Nissan X-Trail VS Ssangyong Tivoli
Nissan X-Trail
Likes
- Refinement
- Value
- Safety
Dislikes
- Fuel efficiency could be better
- Ownership package off the pace
- Minimal boot space with seven seats up
Ssangyong Tivoli
Likes
- Pricing
- Warranty
- Interior space
Dislikes
- No ANCAP rating
- Feels underpowered
- Not as refined as some rivals
Summary
Nissan X-Trail
Launching an investigation into the Australian mid-size SUV market is like opening an automotive can of worms.
Around 20 mainstream offerings makes it one of the most popular and hotly contested segments in the local new-car market.
Think Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester and the category-leading Toyota RAV4. Not to mention the subject of this review, the long-established Nissan X-Trail.Â
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And this time around we’re looking at the X-Trail N-Trek, which sits in the middle of a five-tier X-Trail line-up, in AWD seven-seat form which increases versatility while narrowing the competitive field somewhat.Â
We spent a week putting it through its urban paces.Â
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.5L |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.8L/100km |
| Seating | 7 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
Nissan X-Trail8/10
Over four generations Nissan has fine-tuned the X-Trail into an impressively refined and practical option for an urban family; that practicality further extended by inclusion of two occasional seats in the third row of this N-Trek version. The value equation is also strong and safety is top-shelf.
That said, efficiency is far from class-leading and the ownership proposition is off the category pace. But this even-seater’s overall quality still shines through.Â
If you’re in the midst of the mid-size SUV market vortex and want seven seats rather than five make sure this car’s on your investigation list.
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
Nissan X-Trail
Busy but interesting is a description you might apply to a mad rocket scientist or rock ‘n’ roll roadie. But it’s also apt when looking at the Nissan X-Trail’s exterior design.
Long, angular head and front fog lights sitting either side of a large grille and above multiple air intakes set the tone at the front with a similar mix of accentuated tail-lights and jagged shapes at the rear.
There’s enough distinctive character there to identify the X-Trail as a contemporary Nissan and I for one like the look of it, especially in our test example’s ‘Ceramic Grey’ finish.
For car-spotters, the N-Trek is distinguished by specific 18-inch (mainly black) alloys, a unique front and rear bumper treatment and a blacked-out grille as well as a black finish on the door handles, mirror covers and roof rails.
This third-generation X-Trail arrived less than two years ago and the interior remains classy and restrained, Nissan so far resisting the temptation to join media and instrument displays into the increasingly common single array.
The sweeping multi-level dash is fuss-free and the muted, mainly grey and black colour palette is calming yet bright enough to avoid crossing the line into sombre. Â
Its layout is simple and ergonomically efficient with details like manual dials for audio and heating/ventilation control a plus.
And it’s the things you don’t regularly notice that are worth calling out. The electric handbrake is near silent on application; not always the case in recently released rivals. The rear windscreen wiper motor is also quiet; again, something you can’t take for granted these days. And the quality of the materials across the interior is a cut above those most often used by ‘challenger’ brands.
I could go on, but you get the idea. Lots of small ‘one per cent’ things that may seem minor on their own but add up to make a noticeable difference overall.
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
Nissan X-Trail
At just under 4.7m long, a fraction over 1.8m wide and a bit more than 1.7m tall, the current Nissan X-Trail is a large mid-size SUV.
That allows for a generous amount of space up front with more than enough breathing room between the driver and co-pilot.
Storage is pretty handy, too, with a decent size lidded ‘butterfly door’ box between the seats (which doubles as a centre armrest), two cupholders in the centre console, a lower level tray underneath, door bins with space for large bottles and a decent glove box.
Move to the second row and at 183cm tall I have plenty of headroom and legroom, with the latter variable thanks to the seat’s ability to slide and open up more room for the two third-row occupants if required.
Again, there are bins in the doors with a cavity able to accommodate large-ish bottles, two cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest and map pockets on the front seat backs, while adjustable ventilation gets a big thumbs up.
