car’s original introduction. There’s a lot of glossy plastic in there, which isn’t always conducive to a premium feel, but the Tivoli doesn’t really feel like a budget option. Yes, there are some cheap plastics here and there – that’s to be expected from a car that costs just £20,000 in its cheapest form – but the quality is generally pretty good. The switchgear largely feels robust and substantial, and the majority of the touch points feel solid enough to have come from more mainstream manufacturers. Certainly, it feels more upmarket than a Suzuki.
The only real downside, therefore, is the technology. The touchscreen does the job, but that’s about all it does, with features few and far between, and some rudimentary-looking graphics. It does, however, work well with the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto technology, which is what most customers will use anyway.
Practicality
Small SUVs aren’t always flush for space, but the Tivoli offers more than enough room to be getting on with. The 311-litre boot of our range-topping Ultimate-spec test car doesn’t sound particularly large – it’s smaller than that of a Polo – but lowlier models get 427-litre luggage bays that compare favourably with the likes of the Hyundai Bayon and Kia Stonic. Passenger space is reasonable, too, with enough room for four six-footers to sit in relative comfort, even if the total space won’t exactly be palatial.
Performance
Many moons ago, SsangYong sold the Tivoli as a proper off-roader, with a grunty diesel engine and all-wheel drive, but those days are gone. Now, the Tivoli is solely offered in front-wheel-drive, petrol form, although you do get a choice of manual or automatic transmissions if you choose the more upmarket Ultimate models.
We sampled one of those automatic versions, which teams the 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a six-speed automatic gearbox. The combination isn’t bad – and if you either can’t or won’t drive a manual, there’s no great harm in choosing it – but it isn’t perfect either. The 163hp output means power is sufficient and the 0-62mph time of around 11 seconds isn’t woeful, but the manual will be a little perkier.
It’ll be more economical, too, with the manual models managing more than 40mpg on the official economy test, whereas the automatics hit around 35mpg. Of course, what you get in the real world will depend as much on how you drive as it will on which version you drive.
Ride & Handling
Let's be clear: the Tivoli won't win any prizes for the way it rides or steers. But that said, for a cheap SUV with somewhat rugged roots, it isn't bad at all. Sure, the steering is a bit light and vague at times, but it responds reasonably well and it's easy to manoeuvre, which is what matters at low speeds and around town, which is where this car is likely to spend a lot of its time. And let's be honest, those in the market for a budget SUV probably don't care too much about handling.
But they might be more interested in comfort, and that's a bit of a problem for the littlest SsangYong. The ride isn't horrendous by any stretch, but it can get a bit choppy and unsettled, which isn't ideal on the motorway. Still, it isn't the only car in its class to be guilty of that, and refinement really isn't bad, with a relatively hushed cabin and a reasonably smooth engine.
Value
There was a time when you could get a Tivoli for about £13,000 or so, but not any longer. The cheapest Ventura model comes in at £20,245, which isn't bad for a car with part-leatherette upholstery, heated seats and a heated steering wheel, not to mention the keyless engine start, reversing camera, and an eight-inch touchscreen. It's a really well-equipped car, but the more upmarket Ultimate model we tested pushes the boat out further still, with leather seats, a digital instrument display and front parking sensors. All in exchange for an extra £2,200.
Verdict
The Tivoli is not perfect by any means, and the loss of any four-wheel-drive variants from the range leaves it feeling a little short on purpose, but despite all that, it's a respectable budget SUV. While it may not be the class leader, it's competitive in this class, and it's likeable and honest enough to steal some business from more established brands.
