Ssangyong’s second coming

EYE-CATCHING exterior in flaming red with gloss-black roof and 18-inch alloy wheels. Photos by Aida Sevilla Mendoza

Forget the unlamented SsangYong cars of yesteryear.

SsangYong Motor Co. is back, reborn with the slogan “Drive different” to underscore the great difference between its old vehicles and the new, stylishly improved rides now being offered by its new distributor, Berjaya Auto Philippines.

The models initially available are the Tivoli subcompact crossover, the Korando compact SUV and the Rodius multipurpose vehicle (MPV), all made in South Korea.

The Tivoli Sport R was easily the star of the show when Berjaya Auto unveiled the new SsangYong vehicles at the Manila International Auto Show last April.

Making its debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, the Tivoli is the first new model and the first subcompact vehicle launched by SsangYong after Mahindra & Mahindra Limited, the engineering conglomerate whose Mahindra Motor Co. vies with Tata as India’s largest automotive producer, acquired 73 percent of the company in 2011.

BOLDLY exaggerated rear haunches, and LED combination taillights

60 year history

SsangYong—the name stands for double dragon—has a 60-year history of producing tough 4×4 vehicles that includes jeeps, SUVs, MPVs and pickup trucks.

Before Mahindra, SsangYong  had other partners, and used technology from other carmakers, notably Mercedes-Benz with which it produced the midsize Musso SUV, the Korando compact SUV and the Rexton SUV in the early 1990s.

In 1997, Daewoo bought a majority stake in SsangYong before General Motors took over the Daewoo motor works.

After leaving Daewoo, SsangYong merged with the Chinese company Shanghai Automotive Industry, Inc. (SAIC) in 2004.

The short-lived partnership with SAIC produced the seven-seat Rodius, the first MPV of SsangYong.

Today, SsangYong Motor designs its own key components, including high-tech drivetrains, especially common rail turbo diesel engines. It has over 1,000 sales outlets in 90 countries worldwide.

INSIDE, sporty red leather seats, gloss-black plastics, 7-inch LCD touchscreen

Flaming red

The Tivoli line, which was jointly developed with Mahindra over a span of three and a half years with an investment of 230 million Euros, is the second Ssangyong model after the 2011 Korando to use monocoque construction and its own in-house designed petrol and diesel engines.

The top-of-the-line Tivoli is the Tivoli Sport R, which retails at P1.08 million, and is offered in either grand white or flaming red, each topped by a gloss-black roof and rear spoiler, and riding on brilliant black 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels shod with 215/45 R18 Hankook rubber.

The flaming red Tivoli Sport R turns heads because of its fresh yet boxy design and mix of glaring red body and squeezed-down, glossy black roof, flared, black-rimmed wheel arches, and boldly exaggerated rear haunches accentuated by large, curvaceous LED combination taillights.

It somewhat resembles the Range Rover Evoque and appears to be a combination of the Nissan Juke and MINI Cooper when seen from behind.

The drama continues inside the cabin with red semi-bucket-style leather seats, red dashboard with a black lower portion, black and red leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, and red and black door trim leather upholstery.

CARGO space can expand to 1,115 liters when the backseat is folded down.

Younger target

The styling and palette of the Tivoli Sport R obviously targets younger individuals with its somewhat quirky personality and the ability of the instrument cluster’s backlight to change to any of six colors.

But inside, the plastics used are hard, not the soft-touch quality expected in a top-end variant.

On the other hand, the Tivoli cabin is roomy with an interior width that makes it one of the widest in its class.

The high roof benefits occupants in terms of plentiful headroom.

The front seats are comfortable and supportive enough, even for long journeys.

The driver’s seat is ventilated with a fan adjustable to two settings for comfy driving in hot weather, although I never found the switch activating the fan.

The massive windshield provides excellent visibility, and the slightly raised ride position makes the Tivoli easy to drive.

The back seat, with the center armrest stowed, comfortably accommodates three adults, even six-footers, because of the generous legroom and headroom.

THE 1.6-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine produces 128 ps and 160 Nm max torque.

Safety notes

Safety features include the usual ABS with EBD and brake assist, dual front airbags, smart keyless entry system, pushbutton start/stop, reverse camera, rear parking sensors and burglar alarm.

The user-friendly 7-inch LCD color touchscreen is DVD, HD, MP3, USB, aux-in, BT and mirror link ready, while the steering wheel has audio and Bluetooth hands-free phone controls.

Good-sized front and rear door side pockets can hold 1.5-liter bottles, and storage spaces galore complement the roominess of the cabin.

The center console is big enough to swallow an iPad, while there is a glove box with an inner tray and an open tray above it.

The class-leading cargo area measures 423 liters with the rear seat up, and expands to 1,115 liters when the backrests of the 60/40 split folding rear seat are folded down.

Forty percent of the body is made of advanced high-strength steel, which minimizes impact to the occupants in case of a collision. The doors close with a solid clunk, attesting to the strong monocoque construction.

Gas only

While the Tivoli is offered in other markets with 1.6-liter diesel and gasoline engines, unfortunately in the Philippines it is only available with the 1.6 liter DOHC 16-valves 4-cylinder e-XGI gasoline engine with dual variable valve timing capable of 128 ps (126 hp) and 160 Newton meters max torque.

The front-wheel drivetrain has a 6-speed Aisin automatic transmission, similar to the one found in the MINI Cooper.

It features a smart driving mode whereby you can choose between Sport, Normal and Comfort by pressing a switch on the left side of the dash.

The manufacturer claims that the Tivoli hits 100 kilometers per hour in 11 seconds, and its top speed is 160 kph, but I discovered that the 1.6-liter gas engine needs some time to reach overtaking speeds on the expressway, even when I use the Sport driving mode.

Moreover, the front section dives whenever I suddenly brake after driving fast. The brakes are solid discs in front and ventilated discs at the rear, while the suspension consists of MacPherson strut fore and torsion beam aft.

But in city driving, it is frisky enough with nicely weighted steering. The Tivoli handles reasonably well, goes into and out of a corner neatly.

Even though it isn’t exciting to drive, remember that the Tivoli is not a high performance car but an entry-level subcompact crossover.

Summing up, in terms of high-tech gadgetry, roominess, solid build, good looks and retail price, the Tivoli Sport R is the star leading the rebirth of the SsangYong brand.

But sales would definitely soar if Berjaya Auto Philippines also offers the more powerful diesel Tivoli.