BMW 2 Series vs Ssangyong Tivoli XLV

What's the difference?

It may be expensive for a small coupe. And EVs have reframed performance standards to the detriment of most internal combustion engine sports cars like this – at least for acceleration times. But the M240i xDrive Coupe is far more than just about numbers, imbuing the soul and spirit of what makes this brand’s vehicles so enjoyable and memorable to drive.

A unique and most-welcome survivor today, the MY25 makeover takes all that, and improves the interior, to be at the heart of what BMW has traditionally done best (styling aside). We found parting with it at the end of our term very difficult.

Depending on the pricing and specifications, the SsangYong Tivoli XLV might well offer an interesting alternative to the mainstream small SUV crowd. The safety score is a bit of a deterrent, but that may not rule it out for all buyers.

It’s almost like this is a provisional review, because we simply don’t know much about the brand’s strategy ahead of the local range rollout in November. 

One thing’s for sure: just like a cheeseburger or any good laboured pun, we can’t wait to get our hands on some of the finer details from SsangYong Australia. 

BMW has iconic form when it comes to coupe, err, form.

Consider the timeless E9 Coupe of 1968, its elegant E24 6 Series successor of 1976 and the chiselled E31 8 Series of 1990.

Even the sinewy E82 1 Series Coupe of 2007 still resonates.

But, despite boasting long-nose/short-tail proportions, today’s G42 looks awkward from some angles, like a Lego version of the preceding F22 of 2014, complete with cartoonishly aggressive detailing that don’t sit happily on the car.

Not Munich’s finest moment. Still, as one of the last surviving small coupes, we’re still very glad it exists. And, in a rare case of more being more, this M240i’s body kit disguises some of the heavy-handedness.

So, what’s new here? Barely earning the facelift tag outside, the MY25 2 Series Coupe gains extra colours, restyled alloys and revised exterior trim, with more body paint in the lower parts and rear apron, as well as high-gloss black for the M240i’s mirror caps.

Inside, the modifications are more profound, updating to BMW’s 'Operating System 8.5', offering improved functionality and all housed within a fetching, single-piece rectangular display screen that also takes in the instrumentation.

Along with a flat-bottomed steering wheel, redesigned air vent knobs, fewer buttons, revised trim and different ambient lighting, they refresh what was a dated-looking cabin.

One look and you might think 'honey I shrunk the Stavic', and that’s not too bad of a summary. There are some ungainly touches to the design of the Tivoli XLV - as you might expect from a small SUV that has been stretched.

But from some angles, it doesn’t look too bad. The front end is quite fetching, I think, with those projector halogen headlights with LED daytime running lights cutting a different shape to many of its rival models sold in our market. However, the overtly lipped quarter panels aren’t to all tastes, and the curved, clear-lensed tail-lights aren’t going to win any beauty contests.

I don’t think it’s ugly in the same way the original Stavic was… but SsangYong let us in on a secret at the launch event in Korea: there’s an updated, facelifted version of the Tivoli XLV and the regular Tivoli due in June 2019. It may be worth waiting for, because not only will it bring a new, more modern look, it will probably add equipment and safety features. 

What do you think? Does it look more or less attractive than, say, a Honda HR-V, Mitsubishi ASX or Nissan Qashqai? Tell us in the comments section below. 

Now, size: the XLV is essentially a stretched, more family-friendly version of the Tivoli. Both are built on the same line, and everything is pretty much the same from the C-pillar forward. It measures 4440mm long (which is 198mm longer than the standard Tivoli, both on a 2600mm wheelbase), 1798mm wide and 1635mm tall (Tivoli is 1590mm). The XLV is longer than any other small SUV it competes against. 

Australian customers are expected to be able to choose between an array of eight body colours and a contrasting roof finish. One really smart combination is the red body and black roof, and high-spec models are expected to get flashy 18-inch wheels (with 16s on low spec models).

The benefits of the Tivoli XLV’s stretched body are clearest in the boot area, which beats some mid-sized SUVs. 

