Mazda CX-3 VS Ssangyong Tivoli
Mazda CX-3
Likes
- Value
- Space efficiency
- Dynamic performance
Dislikes
- Frustrating media interface
- Raspy engine noise
- Dated interior
Ssangyong Tivoli
Likes
- Pricing
- Warranty
- Interior space
Dislikes
- No ANCAP rating
- Feels underpowered
- Not as refined as some rivals
Summary
Mazda CX-3
Hard to believe Mazda’s diminutive CX-3 has been with us for close to a decade (it arrived in early 2015). But with successive upgrades, including a major model refresh in 2019, it remains a popular choice with ‘light’ SUV buyers, dominating the segment so far in 2023.
So, how does this evergreen campaigner manage to keep quality competitors like the Kia Stonic, Toyota Yaris Cross and VW T-Cross firmly in its rearview mirror?
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We spent a week with the recently updated (yes, again) mid-spec G20 Evolve to see how it shapes up in the urban environment of 2023.
| Safety rating | — |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 6.3L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Ssangyong Tivoli
SsangYong is looking to crash-tackle Australia’s small SUV market segment with its competitively priced, feature-packed Tivoli as part of its brand relaunch here. A seven-year warranty is also set to make the Tivoli even more appealing.
SsangYong Australia is SsangYong’s first fully owned factory subsidiary outside of Korea and the Tivoli is part of its four-model push to re-establish itself as a brand worth your car-buying bucks.
So can the Tivoli get a foothold in an already-busy small SUV segment, loaded with the likes of Mazda CX-3 and Mitsubishi ASX? Read on.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.6L |
| Fuel Type | Regular Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 6.6L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Mazda CX-37.4/10
It’s easy to see why the Mazda CX-3 remains such a favourite with small SUV buyers. The Evolve grade tested is dynamically capable, space efficient and well equipped for the money. That said, although I don’t like being ageist, as it starts to creep up on a decade on sale, the market leader is giving ground to the competition in key areas including design, fuel efficiency and refinement. It’s time for a new-generation model, but in the age of electrification, will there be one? In the meantime, this evergreen favourite remains a solid urban SUV option.
Ssangyong Tivoli6.9/10
The Tivoli is an all-round, reasonable small SUV – comfortable inside, and okay to look at and drive – but SsangYong is hoping that its drive-away pricing and seven-year warranty is enough to set the Tivoli apart from some of its more modern-looking rivals.
As is, the Ultimate AWD is the pick of the bunch.
The Tivoli is a pretty good value-for-money prospect, but the updated, facelifted Tivoli, due here in Q2 2019, might be an even more appealing proposition.
What do you think of the Tivoli? Tell us what you reckon in the comments section below.
Design
Mazda CX-3
You’re not going to mistake the current CX-3 for anything other than a Mazda, which speaks to the consistency of the brand’s design approach.
Tightly wrapped and neatly detailed the CX-3's exterior has aged well, and thanks to cosmetic tweaks over time it’s still looking clean and contemporary.Â
The step up from 16-inch alloys on the lower Sport and Pure grades to 18-inch rims on this Evolve also lifts the look to a more mature, premium level. Â
The interior is a simple, fuss-free environment, but in a small-SUV world moving rapidly towards slick integrated screens for multimedia and instrumentation, the CX-3 is showing its age.
The 8.0-inch media display stands proud in the centre of the dash, almost like an afterthought, and the instrument cluster, while okay from an ergonomic point of view, is dated by an analogue tachometer in the centre and LCD-style read-outs either side.
And although it’s always a subjective call, I’m guessing the Evolve’s white and tan interior trim combination won’t be to everyone’s liking, from an aesthetic or practicality point-of-view.
That said, the interior surfaces across the dash, doors and centre console flow into one another nicely, and brushed metal look highlights around key controls and vents enhance the quality feel.
Speaking of which, physical dials and knobs for adjustment of the ventilation system and audio volume is welcome. Maybe old-school is the best school?
However… the multimedia screen can only be accessed by a rotary dial in the front centre console once the car is mobile (it works as a touchscreen when you’re stationary).
Keenly aware there are various opinions on this set-up when it comes to safety. Touchscreens, by definition, take your eyes off the road ahead, so on one hand it makes sense to transfer control to the rotary dial.
But when you’re using a sequential app like Spotify, it can take a hell of a lot of twirls of that controller to get to where you want to go.
