Production Models

2016 Ssangyong Tivoli Sport

2016 Ssangyong Tivoli Sport

2016 Ssangyong Tivoli Sport

2016 Ssangyong Tivoli Sport

2016 Ssangyong Tivoli Sport

2016 Ssangyong Tivoli Sport

SsangYong is in a midst of reinventing itself. With a range that consists mostly or larger SUVs or MPVs, one big surprise appears in the form of the Tivoli-a subcompact crossover that's a huge success for the brand. With over 64,000 units sold since its launch, what could be the reason for such love for this car. Let's find out.

Named "Tivoli" because the name spells "I Love It" backward, the Tivoli is an extrovert. It's angular and expressive. It carries SsangYong's new design language with its slender front grille and distinctively shaped headlights with LED daytime running lights.

All in all, it fuses an SUV body design with a sports coupe look complete with a floating roof line. It's expressive without being overly busy.

Inside, the driver sits quite high allowing for a good view of the road ahead while the steering wheel and seats offer plenty of adjustments.

The gauges reside in twin binnacles and the steering wheel has a flatted bottom. The Tivoli's playful character is seen in the gauges that offer 6 color moods for its SuperVision cluster. The ergonomics is pretty solid too with all except the Android-based infotainment display getting top marks.

The black-and-red color scheme may be too bright for some, but it's actually well-suited to the character of the car. It actually passes for a sports car except it offers one thing a sports car doesn't: space. It certainly has enough space for a family of four adults and their luggage.

From behind the wheel, the Tivoli receives a 1.6-liter gasoline motor. The Euro-4 emissions compliant engine pushes out 128 horsepower and 160 Nm of torque. Compared to SsangYong's diesel offerings, there's some need to dip the throttle a bit more to gain speed, but at least the Aisin-sourced 6-speed automatic is well-suited to the task.

The Tivoli's fun to drive attitude is carried over to the selectable steering mode. Called Smart Steering, it varies steering effort in one of three modes: Comfort, Normal, and Sport. In addition, it also has a Smart Driving Mode that alters vehicle functions between Economy, Winter, or Power modes.

All in all, it conducts itself quite nicely on the road. The steering itself is light, but it remains sporty and athletic with tightly controlled on-road behavior.

The ride itself is on the firm side, thanks largely to the sizeable 18-inch alloy wheels. Though some low speed abrasions and sharp-edged bumps do enter the cabin, it soaks most of them pretty well. At high speeds, the entire drivetrain sorts itself nicely, transforming to a long distance tourer instantaneously. It's also very easy to park thanks to its excellent proportions.