SsangYong caught the eye of many when it launched its compact Tivoli crossover last year. We were impressed by the car’s value-for-money when we reviewed the five-seater, and it sold over 3,300 examples in Britain in its first year.

Now SsangYong are looking to expand the Tivoli’s appeal with this new, larger XLV model. Pretty much all the components used for the original Tivoli have been carried over to this new XLV model, including the same platform and wheelbase.

The one key difference is that the body has been stretched behind the C pillar by 238mm, allowing the car to offer much bigger boot capacity. You may be surprised to learn though that the XLV does not offer two extra seats to transform the car into a seven-seater. Although SsangYong toyed with this idea, it was decided the rear bench would be too cramped.

Because of how the length and shape has been altered, the XLV has more of an estate vibe than the regular Tivoli. That means this rather niche crossover could be compared to not just larger crossovers like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson, but also to compact estates like the Focus and the Kia Cee'd Sportswagon.

Performance

Whereas the regular Tivoli comes with two engines to choose from, a petrol unit or a turbodiesel, only the turbodiesel is available for the XLV. You do still get a mixture of powertrains though, as you can have the XLV with front or four-wheel drive and connect the diesel to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox.

The 1.6-litre turbodiesel produces 113bhp and gets from 0-62mph in 12 seconds. Like the smaller Tivoli, the XLV’s braked towing capacity is 1,500kg.

The pace of the car is not spectacular but some pep can be felt from the engine and power is delivered smoothly. It can comfortably handle motorway jaunts but does get somewhat noisy in the higher revs.

We tested the XLV with front-wheel drive and the automatic gearbox and the latter feels fine for most situations, but it can feel unsure of itself if you go up a hill or try to overtake another car. Performance can be summarised as unspectacular but solid for the most part.

Ride and Handling

There’s hardly any body roll through the corners and the light steering makes tight cornering feel like a doddle.

For a car as big as this, the handling and agility of the Tivoli XLV is commendable. There’s hardly any body roll through the corners and the light steering makes tight cornering feel like a doddle. We would like a little more weight to the steering in order to feel more confident when tackling quicker countryside roads though. Hints of understeer through higher speed corners can also discourage you from driving with much gusto. It’s not class-leading, but the Tivoli XLV’s driving dynamics hold their own and the driver and passengers will appreciate how well this car’s suspension soaks up the bumps. There’s also the welcome option of four-wheel drive to make wet roads or light off-roading even easier.

Interior and Equipment

The XLV bit in Tivoli XLV stands for ‘eXciting Lifestyle Vehicle’

Only one trim is offered for the XLV called ELX, which serves as the range-topper for the smaller Tivoli crossover. That means you get a decent amount of kit as standard. The list includes sat-nav, heated leather seats, tinted privacy glass, cruise control, keyless engine start and a rear view camera. As with the original Tivoli, head and leg room is decent for adults at both the front and rear, but practicality is actually no better for the rear passengers comparatively. While that and the inability to add two extra seats at the back may disappoint some, what won’t disappoint is the XLV’s standard boot capacity. This is now at a whopping 720 litres, which is nearly 300 litres more than the standard Tivoli. Compared to today’s medium-sized crossovers or compact estates, the Tivoli XLV’s standard boot space blows them out of the water.

Cost

Official fuel economy for the XLV’s diesel can range from 44.8mpg to 62.8mpg depending on choice of powertrain and gearbox, with manual models proving considerably more frugal.

The Tivoli XLV starts from £18,250 which is a grand more than the regular Tivoli diesel in ELX trim, while the automatic model we drove starts at £19,250 (that’s £1,200 more than its smaller equivalent). You’ll have to spend an extra £250 on top of that for the 4x4 manual model or £20,500 for the 4x4 auto version. The pricing of Tivoli XLV models is similar to that of mid-sized crossovers like the Sportage or Tucson in their standard trim levels or estates like the Astra Sports Tourer in a higher-level trim. Official fuel economy for the XLV’s diesel can range from 44.8mpg to 62.8mpg depending on choice of powertrain and gearbox, with manual models proving considerably more frugal. The model we tested recorded 47.9mpg. Those considering the XLV’s automatic ‘box also have to keep in mind that CO2 emissions for this option are between 154 and 164g/km, while the manual emits between just 117 and 127g/km.

Our Verdict

The XLV is a niche, distinct-looking family car which, like the standard Tivoli, offers a lot of practicality and feels like value-for-money. The huge, extended boot adds even more value to the car, assuming you feel that extra boot space is worth spending an extra grand or so on. Like the regular Tivoli though, the XLV faces a big challenge in grabbing the attention of customers when there’s so many good cars in the crossover segment, and indeed the estate segment too. If you’re looking for a well-priced, sizeable family car then you’re not short of options and in most respects the Tivoli is solid but not class-leading. On the other hand, it’s very well equipped and very little outside of van-based MPVs (which are not as good to drive) can offer so much boot space. If you’re intrigued by crossovers but wish they were more practical, then the Tivoli XLV is certainly worth looking into.