SUV Reviews

The Endura is Ford's large five-seater SUV and the ST-Line is the sporty mid-range grade in the line-up with its list price of $53,990 for the front-wheel drive version (add another $4000 for all-wheel drive).

The Ford Endura is a large five-seat SUV and the Titanium grade sits at the top of the range with its list price of $63,990 for the front-wheel drive version (add another $4000 for all-wheel drive).

The Audi Q8 isn't cut from the same swoopy cloth as its direct rivals - the BMW X6 and Mercedes GLE Coupe - but that's a good thing. Because on first impressions, it's better than both of those cars.

The Audi Q8 2019 range will kick off in Australia in January 2019 with the petrol-powered 55 TFSI model.The list pricing for the Q8 petrol is $128,900 before on-road costs - the same as the 50 TDI diesel version, which is identically equipped. That pricing means the Q8 55 TFSI undercuts the closest BMW X6 (50i - $153,619) and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe (AMG 43 - $145,830) by $24,719 and $16,930 respectively. That’s good news in anyone’s book. The 55 TFSI model is powered by a 3.0-litre petrol V6 engine producing 250kW of power and 500Nm of torque. It uses an eight-speed automatic transmission with all-wheel drive, and is backed by a 48-volt mild hybrid system that helps it save a little bit of fuel by allowing coasting at high speeds and engine shut off when decelerating. Claimed consumption is rated at 9.2L/100km. Standard gear includes 21-inch alloy wheels, the S line exterior styling pack, adaptive suspension with damper control, adaptive cruise control with lane change assist, a 360-degree camera with kerb view (so you don’t mark those huge rims, obviously!), Valcona leather upholstery, front seats with electric adjustment plus heating and ventilation, a leather-trimmed steering wheel with paddle shifters, LED headlights (with auto-high beam) and daytime running lights, three-zone climate control, a head-up display, Audi’s 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit instrument cluster, and Audi’s new MMI touch response control screen with 10.1- and 8.6-inch screens for media and car controls.There’s the expected connectivity of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus you get sat nav GPS, DAB digital radio and a 10-speaker sound system.Safety is covered with auto emergency braking (AEB) up to 250km/h, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist (including steering assist up to 60km/h), lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a forward cross-traffic alert system known as ‘Intersection Assist’. Plus, there’s a 360-degree surround-view camera system with AI graphic interface and adjustable view system, front and rear parking sensors, and semi-autonomous park assist.Of course there’s also the expected array of airbags (dual front, front-side, rear-side, full-length curtain) and the rear seat has dual ISOFIX and three top tether baby seat attachment points.

The diesel option for buyers interested in the Audi Q8 2019 range is the 50 TDI model, which is due on sale before the middle of 2019.The 50 TDI is priced and specified identically to the 55 TFSI petrol, with a list price of $128,900 before on-road costs. In terms of its direct rivals, there’s a more affordable X6 (xDrive30d - $119,900) and GLE Coupe (350d - $126,330) to choose from.The 50 TDI version of the Q8 is powered by a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine producing 210kW of power and 620Nm of torque. It employs an eight-speed auto transmission, and has quattro all-wheel drive. This model, like the petrol, has a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that helps it save a little bit of fuel by allowing coasting at high speeds and engine shut off when decelerating. Claimed consumption is rated at 6.7L/100km. Standard equipment includes 21-inch alloy wheels, the S line exterior styling pack, adaptive suspension with damper control, adaptive cruise control with lane change assist, a 360-degree camera with kerb view (so you don’t mark those huge rims, obviously!), Valcona leather upholstery, front seats with electric adjustment plus heating and ventilation, a leather-trimmed steering wheel with paddle shifters, LED headlights (with auto high beam) and daytime running lights, three-zone climate control, a head-up display, Audi’s 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit instrument cluster, and the new MMI touch response control screen with 10.1- and 8.6-inch screens for media and car controls.There’s the expected connectivity of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus you get sat nav GPS, DAB digital radio and a 10-speaker sound system.Safety is covered with auto emergency braking (AEB) up to 250km/h, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist (including steering assist up to 60km/h), lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a forward cross-traffic alert system known as ‘Intersection Assist’. Plus there’s a 360-degree surround-view camera system with AI graphic interface and adjustable view system, front and rear parking sensors, and semi-autonomous park assist for those who are nervous about marking the huge rims. Of course there’s also the expected array of airbags (dual front, front-side, rear-side, full-length curtain) and the rear seat has dual ISOFIX and three top tether baby seat attachment points.