Three full-size adults across the second-row seat is a recipe for discomfort but two grown-ups or a trio of up to mid-teenage kids will be fine and the rear doors deserve a big shout out.Â
First, they open out to 90 degrees which makes getting in and out of there s-o-o much easier and second, pull-up sunshades are always a welcome addition.
The third row is a kids-only zone, but the flexibility those two spots offer is significant and Nissan’s provision of big outer armrests with storage and drink holders built in is a thoughtful touch.
Connectivity and power options run to USB-A and -C ports (for streaming and charging) plus a 12-volt socket and wireless device charging pad in the front. There’s an identical pair of (charge only) USBs in the centre row and another 12-volt outlet in the boot.Â
Speaking of which, with all seats up the seven-seat X-Trail’s boot capacity shrinks to that of an oversize handbag (realistically, two or three soft bags), but with the 50/50 split third row folded down you’re provided with 465 litres of volume (to the roof) which is enough to easily swallow the three-piece CarsGuide suitcase set. And the 40/20/40 split second row’s sliding ability again allows you to play with the space available.
Worth noting a space-saver spare is provided (a much better option than a ‘roll of the dice’ repair/inflator kit) and maximum braked trailer towing capacity is a handy 2000kg (750kg 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
Nissan X-Trail
At $50,390, before on-road costs, other similarly sized and specified three-row rivals to the X-Trail N-Trek include the recently released Tiggo 8 Pro Max Ultimate AWD ($47,990 drive-away) as well as the Mitsubishi Outlander and VW’s Tiguan Allspace.
The N-Trek’s $50K price tag neatly dissects the Outlander 7 seat AWD Aspire ($47,340) and Exceed ($52,640) grades and splits the Tiguan Allspace 132TSI Life ($47,990) and 162TSI Elegance ($57,090) models.
As well as the safety and performance tech covered later in this review, the X-Trail N-Trek’s standard equipment list features dual-zone climate-control, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen display, a 10.8-inch head-up display, built-in sat nav, wireless Apple CarPlay (and wired Android Auto), keyless entry and start and six-speaker audio (with digital radio).
There’s also a ‘leather-accented’ steering wheel, a 10-way power adjustable driver seat (manual-adjust front passenger seat), heated front seats, synthetic leather trim,18-inch alloys, auto rain-sensing wipers, auto LED headlights (all other exterior lights are also LED), power-folding heated exterior mirrors, rear privacy glass and roof rails.
That’s a solid basket of fruit for the money in this part of the market.
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
Nissan X-Trail
The X-Trail N-Trek is powered by a 2.5-litre, naturally aspirated, four-cylinder petrol engine developing 135kW at 6000rpm and 244Nm at 3600rpm. Not a turbo in sight, which is increasingly rare as emissions standards for internal-combustion engine cars continue to tighten.
That said, the X-Trail’s hugely popular corporate sibling, the Mitsubishi Outlander (they share the same chassis platform) has the identical engine residing under its bonnet.
The all-alloy unit features direct-injection and electronically-controlled variable valve timing to produce outputs in the same ballpark as other category favourites like the Kia Sportage 1.6 turbo (132kW/265Nm) and Mazda CX-5 2.5 (140kW/252Nm). But the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid AWD steps ahead on power at 163kW.
Power is transferred to all four wheels via a CVT auto with a ‘Drive and Terrain Mode Selector’ offering ‘Auto’, ‘Eco’, ‘Sport’, ‘Snow’ and ‘Off-Road’ modes.
The AWD system is on-demand with steering angle, yaw rate and G-force sensors feeding into an electronically controlled coupling ahead of the rear differential able to adjust torque distribution between the front and rear axles from 100:0 to 50:50 on the fly.
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
Nissan X-Trail
Nissan’s official combined cycle fuel-economy figure for the X-Trail N-Trek is 7.8L/100km, the 2.5-litre four emitting 183g/km of CO2 in the process.
