Quick twin test: SsangYong Tivoli vs Suzuki Vitara

Small crossovers are booming, but which bargain option is best?

11 Oct 2016

Evoques for 50 per cent off, then?
SsangYong, South Korea’s lesser-known carmaker, would kill for a slice of such success. SsangYong is on the right track by entering the booming crossover market, with the entry-level Tivoli offering seven airbags, cruise control and a five-year warranty for sub-£13k. This mid-range EX model is £14,600.

The Vitara beats the ‘Yong on pedigree – it’s been a UK stalwart since the late Eighties. This one’s the least agricultural yet, as Suzuki cottons on to the lust for rufty-tufty hatches. We’re driving a top-spec SZ5, which costs just under £20k. Less eye-catching (and polarising) than the Tivoli, no?

Photography: Simon Thompson
How tinny are they inside?
Open the Tivoli and… cor, a chunky flat-bottomed wheel. And there’s more. The materials aren’t horrid, there’s useful seating adjustment and it all feels nicely screwed down. The tall, Hyundai-style dash layout is pleasing, but beware the petulant touchscreen.

Perhaps the Suzuki’s car’s childish, coloured dash didn’t help, but the pricier Vitara’s perceived quality is low. Too many random finishes, cheap-feeling vents and a flimsy lightness to controls and the crucial door-slam test. It just lacks showroom spark, and has too many rivals to just sneak under the radar forgiven.
Which is best for families?
It’s about neck and neck between the Tivoli and Vitara for occupant space, with the SsangYong perhaps just edging rear legroom, but losing on visibility. On paper, the Korean’s 423-litre boot trumps the Vitara’s 375-litre effort, but the Tivoli’s higher load lip and shallower shape is less useful.

Uninviting it may be, but the Vitara’s Subaru-like utilitarianism has its boons. This 4x4 version will tow 1,600kg (the AWD Tivoli pulls 100kg less), yet it’s cheaper to fuel, tax and insure. And for transporting your dearest, the Vitara’s five-star NCAP rating is gold dust.
Any good to drive? No, really?
Here’s where SsangYong’s lack of experience in this sector tells. There’s an unnerving mishmash between the pedal weights, reminding you what it was like to have L-plates. And progress is further limited by the asthmatic engine’s lethargy. Pity.

The Suzuki also struggles with a strained motor, but counters with a slicker, VW Up-like gearshift, more considered low-speed ride and superior cabin insulation. Little things, but they add up to an easier drive than the Tivoli overall. Good work, Japan.
Verdict
The Tivoli is a long way from being a bad car. It looks zany, it’s very spacious and the cabin is properly sorted. At £13k basic, it’s very reasonably priced… On the down side, it suffers from schizophrenic controls and the overworked engine needs polishing.

Meanwhile, the Vitara proves Suzuki is still ace at honest, cheap cars. This is fundamentally a good egg. It’s comfy, too. A gutless engine and crass cabin betray the penny-saving. But by being hardly dear, and worth it for the sweeter drive, it wins here.

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