You could be forgiven for thinking you’ve stepped into a mid-sized rather than small coupe, with today’s G42 being larger in every area except wheelbase than an E46 3 Series Coupe of about 25 years ago.

Length, width, height and wheelbase dimensions are 4548mm, 1838mm, 1404mm and 2741mm, respectively, which make for a surprisingly easy-to-access and spacious cabin – at least for adults up front.

In fact, if nobody is sat behind, even a 200cm-plus individual can stretch out. German cars are great at accommodating the 99-percentile people. And head room’s not bad either, even with the standard sunroof.

BMW’s are about driving, so no shocks to learn that the M240i’s driving position is first class. Sat low and snug, this is a suitably sporty yet incredibly comfortable and high-quality environment, aided by nicely bolstered M Sport seats, a lovely steering wheel and a beautifully presented dashboard. Everything fits like a glove.

If the notion of reducing the number of buttons in the newly-extended electronic interface raises red flags (how many times have we moaned about this in most software-based Chinese vehicles?), rest assured: the M240i’s ergonomics are spot-on.

There are still plenty of switches alongside the iDrive controller and gearshifter for all major vehicle functions, Porsche-style, as well as big old physical buttons for the (soaring) audio, to back up the screen shortcuts for more-detailed functions. It only takes a few moments to learn how easy and intuitive the whole set-up is. BMW leads the way here.

Crisp, clear and colourful digital graphics almost make up for the fact that the gorgeous old analogue dials of old are extinct. Instead, the company serves up unremarkable angular instrument displays and electronic readouts. Very comprehensive and informative, they do the job, but are utterly bereft of character or style. It’s as if Munich’s designers have forgotten how to make things look pretty nowadays. Hang on, do we see a pattern emerging here?

More solid Teutonic sensibility – this time far-more artfully served up – can be found in the excellent ventilation system, ample console-sited storage and pleasingly deep door pockets, highlighting how easy the M240i is to live with.

Crash regulations demand central posts, so no pillarless sides unfortunately in this modern coupe, but frameless door glass is nice (and assists in entry/egress when retracted), enhancing that sporty sensation.

The flipside is poor side and rear vision for the driver, but – frankly – it is otherwise difficult to fault the M240i’s interior layout and presentation.

Even the back-seat area tries hard.

The seats whirr forward and back (slowly) to increase/decrease the narrow aperture as required (using a shoulder-height lever within easy reach), though you’ll need to be pretty flexible accessing the two-person buckets that await. Once ensconced there, there’s sufficient space, padding and support for most folk of up to about 180cm to travel in reasonable comfort, as long as the front-seat occupants aren’t in maximum chaise longue mode and journeys aren’t too long. The quite-upright backrest angle can’t be adjusted.

Just ensure the climate control is on. Things can become pretty stuffy, quickly. And be thankful for the air vents, extended glass area, middle armrest with cupholders and reading lights.

Further back, there is a large-ish, 390-litre boot with a low, wide and flat floor, that can be extended by tugging on a handle to drop the 40/20/40 split/fold backrests as required.

The usual tie-down hooks, lighting and power outlets are present, but you’ll search in vain for a space-saver wheel. Just the dreaded 'tyre mobility kit' that – once deployed – will likely ruin your tyre and cost hundreds to replace. No thanks.

A gashed tyre. No phone coverage. What a way to ruin a great drive day out on your favourite rural roads and in such an immensely enjoyable car. Australia demands a spare tyre.

If you’re buying the Tivoli XLV, it’s arguably because it’s a compact SUV with the interior space of a bigger SUV inside. With a claimed cargo capacity of 720 litres (VDA), that makes sense. The XLV adds 297L more space (VDA) over the Tivoli, with a bigger boot than some very big SUVs.

In person the boot looks pretty big, but not as enormous as the numbers suggest. The fact there’s a false floor set-up is handy, though, and the packaged from SsangYong to be able to engineer so much boot space and still offer a four-wheel-drive system and multilink rear suspension is almost genius. Many brands can’t do it as well as SsangYong has. And going by SsangYong’s promise to fit a full-size spare wheel to all of its AWD models, the packaging is even more impressive.

