IT PAYS TO THINK

What this crossover lacks in polish it more than makes up for in value, finds Ian Donaldson

Why do some car cost more than others when they’re about the same size and seem designed to do the same job?

Among the reasons are things like equipment levels and technical prowess. And of course, some badges are simply able to attract a higher bottom line.

Another more subtle reason is the amount of time a car manufacturer spends smoothing off the rough edges on things like ride quality and engine noise – even the way switches feel and the ease of operating a sat nav system.

This finicky fettling is enormously time consuming and expensive but is a sure way of keeping your brand near the head of the desirability league table.

Which is a roundabout way of saying that the car you are reading about here has clearly not been through the ultimate finishing school but compensates by costing quite a lot less than those that have.

It is also very good value for money and packed to the rafters with kit that costs a king’s ransom in lots of other cars that look no smarter and take up no more room on the road.

And after more than 500 busy miles at the wheel of the Ssangyong Tivoli this family holdall earned respect for the way it treated life on the road.

Yes, its diesel engine is a bit gruff and the gearchange lacks the oily precivauxhall sion you hope for but it actually goes well enough to make you keep an eye on the (digital) speedometer on your favourite stretch of dual carriageway.

Dearer cars might do better on the economy front but the 47mpg shown on the Tivoli’s trip computer was none too shabby – and better than 50mpg awaits drivers with a lighter right foot.

You can get yourself in a new Tivoli for as little as £13,495 for a petrol-powered model and even that comes with cruise control, alloy wheels, electric windows all round, powered and heated door mirrors and air conditioning.

Like every Tivoli it also has a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty. That’s the sort of thing that might sway someone who likes the look of a car they honestly haven’t even heard of.

Head towards the top of the Tivoli range and you find a car with a diesel engine, satellite navigation, auto dipping rear mirror and headlights, climate control, front and rear parking sensors, rear view camera and touchscreen with ipod and Bluetooth connectivity.

But here we come to that final polish again; the sat nav annoyingly reverts to a tiny scale every time you switch off the ignition, Bluetooth didn’t care much for my mobile phone and there’s no DAB radio.

But... there are seven airbags, a decent four-star safety test result and traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning and auto safety braking if you don’t notice the brake lights ahead.

And it’s all packaged in a car with plenty of room for a family inside and a boot big enough for the supermarket run, where the savings on buying a Ssangyong can be spent on the little luxuries of life.