by Seán Creedon
SsangYong, who returned to Ireland in 2013 after a five-year absence, has a reputation for building huge, powerful diesel people carriers, most of which were not very pretty, but functional. You may be familiar with the Korando, Rodius and Rexton.
The South Korean company were saved by a huge investment from Indian conglomerate Mihandra and Mihandra, who acquired a 70% share in the debt-ridden company a few years back.
In previous years SsangYong were distributed in Ireland by the Harris group. Now the SsangYong company has their own offices just off the Nangor Road near Parkwest in Dublin 12.
A few years ago SsangYong introduced their first car with the arrival of the Tivoli. The car takes its name from Tivoli, the Italian town near Rome with a reputation for style.
Noted for its cultural heritage and beautiful location, the gardens at Villa d’Este have inspired others to use the name, including the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen.
Tivoli 2nd Edition
During the Lockdown we got a preview of the second edition of the Tivoli, which is currently available in 1.5 Turbo petrol and 1.6 Turbo diesel. A 1.2-litre petrol version is next up.
The facelifted version boasts new exterior front styling, the space and capabilities of a traditional SUV and features a whole range of enhancements to the outgoing model.
The new version of the Tivoli offers European styling, class-leading safety and competitive fuel efficiency. Thanks to its attractive style and excellent competitiveness, Tivoli has been loved by young customers and has become the number one brand in the compact SUV market back home in Korea.
The Tivoli was launched in Korea in January 2015, and immediately achieved sales in its home market of over 3,000 cars a month. Now they have to convince Irish customers to try their brand.
SsangYong say there are trying to secure product competitiveness in Europe by developing a new low displacement engine for Tivoli.
Additional satisfaction & confidence
Along with smart driving, a brilliant digital interface, advanced travel control technology, and a wide range of design upgrade from inside and out, Tivoli is to provide its owners with additional satisfaction and confidence.
The new full LED headlamps and LED fog lights accentuated Tivoli’s classiness and functionality. The integrated bumper wrapped around the fog lights and the hood with a distinctive character line were designed to create a sporty and intense look.
The interior design went through a radical, innovative change to provide the convenience and uniqueness of cutting-edge technology. In particular, the centre fascia in the middle of the dashboard was completely changed to the tablet type.
The natural leather seats of the interior are available in black, burgundy two-tone, and soft gray. The material and the shape of Tivoli’s semi-bucket seats were thoughtfully and ergonomically engineered to help maintain a stable posture when cornering and driving by applying a foam pad. Two new colours have been added to the range, Platinum Gray and Cherry Red.
The 1.6-litre diesel and 1.5-litre petrol versions are currently available, while the 1.2-litre petrol version is due in July. Prices for the three models, which will all be five-seaters, will be confirmed when the Lockdown ends.
John McKenna, Country manager for SsangYong says they have been busy securing new dealers around the country. At present they have 14 dealers countrywide and their target is 22. Full details from www.ssangyong.ie
