Mahindra mulling SsangYong Tivoli for India

Update: Mahindra U301 to be called TUV300, launch in September 2015

The SsangYong Tivoli is scheduled to go on sale in Korea around June. It will rival the likes of the Skoda Yeti and the Renault Duster in international markets, and is expected to be an attractive and strong option for customers looking for a good value-for-money compact SUV. Now, the carmaker is considering the Tivoli for the Indian market too.

The Tivoli comes with a 124bhp, 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine or a 113bhp 1.6-litre diesel. Transmission options include a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic. The Tivoli can either be had as a 4x2 or a 4x4.

Although still in the pipeline, if Mahindra actually works to bring the Tivoli here, it is likely to equip the car with the new 1.5-litre diesel being developed in-house. The engine once ready will be carried in Mahindra's new compact SUV (U301), and plunking it in the Tivoli will help keep costs in check, as the engines come from the same family.

This crossover is around 4.2m long, has an aggressively designed cabin, and gets plenty of features. This throws up the challenge of positioning it in our market — priced higher than the Duster, the Tivoli could end up competing against Mahindra’s own XUV 500. To avoid this, Mahindra might consider positioning the Tivoli as a premium crossover, over the likes of the Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano and the Ford Ecosport.

However, going up against heavyweights in the burgeoning crossover segment at a pricepoint higher than competition, could end up becoming an uphill task for the Tivoli. If and when launched in a market like ours, cost feasibility will indeed be key.