It was handy for us to drive the XLV alongside the Musso and Rexton, both of which are newer-generation models that feel more modern inside. That isn’t to say the XLV feels old - it’s just not as special as its bigger siblings. Again, the face-lifted model due in 2019 could go a ways to fixing that.

If I had to compare the quality and design of the XLV to any car, it would be the old Hyundai ix35. You remember that small-to-mid-size SUV that came before the Tucson, which was on sale here from 2010 to 2015? Well, its cabin design and materials were fine, but nothing special. A bit like the Mitsubishi ASX, which launched around the same time as the ix35, yet is still sold today (and in big numbers!).

The front seats are pretty comfortable and the driver’s seat has good adjustment to it, but taller front seat passengers may lament the lack of height adjustment to the seat - especially in models fitted with a sunroof.

In the back there’s easily enough for a 182-centimetre-tall adult to sit behind their own driving position, with more knee room than most small SUVs, and reasonable shoulder and head room, too. The XLV is a five-seater, and three across the back is possible, but not enjoyable. There are dual ISOFIX child-seat anchors for outboard seats, and top-tethers across the width.

We don’t know what price SsangYong is aiming to list the XLV model range at, because the company hasn’t yet confirmed pricing and specifications. So we can’t tell you what it will cost.

But we do know there will be manual and automatic variants available in four-wheel drive only (4WD/AWD) at launch, and it will be diesel only. The smaller Tivoli will be offered with petrol and diesel, and a more affordable front-wheel drive model.

There’s an expectation that the XLV will come well specified as standard, but that two trim levels will be offered.

The base model will likely have cloth seat trim, dual-zone climate control and a leather-lined steering wheel, while the top-spec will come with leather seat trim. All models will likely come with a touchscreen media system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus USB and auxiliary inputs and Bluetooth phone and audio streaming.

Seat heating, auto headlights, auto wipers, a sunroof, 18-inch wheels (as opposed to 16s on the base spec), push-button start and keyless entry could be offered standard in the high grade version - but we’ll have to wait and see. 

Expect more safety equipment in the top version, too, but a reversing camera and parking sensors should be offered range-wide. 

As a potential budget-conscious offering pitched against relative high-spec small SUVs, the Tivoli XLV prove intriguing. Think of a Honda HR-V VTi-L, which lists at $33,390, and has a 1.8-litre petrol engine and is front-wheel drive… a similarly specified diesel AWD automatic model could be tempting.

As before, the M240i employs a 3.0-litre direct-injection turbo-charged in-line six-cylinder petrol engine, making a heady 285kW of power at 6500rpm and 500Nm of torque between 1900rpm and 5000rpm.

A ZF-supplied eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission is fitted (and, sadly, no manual is available), driving all four wheels via an AWD system with an M Sport-tuned differential.

The XLV will come with only one engine option - a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine. Hardly a horsepower hero, it produces 115kW of power (from 3400-4000rpm) and 300Nm of torque (1500-2500rpm).

It is available with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic, with a standard-fit 4WD system known as 'Torque On Demand 4x4', which can sense the surface under the tyres and apportion torque to the rear axle to ensure better traction. SsangYong says it may offer a front-wheel drive XLV if demand necessitates.

A diesel engine isn’t unique, but it is rare in the small SUV class. But the fact of the matter is about 90 per cent of small SUVs sold are petrol-auto, so diesel could miss the mark for a lot of buyers. 

The XLV offers a bonus element - towing capacity: the XLV can cope with a 500-kilogram unbraked trailer, and a 1500kg braked trailer - pretty strong for a compact SUV. Consider it competing against the Mazda CX-3 diesel AWD (640kg un-braked, 800kg braked) and Mitsubishi ASX (750kg/1400kg).

Rated as a Euro 6d-compliant vehicle, the M240i’s average combined fuel consumption figure is 8.0 litres per 100km, for a carbon dioxide emissions average of 185 grams/km.

With a 52-litre tank brimmed with premium unleaded petrol (98 RON minimum is recommended), that should result in about 650km between refills on average.

