Ssangyong Tivoli vs BMW X5
What's the difference?

Ssangyong Tivoli

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2019 price

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BMW X5

$78,990 - $141,888

2024 price

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Summary

2019 Ssangyong Tivoli

2024 BMW X5

By Tom White

By Mark Oastler

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Diesel Turbo 4, 1.6L

Turbo 6, 3.0L

Fuel Type

Diesel

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

5.5L/100km (combined)

9.2L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Responsive, powerful diesel
Huge cabin
Seven-year warranty

Design/build quality
Performance/efficiency
Interior comfort/features

Dislikes

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

Space-saver spare
Busy control panel
Passenger dash glare

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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2024 BMW X5 Summary

The BMW X5 is a leading contender in the ‘Over $70K Large SUV’ division of Australia’s new car market, which is a hotly-contested segment boasting 15 marques and 25 models.

The X5 has hit an enduring sweet spot with Aussie buyers in terms of size, performance and price. BMW prefers to call it a Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) as distinct from its Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) rivals.

Clearly, any word association with a utility is something BMW Group Australia wants to avoid after recently launching its latest X5 range, which brings numerous enhancements including design revisions, increased standard equipment, refreshed powertrains and more.

We were entrusted with the digital ‘Comfort Access’ key to one of the latest X5s, to understand from a family car perspective why this model range enjoys such enduring popularity with prestige SUV (sorry, SAV) buyers.

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Deep dive comparison

2019 Ssangyong Tivoli 2024 BMW X5

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.

Verdict

This is a luxurious prestige five-seater brimming with BMW’s latest design and technology that’s not only practical for weekly family duties but can also embrace spirited driving with the push of a button. A great all-rounder for families that like a sporty edge.

Ssangyong Tivoli vs BMW X5 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Ssangyong Tivoli vs BMW X5
What's the difference?