SsangYong's Tivoli is the latest compact SUV to enter the fray. Will its neat looks, competitive pricing and seven-year warranty be enough to rattle its rivals?

The ELX is the mid-spec Tivoli and it's available as a 2WD with a 1.6-litre petrol engine (94kW and 160Nm) and six-speed auto ($27,490 drive-away pricing); or a 2WD with a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine (85kW/300Nm) and six-speed auto ($29,990 drive-away pricing). 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 ELX also gets the optional 1.6-litre diesel, leather-covered steering wheel, telescopic steering, front/rear park assist, lane departure warning (LDW), lane keep assist (LKA), high beam assist (HBA), roof rails, luggage screen, dual-zone air-conditioning, tinted glass, and HID headlamps.The Tivoli does not have an ANCAP rating because it has not been tested here yet.Every Tivoli has a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, seven years’ roadside assistance and a seven-year service-price plan.

The top-spec Tivoli is available as the AWD Ultimate with a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel (85kW/300Nm) and six-speed auto ($33,990 drive-away pricing); or two-tone paint AWD Ultimate with a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel and six-speed auto ($34,490 drive-away pricing).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, but the Ultimate also gets leather-covered steering wheel, telescopic steering, front/rear park assist, lane departure warning (LDW), lane-keep assist (LKA), high-beam assist (HBA), roof rails, luggage screen, dual-zone air-conditioning, tinted glass, HID headlamps, 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 by its name, gets the two-tone colour package.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).Every Tivoli has a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, seven years’ roadside assistance and a seven-year service-price plan.

The XLV is “an extended body model”, of the Tivoli, according to SsangYong officials. It was not available to drive at launch, but a latest spec XLV is expected on the media test fleet early in 2019. The XLV will be available in ELX trim ($31,990 drive-away), with the same spec level as a Tivoli ELX and only as a 2WD: next step up is the AWD Ultimate at $34,990 (drive-away pricing) or spend another extra $500 and get a two-tone AWD Ultimate ($35,490 drive-away pricing).  All XLVs have a Euro 6-compliant 1.6-litre diesel engine and a six-speed Aisin automatic transmission. As standard, every Tivoli XLV 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 ELX also gets leather-covered steering wheel, telescopic steering, front/rear park assist, lane-departure warning (LDW), lane-keep assist (LKA), high-beam assist (HBA), roof rails, luggage screen, dual-zone air-conditioning, tinted glass, HID headlamps and 16-inch alloy wheels.Beyond that the Ultimate versions also gets all-wheel drive, leather seats, powered/heated/vented front seats, sun roof, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a full-size spare tyre. The Ultimate 2-Tone gets the two-tone colour package.Safety gear includes seven airbags, AEB and forward collision warning (FCW). The Tivoli does not have an ANCAP rating because it has not been tested here yet.Every Tivoli has a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, seven years’ roadside assistance and a seven-year service-price plan.

The EX is the base-spec Tivoli and is available with a 1.6-litre petrol engine (94kW and 160Nm) and six-speed manual gearbox ($23,490 drive-away pricing), or with a 1.6-litre petrol engine and six-speed automatic transmission ($25,490 drive-away pricing). Both versions are 2WD.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 Tivoli does not have an ANCAP rating because it has not been tested here yet.Every Tivoli has a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, seven years’ roadside assistance and a seven-year service-price plan.