Korea's major car makers are vying fiercely to get the upper hand in the fast-growing compact SUV market.
According to industry sources on August 23, Ssangyong Motor's Tivoli, released in January 2015, Renault Samsung's QM3 and GM Korea's Chevrolet Trax are competing to grab a larger share in the domestic compact SUV market.
At present, the Tivoli is leading the race, with its January-July sales estimated at 22,535 units. Following the Tivoli were the QM3 with 12,549 units and the Trax with 6,178 units.
Ssangyong Motor diversified its lineup by adding the Tivoli Diesel last month. In response, GM Korea decided to kick-start the sales of the Trax Diesel from September and launched pre-order sales on August 23.
Among the three compact SUV models, the front-running Tivoli boasts a splendid design and superior stability, while the QM3 leads the list in terms of fuel efficiency. QM3's compound fuel efficiency is 18.5 kilometers per liter, higher than the Tivoli Diesel's 15.3 kilometers and the Trax Diesel's 14.7 kilometers.
