Beijing 2016: SsangYong Tivoli To Lead Ssangyong’s Relaunch In Malaysia

The now-dormant SsangYong brand is set to make a comeback in Malaysia next year via a new distributor.

Sources familiar with the matter told Carlist.my that the Tivoli crossover will be leading the Indian Mahindra & Mahindra-owned Korean brand’s re-entry into Malaysia.

The Tivoli seen here was exhibited at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show and wears the Tivolan nameplate - the Tivoli’s Chinese name.

SsangYong was last distributed by Competitive Supreme Sdn. Bhd., but there hasn’t been much activity from the company for several years already. In 2011, SsangYong Motor was acquired by India’s Mahindra & Mahindra.

SsangYong Motor has yet to officially announce the identity of its new distributor in Malaysia but the company has just appointed Berjaya Auto Philippines, which also owns the distribution rights to Mazda vehicles in the Philippines, as its new distributor for the Philippines market.

Berjaya Auto also owns Bermaz Motor, the distributor of Mazda vehicles in Malaysia.

Not to be confused with the larger boot Tivoli XLV, the Tivoli is a crossover that’s about the size of a Ford EcoSport or a Mazda CX-3. It’s slightly smaller than either the Honda HR-V or Mitsubishi ASX. Both Tivoli and Tivoli XLV are five-seater vehicles. 

Globally, the Tivoli (whose name also reads ‘iloveit’ when read in reverse) is available with two engine options, a 1.6-litre e-XGi petrol engine and a 1.6-litre e-XDi diesel engine.

The petrol engine produces 128 PS at 6,000rpm with 160 Nm of torque at 4,600 rpm. Meanwhile, the diesel engine produces 115 PS between 3,400 to 4,000rpm and 300 Nm between 1,500 to 2,500 rpm.

Both engines are paired to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic. The latter is available in both 2WD and 4WD configurations. 

We expect the SsangYong Tivoli to debut in Malaysia in 2017.

The SsangYong Tivoli will join the turbocharged MG GS in an attempt to get a slice of the increasingly crowded crossover market.