Keen pricing, safety and warranty for born-again SsangYong range

SsangYong has announced aggressive drive-away pricing and a long seven-year warranty for its entire model range ahead of the Korean brand’s Australian relaunch in November.

The sharp pricing and after-sales program for the 2019 SsangYong Musso ute, Rexton large SUV, Tivoli XLV small/medium SUV and Tivoli small SUV is all the more impressive given all models will come with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and forward collision warning (FCW) as standard across the range.

In the case of the Musso, SsangYong’s new dual-cab will be only the second ute to come with AEB as standard across the range in Australia (after the Mercedes-Benz X-Class) and only the third to make the potentially life-saving safety tech available at all (after the X-Class and Ford Ranger).

However, while AEB makes them eligible for a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, both the SsangYong Musso and its wagon twin — the seven-seat Rexton SUV — will remain unrated by ANCAP until next year, and both Tivoli models will launch with a four-star Euro NCAP rating.

Matching Kia, SsangYong’s generous seven-year/unlimited-km factory warranty includes seven years of roadside assistance and capped-price servicing.

“We are very excited to reveal this welcome news as we prepare to launch the all-new SsangYong range of vehicles into Australia,” said SsangYong Motor Australia managing director Tim Smith.

“We know that safety is a key feature for Australian customers and we do not want to make AEB or FCW an option or extra cost for a customer wanting to choose any model in our all-new range.

“We want customers to know their most precious cargo is afforded the maximum protection, no matter which model they choose.

“We are determined to offer Australia a range of vehicles that are fun to drive, great value to own and complete with a suite of the latest safety technology.”

Opening the new SsangYong line-up will be the Tivoli EX petrol manual at $23,490 drive-away, undercutting key rivals like the Mitsubishi ASX and Mazda CX-3.

All Tivoli variants will come standard with AEB, FCW, seven airbags, reversing camera and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

The six-variant Tivoli range comprises the entry-level 1.6-litre petrol-only front-wheel drive EX with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, and the mid-range ELX auto with the choice of 1.6-litre petrol or 300Nm diesel engines.

Topping the Tivoli range is the Ultimate all-wheel drive diesel auto, which will be available with a $500 two-tone paint option including five different colour combinations.

How much does the 2019 SsangYong Tivoli cost?
Tivoli EX 2WD petrol manual — $23,490
Tivoli EX 2WD petrol auto — $25,490
Tivoli ELX 2WD petrol auto — $27,490
Tivoli ELX 2WD diesel auto — $29,990
Tivoli Ultimate AWD diesel auto — $33,990
Tivoli Ultimate AWD diesel auto Two Tone — $34,490
* All prices are drive-away (including on-road costs)

Meantime, the 245mm-longer but still five-seat Tivoli XLV, which offers a larger 720-litre cargo area, will only be available in three diesel-auto model grades: front-drive ELX and all-wheel drive Ultimate and Ultimate Two Tone.

Pricing starts at $31,990 drive-away and base specs once again include AEB, FCW, seven airbags, reversing camera and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, plus front/rear parking sensors, with Ultimate versions adding leather trim, heated and ventilated seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, sunroof and the two-tone paint option.

How much does the 2019 SsangYong Tivoli XLV cost?
Tivoli XLV ELX 2WD diesel auto — $31,990
Tivoli XLV Ultimate AWD diesel auto — $34,990
Tivoli XLV Ultimate AWD diesel auto Two Tone — $35,490
* All prices are drive-away (including on-road costs)

The ladder-chassis Rexton seven-seat SUV range opens with the base EX 2WD (rear-drive) powered by a 165kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine matched to a six-speed automatic.

For $39,990 drive-away, it comes standard with AEB, FCW, seven airbags, high-beam assist, lane departure warning, dual-zone air-conditioning and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

For $46,990 drive-away, the mid-range Rexton ELX comes exclusively with a 133kW/420Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel matched to a seven-speed Mercedes-Benz automatic transmission and four-wheel drive.

It adds new TPU seats, nine airbags, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert and lane change assist, while the range-topping Ultimate gets the same powertrain but adds leather seat trim, heated and ventilated front seats, 20-inch wheels, 360-degree camera, sunroof and a powered tailgate.

How much does the 2019 SsangYong Rexton cost?
Rexton EX 2WD petrol auto — $39,990
Rexton ELX 4WD diesel auto — $46,990
Rexton Ultimate 4WD diesel auto — $52,990
* All prices are drive-away (including on-road costs)

Rounding out the 2019 range for the Mahindra-owned SsangYong brand, which returns to Australia after a two-year hiatus, is the all-new Musso dual-cab ute.

The Musso replicates the Rexton with three model grades – all of which include AEB and FCW, and a 133kW/400Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel.

Opening the SsangYong Musso line-up is the EX with fabric seat trim, Bluetooth connectivity, limited-slip differential, full-size spare wheel and the availability of both six-speed manual and automatic transmissions priced from just $30,490 drive-away.

The Musso ELX adds blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, lane change assist, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and 18-inch alloys, while the top-shelf Musso Ultimate adds leather seat trim, heated/ventilated front seats, 20-inch alloys, 360-degree camera and a sunroof.

How much does the 2019 SsangYong Musso cost?
Musso EX manual — $30,490
Musso EX auto — $32,490
Musso ELX auto — $35,990
Musso Ultimate auto — $39,990
* All prices are drive-away (including on-road costs)

The SsangYong Musso comes with a 3000kg towing capacity (and 6.75-tonne gross combination mass) ex-factory, but the car-maker says it hopes to up that to the requisite 3.5-tonne figure for the Australian market.

“The Musso will come with a three-tonne tow rating from the factory. We know how important towing is to Australian consumers and we are already working with suppliers to homologate for a 3.5-tonne rating for the Musso and the Rexton,” said Smith.

“With a high degree of safety features, great warranty and outstanding pricing we look forward to offering Australian customers a new choice in motoring when we go on sale in November.

Following its November relaunch, SsangYong Australia will land a long-wheelbase version of the Musso with 300mm-longer tray in the first quarter of next year, and an all-new Korando medium SUV – a direct rival for some of Australia’s most popular SUVs including the Mazda CX-5 – in the third quarter of 2019.