Soon you’re grinding your teeth in frustration which upsets concentration and your eyes are well-and-truly off the road, anyway.Â
For what it’s worth, I’d prefer the relative ease of a quick press on the screen rather than having to go ‘around the horn’ to hit your favourite track or podcast.
Ssangyong Tivoli7/10
The Tivoli, named after the Italian town near Rome, is a neat-looking little buzzbox, with a touch of the Mini Countryman about it, as well as a healthy dash of chunky retro styling.
While it may not be the most exciting thing around to look at, it sits low and squat and certainly has a nice presence to it. Take a look at the accompanying photos and make up your own mind.Â
Practicality
Mazda CX-3
At just under 4.3m long, less than 1.8m wide and a little over 1.5m tall the CX-3’s footprint is squarely city-sized, and no surprise it shares the Mazda2’s 2570mm wheelbase because it’s underpinned by the same platform as the small hatch.
But there’s more than enough breathing room up front and storage options are creative.
Rather than the ubiquitous single storage box between the front seats the CX-3 offers up an adjustable multi-compartment arrangement, with cupholders and bottle retainers ready to flick into position in multiple locations.Â
It’s still covered with a padded lid which doubles as an armrest, and there’s also a generous glove box and bins in the doors with space for large bottles, even an overhead drop-down glasses holder.
Move to the back and there’s a surprising amount of head, leg and shoulder room for an SUV of this size. Sure, it’s no limo, but sitting behind the driver’s seat set to my 183cm position, I was pretty comfortable.
Best for two full-size adults in the rear, although a third can squeeze in for short, relatively uncomfortable journeys. Three up to mid-teenage kids will be fine. Â
Rear storage includes bottle shaped cavities in the doors, a map pocket on the back of the front passenger seat only (a weird Mazda habit) and dual pop-out cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest.
No adjustable ventilation outlets in the rear, but in a car this compact, their absence isn’t as big an issue as it might be elsewhere.
For power and connectivity, there are two USB-A sockets in the front (one media, one power-only) as well an SD card slot, an ‘aux in’ jack and a 12V outlet. No power options in the rear, which won’t play well with the kids.
With the back seat upright, boot capacity is an okay 264 litres. Enough to accommodate either the largest 124L or the smaller 95L and 36L suitcases from out three-piece set. But not all of them together.
With a bit of not so gentle persuasion, the large CarsGuide pram just squeaked in, but lower the 60/40 split-folding rear backrest and available space expands to 1174L.
Tie-down anchors to help secure loose loads is a plus and a speed-limited space-saver spare sits under the boot floor.
And if you need to hook up a small boat or other lightweight trailer, the CX-3 Evolve is rated to 1200kg (braked) and 640kg (unbraked).
Ssangyong Tivoli7/10
For a small SUV, it feels like there’s a fair bit of functional space inside the Tivoli.Â
Interior width is 1795mm and it feels like designers have pushed that room right out to the fringes – up and out – because there’s plenty of head and shoulder room for driver and passengers, including those in the back seat. The ergonomic D-shaped leather steering wheel, crisp instrument cluster, quilt-stitch trim and semi-bucket-style leather seats also add up to a real premium feel for the cabin, and the multi-media unit is easy enough to use.
The Tivoli’s storage spaces include an iPad-sized spot in the centre console, glove box and inner tray, an open tray, twin cupholders, door bulges for bottles, and a luggage tray.
Rear luggage space in the Ultimate is a claimed 327 cubic litres because of its full-size spare tyre under the floor; it’s 423 litres in lower specs with space-saver spares.
The second-row seats (a 60/40 split) are rather supportive for a back pew.
Price and features
Mazda CX-3
At $31,050, before on-road costs, the G20 Evolve sits in the middle of a five-model CX-3 line-up, which starts with the $G20 Sport ($26,800) and finishes with the G20 Akari ($38,620).
It competes with nine other light SUVs, and to the end of November 2023 has more than doubled the sales volume of its nearest competitors.
Supply constraints may have played a part, but the CX-3 Evolve is way ahead of its direct rivals, the Hyundai Venue Elite ($28,750), Kia Stonic GT-Line ($30,790), Toyota Yaris Cross GXL Hybrid ($33,000) and VW T-Cross 85TFSI Life ($30,990).
Aside from the safety and performance tech we’ll get to shortly, standard equipment includes auto LED headlights and DRLs, rain-sensing wipers, climate control, cruise control, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, an 8.0-inch multimedia screen, six-speaker audio with digital radio plus Android Auto (wired) and Apple CarPlay (wireless) connectivity, sat-nav, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and 18-inch alloy wheels.
