Ssangyong Tivoli, Rexton, Musso to launch with driveaway pricing and 7-year warranty

It’s been several years since Ssangyong shut up shop in Australia, but the Korean automaker is making a comeback in November this year. And to make sure Aussie SUV and ute shoppers take notice, the brand has announced not only a three-model range of keenly-priced products, but one of the best factory warranties in the country as well.

All new Ssangyongs sold in Australia will be covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, the most generous terms of any manufacturer bar Kia, which also boasts seven-year coverage of its cars. It’s a strong show of faith in its own products by the company, and also comes with seven years of roadside assistance and fixed service pricing.

All Ssangyongs will also have emergency braking (AEB) and forward collision warning (FCW) as standard, however, full specifications have yet to be announced.

Pricing transparency will be another strong suit of the incoming Ssangyong range, which will be made up of the Tivoli small SUV, the Musso dual cab ute and the Musso-based Rexton large SUV.

Ssangyong has taken the unusual step of announcing national driveaway pricing for each variant of all three models, meaning prospective buyers will have a much clearer idea of how much they’ll need to pay to put one in their driveway.

TIVOLI

The Ssangyong Tivoli EX is the price leader with a drive-away sticker of $23,490, putting it at the lower end of the small SUV segment against rivals like the Mazda CX-3, Ford EcoSport, Haval H2 and Holden Trax. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring will be standard, along with a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, seven airbags and the aforementioned AEB and FCW.

Power will be provided by a 1.6-litre petrol or 1.6 litre diesel, the former generating 94kW/160Nm, and the latter offering 84kW/300Nm. A six-speed manual will be available with a six-speed automatic optional, with all models besides the range-topping Ultimate grade taking power to the front wheels only.

Opt for the Ssangyong Tivoli Ultimate and all-wheel drive becomes standard, along with a diesel engine, heated and ventilated seats, leather upholstery, front parking sensors, 18-inch alloys and a sunroof.

The Tivoli XLV sits alongside the regular Tivoli, but features 245mm of extra length behind the rear wheels to endow it with a larger boot (measuring a sizable 720 litres) and a more conventional SUV wagon bodystyle. Only available with the 1.6-litre diesel, the Tivoli XLV will be offered in two grades: ELX or Ultimate, with the ELX costing $31,990 driveaway and the Ultimate transacting at $34,990 (add $500 for a two-tone paint scheme).

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REXTON

The Ssangyong Rexton offers a larger SUV option, with seven seats aboard its sizable 4.8-metre long body and with rugged off-road underpinnings shared with the Musso utility.

Three variants make up the Ssangyong Rexton line-up – EX at the bottom, ELX in the middle and Ultimate at the top. The Rexton EX, only available with a turbocharged 165kW/350Nm 2.0-litre petrol four-cylinder, six-speed auto and rear-wheel drive, opens the range at $39,990 driveaway, significantly undercutting similar competitors like the Ford Everest, Holden Trailblazer, Isuzu MU-X, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Toyota Fortuner. Standard features will include AEB, FCW, auto high-beam, lane departure warning, smartphone mirroring and dual-zone climate control.

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The $46,990 ELX grade adds a diesel 2.2-litre with 133kW/420Nm, and features a Mercedes-Benz-sourced seven-speed automatic and four-wheel drive as standard. The same mechanical layout propels the flagship Rexton Ultimate, priced at $52,990 drive-away.

The airbag count increases to nine and blind spot monitoring, lane change assist and rear cross traffic alert are added to the safety list at the ELX level, while the Ultimate gains heated/ventilated front seats, 20-inch wheels, a 360-degree parking camera, powered tailgate, leather upholstery and a sunroof.

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MUSSO

Dual-cab utilities are big business in Australia, and Ssangyong is returning to the segment with the latest generation of the Musso. The all-new Ssangyong Musso will have a three-variant, all-diesel range with a familiar EX, ELX, Ultimate hierarchy. The base Ssangyong Musso EX can be had with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic (not the Mercedes unit found in the Rexton, but one sourced from Japanese company Aisin), while the Musso ELX and Ultimate will be equipped with the six-speed auto as standard.

No matter which grade you select, every Musso comes with a 2.2-litre turbo diesel four developing 133kW and 400Nm, plus four-wheel drive, a limited-slip differential, AEB, FCW and a three-tonne towing capacity – which Ssangyong Australia is working on increasing to 3.5 tonne.

The base Ssangyong Musso EX begins at a very sharp $30,490 driveaway (add $2000 for the automatic), putting it well under not only popular dual-cabs like the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux, Holden Colorado, Isuzu D-Max and Nissan Navara, but also into a competitive position against bargain-priced competitors like the Mahindra Pik-Up and Great Wall Steed.

Step up to the Ssangyong Musso ELX and the price rises to $35,990 that’s still well ahead of mainstream rivals and enhanced by the addition of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 18-inch alloy wheels, blind spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert and lane change assist.

Meanwhile at the top of the tree sits the Ultimate at $39,990, which lobs in cheaper than most dual-cab diesel entry models from the dominant players in the segment and carries the additional benefit of that seven-year warranty – a level of coverage that simply doesn’t exist in the commercial utility segment given Kia’s absence from that end of the market.

Equipment highlights for the Ssangyong Musso Ultimate include heated and ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, 20-inch alloy wheels and a 360-degree parking camera.

PRICING

Note: all prices shown are drive-away

Tivoli

• Ssangyong Tivoli EX petrol manual - $23,490
• Ssangyong Tivoli EX petrol automatic - $25,490
• Ssangyong Tivoli ELX petrol automatic - $27,490
• Ssangyong Tivoli ELX diesel automatic - $29,990
• Ssangyong Tivoli Ultimate AWD diesel automatic - $33,990
• Ssangyong Tivoli XLV ELX diesel automatic - $31,990
• Ssangyong Tivoli XLV Ultimate AWD diesel automatic $34,990
• Two-tone option for Ultimate - $500

Rexton

• Ssangyong Rexton EX RWD petrol automatic - $39,990
• Ssangyong Rexton ELX 4WD diesel automatic - $46,990
• Ssangyong Rexton Ultimate 4WD diesel automatic - $52,990

Musso

• Ssangyong Musso EX 4WD manual - $30,490
• Ssangyong Musso EX 4WD automatic - $32,490
• Ssangyong Musso ELX 4WD automatic - $35,990
• Ssangyong Musso Ultimate 4WD automatic - $39,990