The compact crossover market is the most lucrative market in India right now. And to tap into the numbers, Mahindra is leaving no stone unturned. After the TUV300 and KUV100, Mahindra is mulling over the introduction of the Ssangyong Tivoli. Now, the Korean compact SUV was spotted testing in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The Tivoli will be rebadged as Mahindra when launched in India.
The Tivoli was spotted benchmarking the segment leader, the Hyundai Creta. There were two heavily cladded test mules hinting that Mahindra might bring in two different variants of the Tivoli in India. The first one is a compact five-seater, while the other one reportedly had an extended wheelbase probably to accommodate an extra row of seats or just better boot space.
Under the camo, the Tivoli looks its part as an SUV with the decked up bonnet and the LED DRL eyebrows with the projector headlamps. The flared and cladded wheel arches, a tall shoulder line and the twin box cabin impart the right stance for the compact SUV. The tail is simple yet interesting thanks to the LED tail lamps. The compact version of the Tivoli was riding on steel wheels whereas the other mule had stylish multi-spoke alloy wheels. The smaller version was also wearing rudimentary headlights and tail lights.
There are no details of the cabin, but the Tivoli showcased at the Auto Expo was boasting a very modern cabin. Like the Rexton, the Tivoli will also be feature rich and get dual-zone climate control, a large infotainment system and push-button start. There will be steering mounted audio controls, electrically operated wing mirrors and an auto-dimming internal rear view mirror will also be offered. The compact SUV is expected to come with a sunroof, making it the first in the segment to have it.
When launched, the Tivoli is expected to be powered by a 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engine options. Or the carmaker might plonk in the 1.6-litre Falcon series engines available with both petrol and diesel fuel options. The 1.6-litre petrol develops 125bhp/157Nm while the diesel produces 113bhp/300Nm. The engines will be mated to a six-speed manual transmission sending power to the front wheels. There might also be an automatic option.
The Tivoli will enter the space now dominated by the Hyundai Creta, Renault Duster, and the newly launched Renault Captur and Maruti Suzuki S-Cross. Mahindra might price the Tivoli between Rs 10 lakhs to Rs 15 lakhs to take on the competition. The Tivoli is one of the many anticipated launches from Mahindra’s stable next year.
