Ssangyong Tivoli 1.6 ELX 2017 first drive

Ssangyong is on the verge of a big new model splurge over the next three years, and its growing reputation has been helped in no small part by the Ssangyong Tivoli.

It's a small SUV that offers a value-focused package to give pricier rivals a run for their money. It's been very lightly updated for 2017, getting some new safety equipment, which is standard on all but entry-level models, to boost its appeal. This includes lane-keeping assist, lane departure warning and autonomatic emergency braking (AEB), and Ssangyong reckons cars equipped with it will get a four-star Euro NCAP rating, up from the current three-stars.

That's all well and good: four stars is par for the course in this market, and it’s another plus for a car that has all of its rivals beaten on price (if not much else). But does it do enough to make it a significantly more tempting package?

There are no mechanical changes with these latest updates, so it’s the same Tivoli from before. That means describing it involves words like 'charm' and 'value' rather than 'precision' or 'fun'.

Top-spec ELX trim comes with kit including sat-nav, front and rear parking sensors and automatic lights and wipers, and it still undercuts its rivals in terms of price. There are some signs of cost-cutting, though, such as the hard plastics on the dashboard, cheap-feeling switchgear and slightly laggy infotainment system, but the disappointment is softened by the car's price. Another minor tweak inside means you can now adjust the steering wheel for reach as well as rake.

There’s plenty of space for passengers inside the Tivoli, and the boot is almost the biggest in its class; it’s certainly large enough to cope with everyday family duties.

However, while it scores big marks for equipment, practicality and now safety, the Tivoli isn’t great to drive. Cars in this segment haven’t set a high standard for driver appeal, but the Tivoli's steering is vague, and while the ride copes well enough over most surfaces, there’s a proper jolt through the interior when you drive over speed bumps.