Standard seat trim is white synthetic leather with tan synthetic suede inserts (also applied to the doors and dash).
That’s a pretty handy roll-call of included features in this part of the market, which meets or exceeds similarly priced competitors.
Ssangyong Tivoli7/10
There are six variants in the 2019 Tivoli range: base-spec 2WD EX with a 1.6-litre petrol engine (94kW and 160Nm) and six-speed manual gearbox ($23,490);Â 2WD EX with a 1.6-litre petrol engine and six-speed automatic ($25,490); mid-spec 2WD ELX with a 1.6-litre petrol and six-speed auto ($27,490); 2WD ELX with a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine (85kW and 300Nm) and six-speed auto ($29,990); AWD Ultimate with a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel and six-speed auto ($33,990); and top-spec two-tone paint AWD Ultimate 1.6-litre turbo-diesel and six-speed auto ($34,490).
We drove the two-tone Ultimate at the launch of the new range.
As standard, every Tivoli has a 7.0-inch touchscreen media system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, auto emergency braking (AEB), forward collision warning (FCW), reversing camera, and seven airbags.
The EX gets leather-covered steering wheel, telescopic steering, fabric seats, front/rear park assist, lane-departure warning (LDW), lane keep assist (LKA), high-beam assist (HBA), and 16-inch alloy wheels.
The ELX also gets the optional 1.6-litre diesel, roof rails, luggage screen, dual-zone air-conditioning, tinted glass, and HID headlamps.
The Ultimate gets AWD, leather seats, powered/heated/vented front seats, sun roof, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a full-size spare tyre. The Ultimate 2-Tone, as indicated, gets the two-tone colour package.
Every SsangYong has a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, seven years’ roadside assistance and a seven-year service-price plan.
Note: There were no petrol versions of the Tivoli to drive at the launch. The Tivoli XLV, an extended body version of the Tivoli, was not available for testing at the launch, either. An updated, facelifted Tivoli is due here in Q2 2019.
Under the bonnet
Mazda CX-3
The CX-3 is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine sending drive to the front wheels via a six-speed auto transmission.
The all-alloy unit features direct-injection and variable valve timing to produce 110kW at 6000rpm and 195Nm at 2800rpm.
Ssangyong Tivoli6/10
The 1.6-litre petrol engine produces 94kW at 6000rpm and 160Nm at 4600rpm.
The 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine punches out 85kW from 3400-4000rpm and 300Nm from 1500-2500rpm.
The diesel donk and six-speed auto generally work okay together, although on a few fast-blast, bendy back roads, the Tivoli was heading up a gear when it should have grabbed a lower one.
Efficiency
Mazda CX-3
Mazda’s official fuel economy number for the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) cycle is 6.3L/100km, the 2.0-litre four-cylinder emitting 143g/km of CO2 in the process.
That’s an impressively small emissions figure for a 2.0L petrol engine, more in line with smaller-capacity engines.
Stop-start is standard and over a week of city, suburban, and some freeway running, we averaged 7.4L/100km (at the pump), while the car’s on-board computer indicated 7.1L/100km for the same period.
Minimum fuel requirement is 91 RON ‘standard’ unleaded (or E10) and you’ll need 48 litres of it to fill the tank.
Using the official number, that translates to a driving range of around 760km, which drops to roughly 650km using our real-world figure.
Ssangyong Tivoli7/10
With the petrol engine, fuel consumption is claimed as 6.6L/100km (combined) for the manual and 7.2L/100km for the auto.Â
With the turbo-diesel engine, it’s claimed as 5.5L/100km (in the 2WD auto) and 5.9L/100km in the AWD auto. After a short, fast blast in the top-spec Ultimate, we were seeing 7.6L/100km on the dash.
Driving
Mazda CX-3
The CX-3’s compact size makes it easy to steer through tight city and suburban streets.Â
It weighs in at just under 1.3 tonnes, which is marginally lighter than most of its key competitors, and acceleration is sprightly with the 0-100km/h covered in less than nine seconds.
Close to 200Nm of pulling power is plenty for a car in this class and unusually for a non-turbo engine, peak torque arrives at a relatively low 2800rpm, so there’s ample mid-range urge.
The downside is the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine makes its presence felt inside the cabin, with mechanical noise noticeable even at around-town speeds. Not a conversation stopper by any means, but it’s there.
