GWM Haval H6 vs Ssangyong Tivoli

What's the difference?

GWM’s Haval H6 has been a solid budget-oriented mid-size family SUV for years now, but now it might be a better package than ever.

This current model has just received a mid-life update that brings new looks inside and out, new powertrain options, as well as a revised trim level structure.

Competition in the mid-size SUV segment is hotter than ever with fierce rivals like the Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson.

Is the updated GWM Haval H6 worth considering? Read on to find out.

Did you know SsangYong translates to ‘Double Dragon’?

How friggin’ cool is that? Far cooler, at least, than the Korean brand’s history, which the word ‘tumultuous’ barely begins to cover.

After years of ownership woes and a near-bankruptcy, the brand came out the other side with enough stability to field a range of new vehicles, courtesy of its ambitious new owners - Indian giant Mahindra & Mahindra.

The Tivoli small SUV is the first car to launch under the new, cashed-up leadership and when it landed in Korea in 2015 it was solely responsible for the ‘Double Dragon’ brand turning its first profit in nine years.

Fast forward a few years, and a re-booted SsangYong is again confident enough to enter the Australian market, with a four-pronged, all-new SUV assault.

So, does the Tivoli have what it takes to break into our highly competitive small-SUV scene and help SsangYong pull a miraculous Korean turn-around, a-la-Hyundai?

I spent a week in the mid-spec Tivoli ELX diesel to find out.