In 2015 Ssangyong launched the Tivoli. A new, compact model in the incredibly popular segment of compact crossovers.
And it turned out to be a very successful bet, because half of all Ssangyong's sold in the Netherlands in 2019, were Tivoli's.
Only one of them was sold. One. In 2019, only two Ssangyong's officially received license plates in the Netherlands.
So it's still not a big success, Ssangyong in the Netherlands. And it's not because of a lack of trying, because the Koreans have facelifted the Tivoli.
It now has a new 1.3-litre petrol engine, which is aimed at countries like the Netherlands. It still produces the same amount of power, but because...
of the smaller engine, it's cheaper as well.
That's nice and all, but the competition hasn't been sitting still either. Suzuki has replaced the 1.4-litre BoosterJet in the Vitara with a new...
version, with mild-hybrid technology. That makes the car a lot cheaper. So cheap in fact, that it makes the 1.0-litre obsolete in the Netherlands.
However, there's a drawback. It now produces 128 horsepower instead of the 140 horsepower the Vitara produced before the facelift.
That does mean it produces the exact same amount of power as the Tivoli.
The 1.2-litre 3-cylinder in the front of this Tivoli is made by Mahindra, which has owned Ssangyong since 2010. And it fits really well if you ask me.
It's powerful enough for such a compact car, and it feels powerful enough. Especially because it starts pulling quite a bit at a certain RPM.
On the other hand, if you're not driving around that RPM, it might not feel incredibly powerful anymore. So sometimes, after changing gear,
you can get surprised by the response the car gives you. It's not incredibly linear, not predictable in any way.
For the Netherlands, I can't see any reason why you would choose for the more powerful 1.5-litre, which is still available. Unless you want...
four-wheel drive or an automatic gearbox. Those aren't available with this 3-cylinder engine.
You always have to change gear yourself, which isn't a problem. However, it's not the best gearbox I've ever used.
The gear lever is a tad too long, the strokes are a tad too long, and it all feels a tad rubbery and numb.
The same goes for the steering. It feels very distant. It's light and easy to use, but it's not a drivers car. That's logical of course.
What I don't like at all is the seating position relative to the steering wheel, and that's because the steering wheel isn't adjustable in depth.
And combined with the seating position, that means I'm in an awkward position behind the steering wheel.
If you ask me, you're too high up. And you can't do nothing about it, because you can't lower the seat. So if your steering wheel is too far...
and your arm rest is too short, the seating position isn't good at all. That's unfortunate, because there is an adjustable steering wheel...
available for the Tivoli, but Ssangyong refuses to make it available for the 1.2-litre. Also, the 1.2-litre can't have a digital instrument...
cluster, LED-headlights, climate control, you name it. All kinds of stuff you should be able to expect in luxurious versions of cars in this segment.
The introduction of the 1.2-litre goes in sync with the comprehensive facelift, but since this isn't a very common car, I understand if you can't really tell...
the difference between the old and new one. If you're really interested, you should look at the Facelift Friday-article we wrote about this.
What it comes down to is that the front has been altered as a whole. The headlights have different shapes, the hood is longer,
the front bumper is new, the rear lights have a different design and most importantly, the dashboard is entirely new.
Previously, the middle console was rounded up. It had a smaller screen and vertical vents, and now it's all absorbed by a piece of piano-lacquered plastic.
It's a matter of taste whether you like it or not, but I don't really care for it. It sure is very different, and it offers space for a much bigger screen.
This particular version, the top-of-the-range-version for the 1.2, even has a 9.2-inch screen. That's huge for this segment.
It works very well too. The reactions are quick enough, the tip-buttons are very handy to access sub-menu's, and the satnav is made by TomTom.
A company we know as a very fine manufacturer of navigation equipment. If that doesn't suit you, you could always plug in your phone for Android...
Auto or Apple CarPlay. That way, you can navigate from your phone. So that's very nice. However, like I already said, it's too bad you can't...
add a digital instrument cluster to the interior.
A big advantage of the Tivoli used to be the interior space, and that hasn't changed in any way. I'm 1.84 m. tall myself, and I've got enough...
leg-, knee- and headroom. However, I don't have an armrest or any other comfort-enhancing features like vents or USB-ports.
