Holden Trax v Mitsubishi ASX v SsangYong Tivoli 2019 Comparison
SsangYong’s small SUV takes on two of Australia’s most tried and trusted urban runaboutsThe new 2019 SsangYong Tivoli takes on the 2019 Holden Trax and 2019 Mitsubishi ASX in a market that favours sharp pricing and proven credentials.
It goes without saying that newcomers – and especially new brands – face an uphill battle. The Korean-made SsangYong Tivoli gets brownie points for its name, which is 'I lov it' spelled backwards, and it has a stronger equipment list than its two rivals here.
It's also the only vehicle in this comparison with a seven-year warranty.
But can it beat the 2019 Mitsubishi ASX, the top-selling compact SUV in Australia in 2018 and 2019 – by a massive margin – in this test?
The 2019 Holden Trax sat mid-pack in 2018 but its popularity has tailed off somewhat in 2019. It had mid-life update in early 2017, bringing a new look and improved features but no change in price.
All models on test are the high-spec, fully-loaded cars, with keyless entry, push-button ignition, Apple CarPlay, glass panels in the roof, digital trip computer, heated front seats, auto headlights, LED daytime running lights, 18-inch alloys and, except for the Trax, rain-sensing windscreen wipers.
Where they differ most is in the powertrains. All have automatic transmissions and are P-plate approved but the Mitsubishi ASX has a non-turbo 2.0-litre petrol, the Holden Trax has a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol and the Tivoli has a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel. Decisions, decisions…
Why are we comparing them?
We know that SUVs are booming in Australia. They outsell passenger cars and utes, they come in all shapes and sizes and have every powertrain imaginable.
The compact SUV is fast becoming a go-to vehicle for those downsizing from bigger vehicles are taste-tasting high-riding motoring for the first time.
Indeed, the small SUV category is a booming market segment and SsangYong is hoping get some of the action with the Tivoli. Tested in the top-spec, four-wheel-drive 'Ultimate' model grade, it performs well against these two seasoned campaigners.
But with a funny name from a largely unknown brand, we’re unsure the sceptical and conservative Australian consumer will give it more than a second glance… let alone buy it.
Nevertheless, we're comparing these models to get a better idea of the value propositions offered here and see if the almighty Mitsubishi ASX is a deserved category champion.
What is the cost of ownership?
Let's start at the top – price. The Mitsubishi ASX Exceed is listed as $30,990, the Holden Trax LTZ is $30,490 and the SsangYong Tivoli is $33,990 – but the latter is drive-away, no more to pay.
Level the playing field and ASX becomes the most affordable which, at the time of writing, was pegged at $32,990 drive-away.
The Trax was $34,346 once $3856 (on-road costs) were added, as there was no promotional drive-away pricing available at the time. For what it's worth however, these vehicles will essentially cost the same up front – although there is a bit of difference in the cost of metallic paint.
Fancy paint is cheapest for the SsangYong Tivoli at $495 ($500 for two-tone roof), while the Holden Trax ($550) and Mitsubishi ASX ($690) are pricier.
In general, when buying a new car from a showroom, you should always try your luck and haggle – whether it’s a lower price you can get somewhere else or perhaps bonus accessories.
Where the cost of ownership starts to shake out a little is in the aftersales worlds of warranty and servicing. The Mitsubishi ASX comes with a five-year/100,000 km warranty where the Holden Trax also offered five years but with unlimited kilometres. The SsangYong Tivoli steps ahead here with a seven-year/unlimited kilometre deal.
The Tivoli also comes with seven years roadside assistance, while the other two small SUVs only have one-year free roadside assist each; although servicing the ASX at Mitsubishi dealership will extend that to four years.
That said, capped-price service costs are flipped.
The SsangYong is most the expensive at $322 per yearly service (12-month/15,000km intervals). It's muscular turbocharged diesel powertrain gives it the best drivability of the three but also makes servicing more costly.
The Trax with its turbo-petrol donk requires servicing every year (12-months/12,000km intervals) but is priced at $269 a pop for the first seven years, reducing overhead costs.