Over a mix of urban and highway driving, we managed 8.9L/100km, which is better than the pre-facelift version’s 9.6L/100km. That’s impressive stuff for a performance-orientated sports coupe.

The fuel consumption claim for the Tivoli XLV 4x4 auto is 6.3 litres per 100 kilometres. That’s not bad, and some small SUVs are better… 

The Mazda CX-3 diesel AWD auto, which has a very low claimed consumption of 5.1L/100km (admittedly, it has a 1.5-litre engine with just 77kW/270Nm). But even the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel Mitsubishi ASX AWD auto uses less, at 6.0L/100km, and it’s almost a decade old. That engine has 110kW/360Nm.

The Tivoli XLV is a fair bit bigger than those two models, but even so, the fuel use should be a bit lower. It just goes to show the engine is working hard to deal with the weight of the Tivoli XLV, which in its heaviest guise, weighs 1535kg. Beefy.

The M240i xDrive’s specification reads like it’s straight out of BMW fan fiction.

Nestled within a shrunken 3 Series-derived 'CLAR' platform brandishing near-50:50 weight distribution, stuffed between beefed-up struts up front, is a strident in-line six, driving the rear or all four wheels via an M Sport differential and held up by a multi-link rear axle.

The promise here is an athletic driving machine on one hand and a cosseting grand tourer on the other, but whether the M240i can walk that fickle red line as effortlessly four years on… well, that’s what we’re here to find out. As we said earlier, sub-3.5s Teslas and the like have really messed with the bang-for-your-buck playbook since 2021.

Luckily, the reality only reiterates the 2 Series Coupe’s place in the sun. Rather than the anodyne (or artificial) whine of an electric motor, here instead is one of the greatest modern engines in the world, mated to arguably the best auto transmission ever in existence.

That’s a terrific start. And, once the button is pressed, the M240i’s performance bandwidth is deeply moving and immensely satisfying.

With a kerb weight of 1690kg, the M240i’s power to weight ratio is an impressive 168.6kW/tonne, helping it to scoot from standstill to 100km/h in 4.3 seconds, on the way to an electronically-limited top speed of 250km/h. Note that the M2 flagship is just 0.3s quicker to 100.

Pottering about town in its most benign ('Eco Pro') setting, the B58-hearted Bimmer slinks about gingerly, purring like a content tabby while skimming along over all sorts of urban roads like a luxury car costing a lot more should, taking everything in its stride. Given this is what driving is like for most people most of the time, the BMW nails it.

More throttle unleashes a surging snarl as the BMW’s speed steps up, with varying degrees of urgency according to the driver’s will and desire. Racing up through the gears, the German straight six feels like it has barely stirred; like things are just warming up.

In conjunction with Sport mode, here is where the M240i really starts to take off, leaping into action, engine roaring as speeds soar as if every road is a stretch of derestricted autobahn. The pace of this coupe is quite remarkable. Planted yet precise, the steering firms up as the chassis hunkers down, and you’re left in awe of how calm and composed the car constantly feels. Even in pouring rain.

As the roads start to snake and twist, the BMW glides through the chosen line with startling grip and confidence, without ever feeling nervous or twitchy in standard traction settings, regardless of surface or weather conditions. That’s the AWD doing its thing.

The M240i is all about nuance and control, whether you’re talking steering, handling, roadholding, braking or electronic intervention. It is refreshing to feel so connected to the driving experience so intimately.

As we said back in 2022, plonking for Sport Plus mode, with the stability and traction nannies neutered, is an easy street to big old oversteer spills and thrills, if so desired.

And then, you’re back in Eco Pro, crawling along in cocooned comfort and relying on the ADAS tech to waft you along, before being back in 'Individual' mode as the road ahead clears, with powertrain in 'Sport' but the suspension in 'Comfort'; just right for times when you just want to streak ahead of slower traffic without pummelling your spine. It’s all there for you. The M240i can do it all.

Inevitably, in Sport mode the ride’s firmness can be fatiguing on bad urban roads. Likewise, the tyre noise over coarse bitumen is tiring over longer drives. And it is all too easy to exceed the speed limit.

