Photo: Guido ten Brink / SB-Medien
There are still people who aren't taking SsangYong's offensive too seriously, but the same happened with Kia a few years ago and look how that turned out. These Korean companies mean business and, most importantly, they look like they've got the know-how as well.
That won't become instantly apparent when looking at the other novelty present at SsangYong's Geneva stand - the Tivoli XLV. The longer version of the existing Tivoli crossover isn't exactly what you would call a sight for sore eyes - unless they're so sore you can't even keep them open; then, it's OK. The extra bit added at the rear doesn't even appear to fit in with the rest of the car, but on the other hand, this is a car that focuses on practicality, so its design won't matter that much.
The SIV-2 concept is different. It's a concept, so it needs to be. It manages to keep some of the design touches brought by the Tivoli - which, in its shorter form, isn't an ugly car - and transport them onto a new SUV that looks fresh, while also distinctively SsangYong. Yes, that's actually a thing now.
The SIV-2 is described as Tivoli's bigger brother, and with the way the SUV/crossover market is going at the moment - and also considering SsangYong's past and expertise - it shouldn't surprise anyone that this is the direction chosen by the Korean brand. The interior isn't worth wasting any time analyzing it, but the exterior design looks realistic enough to make it into production with minimal changes. In fact, it could pass through the approving committee as it is, which would probably cause some upset among the more established names on the market.
The SsangYong SIV-2 on display used a hybrid powertrain, and the Koreans insist their SUV is developed from the off with the thought of alternative propulsions in mind, meaning it could go into any direction from hybrid, plug-in hybrid to full electric. For Geneva, SsangYong brought a hybrid using a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and a 10kW electric motor-generator, but there's no word on the total power generated by the system.
The SIV-2 concept is different. It's a concept, so it needs to be. It manages to keep some of the design touches brought by the Tivoli - which, in its shorter form, isn't an ugly car - and transport them onto a new SUV that looks fresh, while also distinctively SsangYong. Yes, that's actually a thing now.
The SIV-2 is described as Tivoli's bigger brother, and with the way the SUV/crossover market is going at the moment - and also considering SsangYong's past and expertise - it shouldn't surprise anyone that this is the direction chosen by the Korean brand. The interior isn't worth wasting any time analyzing it, but the exterior design looks realistic enough to make it into production with minimal changes. In fact, it could pass through the approving committee as it is, which would probably cause some upset among the more established names on the market.
The SsangYong SIV-2 on display used a hybrid powertrain, and the Koreans insist their SUV is developed from the off with the thought of alternative propulsions in mind, meaning it could go into any direction from hybrid, plug-in hybrid to full electric. For Geneva, SsangYong brought a hybrid using a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and a 10kW electric motor-generator, but there's no word on the total power generated by the system.
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