I do like these elastics however. If you compare it with the Vitara, the latter has much less headroom.
That's because the Vitara has a panoramic roof, which means the ceiling is lower. So the Tivoli wins it when it comes to cabin space.
If we move to the boot, the Tivoli fits 20 litres more than the Vitara. Other important differences concerning the luggage space include...
the rolling screen in the Tivoli as opposed to a full parcel shelf in the Vitara. Both cars do have a double floor though.
Just like in the Tivoli, you're pretty high up in the Vitara. However, the seating is much better than in the Tivoli. I'm able to adjust the depth of my...
steering wheel. Also, I've got an adjustable armrest. That means it's easier for you to find a comfortable seating position if you're taller.
The dashboard looks much more frivolous and premium than in the Tivoli. I do have to say, that's more because of the design and options...
than because of the used materials and build quality. It's filled with hard plastics everywhere, and you can see that's the case here.
At the same time however, Suzuki has clearly tried their best. They've installed nice and round vents, and this expensive version even comes...
with a clock. Just like a Bentayga. So it's not that bad in here. Just like the Tivoli, this Vitara doesn't come with a digital instrument cluster.
It does have a color screen inbetween the dials, whilst the Tivoli only has an old-fashioned monochrome-screen.
However, it does have a touchscreen in the middle. Which is a lot smaller than the screen in the Tivoli.
It much more fingerprint-prone if you're sensitive to those as well, so that's up to you.
We've already seen this system in other Suzuki's. It's an alright system, but it's not groundbreaking. On the other hand, Android Auto and...
Apple CarPlay are available in here as well, so you could also use that. However, you have to swipe a little button to change the volume,
and I don't like that at all. They should've kept the round volume dial.
The introduction of the new engine doesn't go together with the facelift of the Vitara. Suzuki facelifted it earlier already.
However, there's still a way to distinguish this Vitara from other Vitara's, besides the Hybrid-badge. And it's the LED-headlights.
All versions of the mild-hybrid Vitara get them. And besides that, the options that come with the Vitara are very modern.
Both standard equipment as the options list. You can get a Start-button, climate control and all other aforementioned features, without any problems.
Suzuki is doing very well when it comes to mild-hybrid technology. We already saw it with the Ignis, but the Swift Sport now has the same...
engine as this car. And it's a very different car. I mean, hot hatch versus compact crossover. Or rather, hot. I'd call it a warm hatch.
But still, the engine feels very in it's place. Sometimes it feels a tad less powerful than the Ssangyong, because it doesn't get that turbo-push.
However, if you put the figures next to each other, both on paper as in the real world, this car is the quicker one.
So this being slower is an illusion. The Vitara with this engine isn't available with an automatic gearbox, but it could be on the horizon.
It is available with four-wheel drive however, but that won't be of much use in the Netherlands. So this front-wheel drive manual version is the...
most common version. Changing gear feels very smooth, sharper than in the Tivoli. However, don't expect a typically Japanese 'click clack'-gearbox like...
you get in Mazda's and Honda's. There's too much play on the lever for that, but I'm getting too much into detail.
The steering is a tad more precise than in the Tivoli and it doesn't feel sticky at all, like it used to feel back in the day.
So it seems that Suzuki has addressed the problems. And everything put together, this car rides very comfortably. It's very easy and nice to drive.
The Tivoli sometimes shudders a little after a speedbump, this Vitara doesn't have that. I do have to say, the Vitara is very noisy on the motorway.
Both when it comes to tire noises and wind noises. The Tivoli is much quieter.
I feel sorry for Ssangyong to have to conclude the following, but even with the new engine, the Tivoli still suffers from the Dutch tax-system.
In the Netherlands, both cars cost pretty much the same with the same equipment. If we look at Belgian prices however, the Tivoli is thousands...
of Euro's cheaper. And that seems fitting, because the Suzuki doesn't only have more equipment, but it's more economical and more refined...
than the Ssangyong. However, that doesn't mean the Suzuki wins the test without a doubt, because we're putting it up against the Skoda...
Kamiq as well.