Earlier, we said we prefer this over the extroverted, track-focused M2, despite the latter’s astounding speed, thunderous soundtrack and tremendous dynamic capabilities, and that’s because of the M240i’s ability to deliver pleasure with everyday user-friendliness. Plus, the performance flagship is only 0.3s quicker to 100.

Maybe the latest base manual M2 might change our minds.

As it stands, on the move, the M240i is BMW in full flight, staying true to brand values but without frying your nerves or depleting your bank account too much. We love it and you should too.

It’s difficult to learn what a car is all about over 29km, but that was the task I was handed in Korea, where I drove the Tivoli XLV from the hotel in Gangnam, Seoul, to a rest stop some 24km north of town. Then I jumped in some other models, before eventually getting a further - very illustrative - 5km stint behind the wheel at an off-road coarse later in the day.

There was some traffic, slow moving highway driving, and even a bit of higher-speed cruising. And it was fine.

The diesel engine was impressively refined and quiet, so much so that I initially thought it was a petrol. But after a couple of instances of traffic halts, it became clear there was a little more rattle from under the bonnet, and a more heft over the nose than you’d expect of a petrol.

That said, the performance was muted. With a torque output of 300Nm, you might think it would be potent - but it’s really not, and there’s some hesitancy from standstill, not to mention some sluggishness during roll-on acceleration.

The six-speed auto transmission did a good job, as far as I could tell, but a more arduous test loop will sort the facts from the feels.

As for the dynamic element, it’s hard to say anything other than the XLV felt smaller, more nimble and more fun to drive than either the Rexton or Musso models I also drive. The steering was adequate in its response, if a little lifeless, and the ride was a touch harder than I was expecting, but not sharp or punishing.

If you’re interested in off road specs, the Tivoli XLV is said to offer a 20 degree approach angle, a 20.8deg departure angle, and 17.0deg ramp-over. More of a problem, though, was the lack of ground clearance. The figure is just 168mm, which isn’t much more than some regular run-of-the-mill hatchbacks. Consider this: a Subaru XV has 220mm. Yep.

The suspension travel isn’t huge, either, with stiff-legged feel to the model we drove. Part of that could have come down to the stylish 18-inch alloy wheels and low-profile tyres, but it simply isn’t a soft and wobbly off-road SUV. It’s a monocoque chassis small crossover, so if you want a more serious SsangYong off-roader, the ladder-frame Rexton could offer a lot more appeal. 

The Tivoli XLV doesn’t have an ANCAP crash test rating, but it was tested by Euro NCAP in 2016, where it scored a less-than-excellent four- out of five-star score. That’s in spite of the fact it was available with auto emergency braking (AEB), too. 

According to SsangYong, the “top of the range Tivoli will feature AEB, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and high-beam assist”. We’ve heard that will be mirrored in Tivoli XLV flagship spec, too.

The Tivoli XLV has seven airbags (dual front, driver’s knee, front side and full-length curtain), as well as a reversing camera and rear parking sensors. ISOFIX child seat anchors are standard.

BMW offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, matching all of its German rivals, as well as three years of roadside assistance.

As always, servicing frequency is condition-based, depending on how they’re driven, amongst other factors, with an indicator on the instrument panel to alert the driver/owner. That said, our advice is to always visit your BMW dealer annually or at every 10,000km, just to be certain.

Capped-price servicing is not offered.

However, the ‘BMW Service Inclusive Basic package’ is available at extra cost, covering scheduled servicing for five years/80,000km, as long as the scheme is subscribed to before the end of the first 12 months of first registration. A 2 Series should cost from $2380.

Nothing has been confirmed yet, but we suspect SsangYong could be working to match one of the best warranty offers in the Australian market in mimicking Kia’s seven-year/unlimited kilometre plan. In the UK SsangYong models have seven-year/150,000 mile (241,000km) cover, but an unlimited mileage offer is expected here. 

If that’s the case, and models like the Tivoli XLV can be competitively priced for servicing, and with reasonable (read: not too frequent!) service intervals, then the score for this element of our test could increase in later reviews.