Let the SsangYong Tivoli exceed your expectations (sponsored)

Every so often a car comes along to really shake up the market – and arguably the biggest surprise of 2015 has been the stylish new SsangYong Tivoli.

The small crossover is like no SsangYong we’ve seen before, offering a compelling blend of style, practicality and technology at a price to shame more established rivals, starting from £12,950.

It’s decent to drive too, and with both 1.6-litre petrol and 1.6-litre diesel engines set to be offered along with manual and auto gearboxes and front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive, there promises to be a SsangYong Tivoli to suit every need.

Its trump card, though, is undoubtedly its classy design. There’s a host of neat touches to savour, including a bold slimline grille, LED daytime running lights, contrasting window pillars that create a floating roofline and diamond-cut alloy wheels.

The sculpted back end, meanwhile, features a centrally mounted foglamp and LED lamps which flow forward over the muscular haunches.

And with eight different body colours to choose from, the SsangYong is a crossover infused with character, offering a premium look but without a premium price tag.

Inside, too, there’s an array of highlights, with even entry SE models coming with air-con, cruise control and steering wheel controls for the radio, which comes with Bluetooth and USB inputs.

Step up to EX, from £14,600, and you can enjoy wonderfully luxurious heated leather seats, available in two different colours – plus dual zone climate control. And you get a 7 inch touchscreen, a reversing camera and 18 inch alloys

And from just £16,000, the range-topping ELX offers all the equipment you could feasibly want in a small crossover, with front and rear parking sensors, a seven-inch touchscreen with TomTom sat-nav, keyless start and automatic windscreen wipers.

SsangYong’s new-found focus on style is complemented by the substance you would expect from a brand that has forged its reputation on rugged SUVs, and the Tivoli is one of the most practical cars in its class.

For a start, there’s plenty of room for three adults in the rear, as SsangYong claims the space in the back seats is the best for this type of car. Parents will welcome the standard Isofix points, too, while boot space is competitive for the class, too, at 423 litres.

And the biggest bonus is that it’s all backed up by an impressive five-year warranty that leaves pretty much all of its rivals trailing.

With credentials like that, it’s little wonder that the SsangYong Tivoli is one of the most welcome additions to the market this year.