Driven: SsangYong targets female buyers with Tivoli
BY ROBBIE WALLIS | 6th Dec 2018
SSANGYONG Australia says it is hoping its Tivoli and family-focused Tivoli XLV small SUV pair will find favour with female buyers, which would replicate the success it has experienced with women in other markets.
Speaking at the relaunch of the range in Australia, SsangYong general manager marketing export team DK Lim said the Tivoli in particular has been a hit with female buyers.
“The customers of Tivoli, over 80 per cent are women,” he said. “This is the case in Korea that Tivoli was introduced almost three years ago and Hyundai Kona was introduced just the one year ago, so (the Kona) is a totally new model.
“But you know that still the sales of Tivoli and Kona are almost the same in Korea, just because lots and lots of people, especially women, they love Tivoli. And it’s the same case in Italy and Spain, the Tivoli’s main market in the world is especially Italy and Spain, it’s very popular.”
SsangYong Australia national marketing manager Mitch Wiley added that the brand expects the success to be replicated locally, and that it will specifically target women with its advertising campaigns.
“I think it will (resonate with women in Australia) just because of the segment it’s in, it’s primarily still targeting younger females,” he said.
“The interesting thing is that while the make-up of the available audience is around 75 per cent female, it’s a pretty broad split when it comes to age.
“So that’s why you will certainly see in our comms that we are focusing on younger women, but we’re also focusing on young women with families. Because certainly XLV, that’s probably a good proposition for that audience.”
SsangYong expects the Tivoli to be the best-selling model in its Australian line-up, followed by the Musso pick-up.
At launch, the Tivoli range will consist of six variants with a mix of petrol and diesel powertrains, while the larger Tivoli XLV will feature three different offerings, all powered by the turbo-diesel mill.
The 1.6-litre turbo-petrol is offered on the entry-level EX and mid-spec ELX, and produces 94kW at 6000rpm and 160Nm at 4600rpm, driving the front wheels only via either a six-speed manual or six-speed Aisin automatic transmission.
Fuel consumption is rated at 6.6 litres per 100km for the manual, up to 7.2L/100km in the auto. CO2 emissions stand at 154-167 grams of CO2 per km.
Meanwhile, the 1.6-litre turbo diesel pumps out 85kW at 3400rpm and 300Nm from 1500-2500rpm, driving either the front wheels in ELX variants or all four in the flagship Ultimate, all through a six-speed auto.
The oil-burner sips 5.5L/100km for front-drive versions and 5.9L/100km for the all-wheel drive, while the XLV is slightly thirstier at 5.9-6.3L/100km. Emissions range from 146-164g/km.
Diesel versions also feature 1500kg of braked towing capacity, a significant figure for its segment. Petrol versions are rated at 1000kg.
The all-wheel-drive system is biased to the front wheels in normal driving conditions to save fuel, and can distribute torque to the rear wheels in wet or slippery conditions for greater grip.
In the second quarter of 2019 the Tivoli, which has been on sale globally for three years, will receive a major model update that will include large-scale changes to styling and a new pair of 1.5-litre petrol and diesel powertrains.
Driveaway pricing for the Tivoli kicks off at $23,490 for the manual EX, and tops out at $34,490 for the Ultimate with two-tone paint. The three-variant Tivoli XLV range sits slightly upstream at $31,990 for the ELX up to $35,490 for the two-tone Ultimate.
The main difference between the two is the space in the rear – both models feature the same platform and 2600mm wheelbase, however the Tivoli XLV extends the body by 238mm from behind the C-pillar, increasing boot space from 423 litres to 720L – a figure SsangYong claims is the best in the small-SUV segment.
All versions score a 7.0-inch infotainment screen with Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, semi-bucket style seats, a black-and-white instrument cluster display and D-shaped sports steering wheel.
Standard equipment on the entry-level Tivoli EX includes a leather steering wheel, telescopic steering, 16-inch alloy wheels, rear foglights, front and rear parking sensors, power windows and fabric upholstery.
Stepping up to the ELX adds roof rails, a luggage screen, dual-zone air-conditioning, tinted glass and HID headlights.
The top-spec Ultimate comes with standard all-wheel drive, reworked rear suspension, a full-size spare tyre, sunroof, leather seats, heated and ventilated power front seats, and 18-inch alloys. As the name would suggest, the 2-Tone adds a contrasting roof and body colour paint scheme.
All versions of the Tivoli come with an extensive list of standard active safety equipment, including autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, high-beam assist and seven airbags.
The Tivoli currently has a four-star crash safety rating, however SsangYong says it is working alongside the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) to increase its rating to five stars.
All Australian SsangYong models come with a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, to go with seven years of roadside assistance and scheduled servicing.
2018 SsangYong Tivoli driveaway pricing
Tivoli
| EX | $23,490 |
| EX (a) | $25,490 |
| ELX petrol (a) | $27,490 |
| ELX diesel (a) | $29,990 |
| Ultimate (a) | $33,990 |
| Ultimate 2-tone (a) | $34,490 |
| Tivoli XLV | |
| ELX (a) | $31,990 |
| Ultimate (a) | $34,990 |
| Ultimate 2-tone (a) | $35,490 |