The ASX with its less-sophisticated engine costs just $190 for the first service then $230 for the next three which also occur annually (12-months/15,000km intervals).
Fuel economy also plays a part here, because if you drive around 15,000km a year, at a fuel consumption rate of around 10L/100km, you're using about 1500 litres of fuel per annum. At $1.50 that'll cost you $2250 a year.
In our test the Tivoli was the most fuel efficient at 8.4L/100km, well above the manufacturer's claim (5.9L/100km). The Trax did well at 8.5L/100km (6.7L/100km claimed) while the ASX was the thirstiest at 9.1L/100km (7.6L/100km claimed), which is not surprising given it has the largest engine here.
The ASX is the cheapest to buy and to service and if you plan on owning the car for three or four years these things will outweigh the extra fuel costs, giving the ASX the win in the cash-money stakes.
What are they like inside?
After spending time in all three small SUVs, driving them, living with them and then lining them up and methodically comparing quality levels, the Mitsubishi ASX has the dubious honour of being the least impressive.
It's feels cheap and old, from the way the flimsy-feeling doors shut on the cheap rubber seals, to the low-quality dash plastics in the cabin and tawdry indicator stalks that have the tactile reassurance of broken glass.
There's no doubt the ASX is built to a price and it’s clearly a very successful recipe; but compared to the Trax and Tivoli the cabin feels inferior in almost every way.
It does have two USB ports up front, where the others only have one each, but unlike the other cars there are no door pockets for back seat passengers and the rear seat cushions were the least comfortable too.
The Mitsubishi SUV has the biggest glass roof of the lot and a thick sun-blind that won't wilt under the Aussie sun. But it doesn't open like the other two SUVs' regular sunroofs.
Step inside the Trax and things look and feel appreciably more modern – and less Spartan – than the Mitsi. The Holden is the only SUV here to get auto-down electric windows in all four doors and has a 230V powerpoint in the back seat so you can plug in a hair straightener. It also gets under seat vents; the other two get no vents or ancillary plugs to speak of.
Things aren't quite so rosy up in the front cabin for the Trax, which misses out on a central storage bin that doubles as an armrest for both passengers – but it does get a driver's fold-down armrest. In place of the central bin/armrest it features four cup holders versus the others' two.
The gearstick is ugly but not as visually dated as the ASX's but the Trax is the only model without a power-adjustable driver's seat.
Holden's small SUV has the least ancillary plugs too. The ASX gets two USB ports and two 12-volt sockets, the Trax gets one USB, one AUX and one 12-volt socket while the Tivoli features one USB, two 12-volt sockets and one AUX plug.
All three vehicles have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which makes life a lot easier for streaming music, podcasts and getting real-time mapping. All of them have colour touchscreens too.
The ASX has the least inspiring instrument panel, which looks as though it was donated from a 1982 Sigma. The Tivoli and Trax feature more modern designs with higher-definition trip computers.
In terms of seat comfort all models have leather-accented (read: partial/fake leather) seats and the Tivoli wins out with the best cushions up front and slightly contoured seats in the back. The other two have flat bench seats in the rear.
The Trax front seats have decent comfort but even set to the lowest level the driver feels a little perched up. It's like you sit on it, not in it like the other two.
The ASX comfort levels are okay up front and there's good leg room in the rear but head room is the tightest of the three. The Trax and Tivoli have better rear seat headroom, important for taller passengers.
Overall the ASX has the least impressive interior, with a lower-quality look and feel than the other two and cheap and nasty controls. The Trax has better presentation, more tactile controls and a few nice touches like orange stitching on the seats.
But the Tivoli wins this bout with its higher-quality materials, modern gear shifter, flat-bottom steering wheel and heated and cooled seats – the only vehicle here with the latter. Compared to the other two it has a more premium feel and it's the one I wanted to spend most time in.
How do they drive?
I suspected the Holden Trax would be the perkiest of the trio here, with its rev-happy 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine (103kW/200Nm) and conventional six-speed automatic transmission. It's no slouch, especially between zero and 60km/h – which is where it spends the majority of its time.
