Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2015 | Page 74

MOTORING
Staddlestones
Brading Road, Ryde
Tel: [phone]
www.staddlestones.com

SsangYong Tivoli
74

www.visitilife.com

Korean workhorses
from SsangYong

F

amous for making 4x4 vehicles
since 1954, the Korean brand
SsangYong originally started out
as two separate companies - Ha Donghwan Motor Workshop, and Dongbang
Motor Co (established in 1962). In
mid-1963, the two companies merged
into Ha Dong-hwan Motor Co.
It was in 1964 that the company
started building sturdy jeeps for the US
Army, as well as trucks and buses, and
then from 1976, went on to produce
a variety of special purpose vehicles.
After changing its name to Dong-A
Motor in 1977, it was taken over by
SsangYong Business Group in 1986
and changed its name to SsangYong
Motor. In 1987, it acquired UK-based
specialty carmaker Panther Westwinds.
So that’s the history lesson – but
what has SsangYong got to offer the
driver of 2015?
It currently has five models in its
range, the newly released Tivoli (spelt
backwards it kind of says “I love it”) the
Turismo, the Korando Sports (a pick
up), the Korando and the Rexton W.

All models boast a whopping fiveyear warranty with unlimited mileage,
which these days, is a show-stopper.
Newcomer on the block, the Tivoli is
an SUV aimed squarely at the Nissan
Juke driver who wants a bit more
space in the cabin and a slightly higher
driving position. Targeted at the mid 35
to 70 year old market, the Tivoli is a real
workhorse, rugged and built to last.
Currently it’s available as a petrol
version, with a diesel option due in
around a month. With the capacity for
towing 1.5 tonnes, it’s a great choice
for caravan and boat owners.
Three different trim levels are
available, the most expensive coming
with standard toys such as sat nav,
touch screen, and reversing camera. A
nice touch is that you can opt for the
styling pack, which allows you to select
a different roof and wing mirror colour,
bigger wheels and red leather interior.
For those who like to do a bit of offroad driving, the ground clearance is
exceptionally high.
You’ll love the fact that it’s not going