No complaints with the six-speed auto transmission. It’s smooth and the ratios keep the car in its performance sweet spot nicely. It also shifts into sequential ‘Manual’ mode if your prefer or need to call the shots.
Electric ‘drive-by-wire’ throttle response is smooth, but flick the console-mounted rocker switch to ‘Sport’ and things become more urgent, with the transmission shifting down earlier and holding on to ratios longer.
The steering is evenly weighted for easy parking and road feel is good. Speaking of parking, a 10.6m turning circle is large-ish for such a diminutive SUV, but surprisingly, not out of line for the category.
Suspension is by struts at the front and torsion beam at the rear, and despite the CX-3’s relatively short wheelbase and the Evolve’s bigger 18-inch wheels, ride comfort over typically pock-marked urban roads is surprisingly good. The Toyo Proxes R52A (215/50) tyres are also quiet and reassuringly grippy.
Braking is by generous ventilated discs at the front and solid rotors at the rear, and they’re more than up to the task of calmly washing off speed in this city-sized SUV.Â
The front seats proved comfy and supportive on test, although you’ll have to step up to the next Touring grade to score electric adjustment for the drive or lumbar control of any description.
Ssangyong Tivoli7/10
The Tivoli isn’t going to set any hearts a-thumping as it feels a bit underpowered and it’s not an electrifying drive, but it’s good enough.
Steering offers three modes - Normal, Comfort and Sport – but none of them are particularly precise and we experienced noticeable under-steering on the twisting routes, bitumen and gravel, that we took.
The suspension set-up – coil springs and MacPherson struts at the front, and a multi-link coil rear – over a 2600mm wheelbase, yields a mostly settled ride, keeping the 1480kg Ultimate steady and composed when not pushed too hard. The 16-inch tyres offer up adequate traction on bitumen and gravel.
It is rather quiet inside the Tivoli though, testament to SsangYong’s hard work in keeping NVH levels civilised.
The Tivoli Ultimate is technically an AWD and, yep, it has a centre diff lock but, get this straight, it is not an off-roader. Sure, it can, at a stretch, traverse gravel roads and formed trails with no obstacles (in dry weather only), and it might be able to get through very shallow water crossings without damage or stress, but with its 167mm ground clearance, approach angle of 20.8 degrees, 28.0-degree departure angle, and 18.7-degree ramp angle, I’d be reluctant to test its off-road limits in any way.
And all of that’s perfectly fine because the Tivoli is not intended as a serious off-roader, no matter what any salesperson might tell you. Be happy driving it in the city and around town – and perhaps on the occasional short stretch along someone’s gravel drive-away – but avoid anything more challenging than that.
The Tivoli AWD’s towing capacity is 500kg (unbraked) and 1500kg (braked). It’s 1000kg (braked) in the 2WD.
Safety
Mazda CX-3
The CX-3 had a maximum five-star ANCAP score from 2015 to 2022, but the independent safety body’s assessments have a seven-year shelf life and the compact SUV is currently ‘unrated’.
That said, active (crash-avoidance) tech is up to the mark with AEB (forward and revers with front pedestrian detection), blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, front and rear parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alert, a reversing camera and smart city brake support (front and rear) included.
If a crash is unavoidable, there are six airbags onboard (dual front, dual front side and side curtain), the CX-3 showing its age somewhat with the absence of the now increasingly common front centre bag designed to minimise head injuries in a side impact.
There are three top tethers for baby capsules/child seats across the rear row with ISOFIX anchors on the two outer positions.
Ssangyong Tivoli6/10
The Tivoli does not have an ANCAP rating because it has not been tested here yet.
Every Tivoli has seven airbags including front, side and curtain airbags plus a driver's knee airbag, reversing camera, rear parking sensors, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), forward collision warning (FCW), lane-departure warning (LDW), lane-keep assist (LKA) and high-beam assist (HBA).
Ownership
Mazda CX-3
Mazda covers the CX-3 with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is the current market standard. Roadside assist is included for the duration.Â
Recommended service interval is 12 months/15,000km, and the average annual cost for each workshop visit, for the first seven years, is $438.
An average under $450 is alright, but Toyota’s capped price figure of $195 per workshop visit for the first five years of C-HR ownership puts it in perspective. Mind you, Toyota’s charges step up considerably after that fifth year.
Ssangyong Tivoli8/10
Every model in the SsangYong Australia range comes with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, seven years’ roadside assistance and a seven-year, service-price plan.
Servicing intervals are 12 months/20,000km, but pricing was not available at time of writing.