That said, the Trax starts to run out of steam when punching into gaps on the freeway and at higher speeds (like overtaking). To its credit, however, the engine is not as loud nor as course as the Mitsubishi ASX's 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated engine (110kW/197Nm).
While the ASX nabs bragging rights for the most power of the three, it has the least torque or 'thrust' and exhibits the least sophisticated feel. It's the loudest of the lot and as the only vehicle to use a continuously variable transmission (CVT) the engine sits on the same revs and drones in a monotonous fashion, which is not very appealing.
The steering is a little lighter than that of the Trax and it has a bit more zest through corners but just isn't as pleasant to drive as the other two.
The Tivoli is propelled by a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel mill (85kW/300Nm) and has the best drivability of the lot. With significantly more torque than its rivals it accelerates with an effortlessness the others can't touch. It doesn't need to be revved hard either – just tickle the throttle and you're up and running.
Paired with a six-speed automatic the powertrain is smooth but a little loud – especially if you rev it out. The SsangYong small SUV is the only all-wheel drive model here, with a locking centre diff which would come in handy on challenging climbs off road.
The only issue with driving this this car is that the indicator stalk is Euro or US-style, on the left instead of the right. Otherwise it's a very polished performer.
What could they do better?
The Mitsubishi ASX feels cheap and plasticky. If the quality of interior materials was improved – which is unlikely even when the facelifted ASX arrives in the few months – and a few changes were effected in key touch points it would elevate the car nicely.
The Holden Trax is a well-rounded machine but the lack of autonomous emergency braking or AEB (on any model-grade) is significant issue. However, because it was tested in 2013, it still retains its five-star ANCAP safety rating. To achieve a five-star rating today AEB is required.
The Tivoli doesn't do much wrong here and although it has AEB it has a lower safety rating than the other two vehicles, at four stars. More than anything this highlights the complexity and confusion around ANCAP ratings.
All models come with anti-lock brakes, stability control and seven airbags, except the Trax, which gets six airbags, missing out on a driver's knee airbag.
In terms of boot space the Mitsubishi ASX wins out here, with deepest (82cm long, 100cm wide) cargo area and 393 litres of space. It has one shopping bag hook and four tie down hooks in the floor and a space saver spare tyre.
The Trax (71cm long, 101cm wide) has a 387-litre boot but a whopping four shopping bag hooks which is impressive, along with four tie-down hooks and a space-saver spare.
SsangYong has decided to equip the Tivoli with a full-sized spare wheel which kills a lot of boot space (68cm deep, 101cm wide), reducing the 423 litres to significantly less. It has one shopping bag hook, a 12-volt socket and four tie downs.
Which wins, and why?
It's not hard to see why the Mitsubishi ASX is smashing it in the sales race.
The small SUV is cheap to buy – and most dealerships will do better deals than the prices listed here – has low running costs and although the cabin lacks the quality and features of its rivals here, in isolation it isn't a terrible machine.
The Trax drives well and has an appealing interior, but the lack of AEB on the Holden is a cardinal sin. In a few years Holden may not be able to sell the car here as the government considers drafting a new law to block new cars from sale that do not have AEB.
While the Tivoli doesn't have a five-star ANCAP safety rating, it still wins this comparison.
If the Holden Trax and Mitsubishi ASX were tested against today's more stringent ANCAP protocols, it is unlikely either would get five- or even four-star ratings.
The SsangYong Tivoli is the newest vehicle here. It's not surprising it's got the best and most flexible powertrain of the three, the highest-quality interior, the strongest equipment list and the best warranty.
It may not be the cheapest to run or have the biggest boot, but when it comes to this trio of small SUVs, it's the pick of the litter.
2019 Mitsubishi ASX Exceed pricing and specifications:
Price: $32,990 (drive-away)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 110kW/197Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable
Fuel: 9.1L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 176g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2014)
2019 Holden Trax LTZ pricing and specifications:
Price: $30,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 103kW/200Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.5L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 155g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP (2013)
2019 SsangYong Tivoli Ultimate pricing and specifications:
Price: $33,990 (drive-away price)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 85kW/300Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.4L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 156g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Four-star ANCAP (2016)
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