Mazda CX-30 vs Ssangyong Tivoli
What's the difference?

Mazda CX-30

$22,850 - $39,990

2024 price

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Ssangyong Tivoli

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2019 price

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Chery Tiggo 8 PRO MAX

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Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

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Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

Mitsubishi ASX

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Summary

2024 Mazda CX-30

2019 Ssangyong Tivoli

By James Cleary

By Tom White

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Inline 4, 2.5L

Diesel Turbo 4, 1.6L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

Diesel

Fuel Efficiency

6.6L/100km (combined)

5.5L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Value
Practicality
Safety

Responsive, powerful diesel
Huge cabin
Seven-year warranty

Dislikes

Dated interior
Fuel efficiency could be better
Bit noisy

Boot could be more useful
Divisive rear styling
Still some naff interior bits

2024 Mazda CX-30 Summary

If you’re in the market for a city- and family-friendly compact SUV, you’re in luck.

The small SUV segment is one of the most heavily populated and hotly contested in the Aussie new-car market and the Mazda CX-30 G25 GT SP FWD is pitched against a seething pack of at least 10 similarly sized, generously specified and highly-credentialed competitors.

So, stay with us on a mission to determine whether this high-end version of one of Mazda’s best sellers is worthy of a spot on your new-car short list.

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2019 Ssangyong Tivoli Summary

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.

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Deep dive comparison

2024 Mazda CX-30 2019 Ssangyong Tivoli

Verdict

About to enter its fifth year in market the Mazda CX-30 is holding up well and this GT SP FWD grade delivers solid value relative to its key competitors, of which there are many. It’s also space-efficient, practical and performs well with top-shelf safety, decent refinement and good dynamic ability.

Alternately, it’s crying out for a hybrid powertrain to improve fuel efficiency, the interior form and function is starting to date and while it meets the market the ownership promise could be sharper. But this little SUV is still worthy of a spot on your new-car short list.

Verdict

I was asked the critical question while I had the Tivoli ELX on test – “Do you think people will buy this car?” After some time in thought, my answer was – “Not many… yet.”

Those who can look past the brand perceptions are getting an SUV which is damn near as good as anything on the market – and likely cheaper to run.

To that, you can say a lot of things: If only it cost slightly less. If only its rear was better looking. If only it had a five-star safety rating.

But here it is – the fact that the Tivoli can even hold a candle to its slick, finely tuned competition says a lot. The Double Dragon is back, and if it can afford to stick around for a while, perhaps it will stand a chance of putting the big players on notice.

Mazda CX-30 vs Ssangyong Tivoli What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Mazda CX-30 vs Ssangyong Tivoli
What's the difference?