That number’s in line with other non-hybrid competitors but some way off the Toyota RAV4’s 4.8L/100km.
Over a week covering mainly urban and suburban driving as well as some freeway running we recorded an average of 9.9L/100km, measured at the pump, while the on-board computer coughed up a more optimistic 9.1L/100km.
That’s starting to get up there for the class although the result’s balanced somewhat by the X-Trail’s ability to run happily on 91 RON ‘standard’ unleaded.
You’ll need 55 litres of it to fill the tank which translates to a theoretical range of around 700km and roughly 550km using our real-world number.
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
Nissan X-Trail
The best way to describe driving the X-Trail N-Trek is stress-free. It’s quiet, comfortable and composed with enough oomph for the cut and thrust of urban driving as well as the occasional foray onto the highway.
Maximum pulling power arrives at 3600rpm, which is higher than the small-capacity turbo SUVs the X-Trail most often competes with. But the pay off is crisp throttle response and you’re never found wanting for performance.
Drive goes to all four wheels via a ’shift-by-wire’ continuously variable transmission (CVT). By design CVTs cause the engine to hunt up and down the rev range, searching for the optimal gearing compromise between power and efficiency. But the CVT ’droning’ syndrome that characteristic can generate isn’t a noticeable factor in the X-Trail.
The strut front, multi-link rear suspension delivers smooth ride comfort helped in no small part by the standard 235/60x18 Bridgestone Potenza Sport A/S tyre’s cushy 60-series sidewall profile.
That rubber plays a part in the car’s modest road noise with wind noise on the freeway also low for a relatively upright SUV. The X-Trail also steers nicely with well-weighted assistance and good road feel.
We didn’t head off-road for this family review but the N-Trek’s variable AWD capability gives it the ability to confidently deal with loose or slippery unsealed surfaces.
An 11.1m turning circle is nice and tight, which, in concert with a reversing camera, 360-degree camera view and front and rear proximity sensors makes parking a straight-forward exercise.
Brakes are discs all around (ventilated at the front) and the pedal is agreeably progressive.
In fact, that kind of refinement is a hallmark of the way this car operates. Recently arrived competitors can be noticeably abrupt when it comes to brake, throttle and steering inputs.
Not so here. As mentioned in the Design section, these one per cent positive qualities lift the X-Trail above the norm.
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
Nissan X-Trail
The current Nissan X-Trail received a maximum five-star ANCAP assessment from testing in 2022 and it’s on the pace relative to others in the category.
Active (crash avoidance) tech is comprehensive including AEB with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection (operational from 5.0-130km/h for car detection), rear cross-traffic alert and rear AEB, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and lane keeping, an ‘Around View’ 360-degree camera view, blind-spot monitoring, tyre pressure monitoring and driver fatigue detection.
If an impact is unavoidable, there are seven airbags onboard, including side curtains (importantly, covering all three rows) and a front centre bag to minimise head clash injuries in a side-on crash.
There are three top tether points and two ISOFIX anchors for child seats/baby capsules across the second row seat. There are no top tether points on the third row.
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
Nissan X-Trail
Nissan covers the X-Trail with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is the norm in the mainstream market. That said, the likes of GWM, Kia and MG are at seven years, unlimited-km with Mitsubishi offering conditional 10-year, 200,000km cover. Roadside Assist is included for five years.
The main service interval is 12 months/10,000km which is behind the more common 12 months/15,000km period, although pre-paid maintenance is available offering an approximate 10 per cent saving over (still capped-price) pay-as-you-go.
Pre-payment also means you can fold the cost of maintenance into the financing of the car (if you’re going that way).
For the X-Trail AWD, pre-paid servicing comes in at $2092 for five services within five years ($418.40 per workshop visit) compared to $2324 for individual capped-price services ($464.80 per visit).Â
There’s that 10 per cent saving but it’s still relatively pricey when you consider the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid costs $260 per service.
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.