The 2018 Buick Envision is a comfortable, roomy five-seat crossover that may not be the best in its class but is still worth a look.
Pros Pleasant styling Very quiet Comfortable ride Good value at bottom end
Cons Price escalates fast Oddball Preferred trim level Safety tech only on top models A little narrow
The 2018 Buick Envision ranked #11 in Luxury Compact SUVs. Currently the Buick Envision has a score of 7.9 out of 10 which is based on our evaluation of 25 pieces of research and data elements using various sources.
Pros Peppy optional turbocharged engine Comfortable, roomy seats Lots of tech features
Cons Underwhelming base engine Numb handling Less interior opulence than luxury rivals
Among small luxury crossover SUVs, the 2018 Buick Envision might be worth your attention. Though its exterior styling is generic, it comes with a generous amount of features for the price and has an attractive interior trimmed in high-quality materials. It slots between the compact Encore and larger Enclave in Buick's portfolio. As such, it's pretty easy to maneuver around town but still has a decent amount of interior and cargo space.
Pros The cabin is quiet at highway speeds You get a lot of features for the money
Cons Weak acceleration with base engine Unsettled ride quality at times Cargo capacity is below average for the class
The SsangYong Tivoli is central to this aim, its built on an all-new platform to compete with cars such as the Nissan Juke, Ford EcoSport and the Vauxhall Mokka in the ever-popular (and still growing) small crossover market. While the Tivoli can’t match the striking styling of the Juke, this is arguably the best-looking SsangYong yet, and the company is claiming to have taken massive strides on the inside, too. The car will also come loaded with kit, including an optional seven-inch central screen on the dashboard.
Pros Spacious for its size Generous standard equipment Cheap
Cons Not as striking as the Juke Quality falls behind the best in class Bland to drive
The Ssangyong Tivoli competes in the small SUV market, alongside rivals such as the Nissan Juke and Kia Soul. These cars offer the look and feel of an off-roader, but with performance and running costs more akin to a family hatchback. Do bear in mind, however, they’re better suited to on-road driving than traversing muddy lanes. That’s certainly the case with the Tivoli, although unlike its aforementioned rivals, you can order it with four-wheel drive on higher trims. A 1.6-litre petrol or 1.6-litre diesel is available throughout the range, combined with a six-speed manual gearbox. A six-speed automatic is available for both engines on all but the entry-level SE.
You can put aside your reservations about the SsangYong badge, because the Tivoli is a thoroughly capable small crossover for the money. It’s not the most stylish inside or out, and it won’t win awards for ride comfort or refinement, but you get a lot of space and kit for little financial outlay. The latter two points are especially true of the Tivoli XLV, but it’s more expensive, and we'd go for the two-wheel-drive version to save some money. The standard Tivoli is decent to drive, while with the diesel engine and is by far the best on-road car SsangYong has built yet.