Ssangyong is gearing up to release a new Nissan Juke-rivalling crossover SUV, the Tivoli, scheduled to hit UK shores in June this year.
The Ssangyong Tivoli has been teased for a while now, taking inspiration from several of the carmaker’s XIV concept cars – one of which was the XIV-1 Concept revealed back at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2011. According to Ssangyong, the design of the Tivoli is inspired by contemporary city architecture and it takes its name from the small town of Tivoli near Rome.
At 4,195mm in length and 1,795mm wide, the Tivoli is slightly chunkier than its key crossover rival the Juke, by 60mm and 30mm respectively – and with its two-tone paint job availability, Ssangyong has said that it has kept the younger demographic in mind.
There are two engines available, one petrol and one diesel, these are both 1.6-litre units. The petrol option produces 126bhp, while the diesel produces 113bhp. As expected, the diesel is the most efficient option, emitting as low as 109g/km of CO2. The petrol emits from 149g/km.
Both engine derivatives are available with either a manual or automatic transmission. They are also both available in either two-or four-wheel drive, which is a real asset for a crossover SUV as some of its key rivals – Renault Captur and Peugeot 2008 included - do not feature this capability. There are three familiar driving modes to choose from when behind the wheel, thanks to Ssangyong’s ‘Smart Steer System’ – Normal, Comfort and Sport.
On the inside, according to Ssangyong, the dashboard design of the Tivoli takes inspiration from a bird’s outstretched wings. Other interior features include a sporty D-shaped steering wheel, semi-bucket style seats, heated front seats/steering wheel and automatic air con. The boot of the Tivoli stands at 423 litres, significantly bigger than the Juke’s 350 litres.
Pricing for the Ssangyong Tivoli has not yet been announced, but if it is to compete with the £13,620 Nissan Juke it will have to be priced competitively.
