No plans for SsangYong Tivoli return to Australia

The SsangYong Tivoli small SUV disappeared from local showrooms three years ago with the promise of an updated model, but there are no plans for a return.

SsangYong Australia says it still has no plans to re-introduce the SsangYong Tivoli small SUV to local showrooms – three years after it was axed in preparation for an updated model in 2021.

Drive reported in 2020 the Tivoli had been placed on hiatus after stock of the then-current model dried up – and South Korean car maker SsangYong waited for an updated model due in 2021.

However three years on – as an updated model is unveiled in South Korea, wearing the KG Mobility badge, the company’s new name overseas – SsangYong says it has no plans to bring the vehicle back to Australia “in the near future”.

“SsangYong Australia (has) no plans to reintroduce Tivoli in the near future, although market conditions may influence any product strategy through our usual continuous analysis,” a company spokesperson told Drive.

When the Tivoli was placed on hiatus in mid-2020, SsangYong said it was awaiting an updated model due in early 2021.

“The Tivoli nameplate will remain a part of the SsangYong Australia line-up into the foreseeable future,” a spokesperson for SsangYong told Drive at the time.

“SsangYong Australia had planned to launch the updated model in 2020, however given COVID-19 impacts the decision was made to wait until early 2021 to launch the new product to the marketplace.”

The company said at the time it pushed the update’s introduction back so it could be carried out in person – rather than virtually during a COVID-19 lockdown – to “launch the vehicle with the best opportunity for success”.

The final SsangYong Tivoli stock sold out by the end of June 2020 due to “better than expected in the first half of this year,” a spokesperson told Drive in 2020, and the vehicle was removed from the brand’s website.

The latest update has come as SsangYong – now officially known as KG Mobility, though the change is yet to apply in Australia – unveiled an updated Tivoli for its home South Korean market.

It gains a restyled front fascia with a new grille and bumper now devoid of SsangYong badging, plus restyled 16- to 18-inch wheel designs, and new single-tone and two-tone exterior paint colours.

Inside, the air-conditioning control panel has swapped physical switches and dials for touch-sensitive buttons, while buyers can now choose orange, two-tone grey or black leather interiors.

Engines available in South Korea consist of a 1.6-litre non-turbo petrol four-cylinder with 93kW and 155Nm, and a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder with 120kW and 260Nm. Both are paired to six-speed automatic transmissions.

There remains a choice of standard-length Tivoli and long-body Tivoli ‘Air’ – or Tivoli XLV, as it was badged in Australia – with the latter offering increased luggage space (up to 1440 litres with the rear seats down).

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