Sector: Crossover Price: €15,490–€26,990 Fuel: 4.3 –7.6l/100km CO2: 133–176g/km

Korean manufacturer SsangYong is a small player in Europe but, with the Tivoli crossover, it’s aiming for the region’s fastest-growing segment and hoping to bring plenty of new customers to the brand.

Created and then led by the Nissan Juke, the B-crossover segment is certainly healthy. Opel’s Mokka and the Renault Captur are performing particularly well here and it’s becoming an area no manufacturer can ignore. For a brand which has traditionally concentrated on all-wheel drive, it’s also a good fit below the Korando in SsangYong’s product portfolio.

But its target market is quite different to the rest of the range. Although there’s a four-wheel drive option for both the petrol and diesel engines, the Tivoli is aimed at customers more interested in its rugged design and fuel economy than its off-roading ability. It’s still a high-value car, but SsangYong is seeking buyers who want high-grade equipment for mid-grade prices, so sales are expected to be weighted towards the best-equipped versions. 

Brand awareness is still relatively low, but the SsangYong has plenty of reasons not to get overlooked. The 1.6-litre diesel – likely to be the fleet engine of choice – undercuts its direct rivals, and looks competitive on in-life running costs.  Developed in-house, it consumes 4.3l/100km and emits 113g/km with two-wheel drive, or 4.7l/100km and 123g/km with four-wheel drive. Both are respectable for a car which is doing without stop-start for its diesel engines.

On the road, the diesel version makes very little noise while cruising and offers a wide spread of usable torque. Ride quality on large wheels is on par with the rest of the sector, firm but not uncomfortable, and it doesn’t pitch or roll around while cornering and braking. A bit more steering feedback in Sport mode, which doesn’t seem to do anything, would be welcome to make it feel a bit more natural to drive.

What might limit its appeal, though perhaps only slightly in fleet, is the petrol engine’s uncompetitive 149g/km baseline CO2 emissions, and that the AISIN-designed six-speed automatic gearbox, which is very smooth but comes with a heavy running cost penalty over the manual versions. The most efficient automatic Tivoli, a two-wheel drive diesel, consumes 5.5l/100km and emits 146g/km CO2. It seems rather wide off the mark for a car which is otherwise competitive with a diesel engine.

Otherwise it functions well. The cabin feels a little dated in terms of design, materials and its black-on-orange LCD displays, but adding the optional TomTom navigation system does a lot to modernise it. There’s a high seating position, plenty of soft-touch plastics and the infotainment is a properly integrated unit rather than an aftermarket slot-in fitted for Europe. Details such as the colour-changing dials, mood lighting and good quality leather upholstery also stop this feeling like a cut-price product.

Front and rear passengers get plenty of space, and the boot at 423 litres is towards the top end of this segment. It’s definitely worth adding the under-floor storage bins, though. A cheap option, this adds a removable polystyrene tray with deep compartments inside, covered by a removable load floor which is flat with the folded rear bench.

Most importantly, the Tivoli has all the right design cues for a share of this segment. It’s modern with its muscular shoulder lines, optional large wheels and rugged soft-roader styling, and offers the raised driving and loading positions customers want from a crossover. With keen pricing and competitive running costs, SsangYong has a very credible contender here.

Verdict:

A strong new entrant at the budget end of a fast-growing segment, the Tivoli should give SsangYong a foothold for future growth in the company car sector, as well as introducing new customers to the rest of its product range. But competitive automatic and petrol versions would help.