The SsangYong Tivoli scheduled to launch in South Africa later this year has been officially revealed in Seoul, South Korea, featuring a compelling combination of innovative style and remarkable value.

SsangYong Tivoli – stylishly designed

The Mahindra-owned company has developed a totally new product based on the new X100 platform. The design of the SsangYong Tivoli is heavily influenced by the XIV Air and XIV Adventure concepts from 2014 Paris Motor Show. The model features aggressive bumpers, black plastic wheel arches and LED daytime running lights integrated in the headlamps. The rear sports muscular shoulders, as well as clear-lensed tail light clusters.

Exceptional interior space

The interior is equipped with a leather-trimmed flat-bottomed steering wheel, seven airbags, well-bolstered front bucket seats, dual-zone climate control system, rearview camera and infotainment system with a touchscreen display and Bluetooth connectivity. There’s also a recessed instrument binnacle with an 8.9 cm colour display.

An HDMI connection allows passengers to enjoy superior rendition of sound and images played back from smart devices on the 18 cm display, which is also employed by the rear reverse camera, while a six-speaker sound system ensures excellent audio quality.

The Tivoli’s class-leading width of 1795 mm allows a roomy interior space with two seating rows and 423 litres of luggage space. The cabin trim is also available in a choice of three different colour schemes including black, beige and red.

New e-XGi engine and class leading safety features

The SsangYong Tivoli is powered by a newly developed 1.6-litre e-XGi unit generating 94 kW and 157 Nm of torque. It is mated to either an automatic gearbox or a manual transmission, both with six gears. Average fuel economy is rated at 8.1-litres/100 km for the manual version and at 8.3-litres/100 km for the auto.

Standard across all specification levels is SsangYong’s new SmartSteer system, which allows steering effort to be adjusted in three steps – normal, comfort and sport – depending on driver preference. Dual-structure panels between the cabin and the engine compartment have reduced NVH levels significantly by minimising engine noise.

Passive safety measures include a knee airbag, for optimum occupant safety, large disc brakes front and rear equipped with ABS anti-lock control ensure incisive braking performance, while active safety systems include Electronic Stability Control (ESC), a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and LED daytime running lights.

The South Korean manufacturer aims to sell around 100 000 units of the model per year. The South African launch is set to take place in the second half of the year.