Living with Vitara – fourth report

Modern motorcars are far more demanding of their owners than many of us might suspect, highlights Iain Robertson, as he contemplates the ‘cost’ of delayed MOTs, ‘missed’ services, SORN and road tax arrangements, let alone being parked up for weeks.

According to recent reports that our Prime Minister’s ‘political advisor’, Mr Dominic Cummings, may have been footling around the English countryside, while the rest of us were instructed to ‘Stay At Home’, at least his Citroen may have been enduring fewer zero-mileage-related problems. As for the rest of us, with some of the fetters related to lockdown being released, it is eminently possible that restarting the family car will not be as elementary as it ought to be.

While it is less of issue for some older vehicles, modern battery technology may rear a less welcome aspect for some owners. The key reason for this being an age-related problem lies in the consistent draw on energy, when the vehicle is parked. While a digital clock demands a small amount of charge, other, more complex systems within modern cars are also vying for what is available, which can lead to a flat battery and the recommendation not to ‘jump-start’ it, for fear of damaging not just the battery but also some of those relatively fragile electronic systems.

While not wishing to worry you, should the 12v battery be declared ‘unserviceable’, the resultant bill could be scary. For even a fairly basic model, a new battery could cost around £300, while the battery on a top-spec Mercedes might be around £1,800, and a dealership may have to reprogram your vehicle at the same time. Be aware that a lot of vehicle owners are being affected by battery failure at this time.

Apart from a couple of ‘mad’ moments (when I have travelled a few extra miles to assuage boredom!), I have only driven my Suzuki Vitara an average of once a week, to travel from my countryside domicile to the city centre supermarket for supplies. Fortunately, with a 30-miles round-trip in prospect, the weekly ‘recharge’ of the car’s battery has been beneficial; significantly more so than starting the car but remaining parked, which can do more harm than good.

My Vitara is not quite a year old, which means that it is still two years away from its first MOT. Yet, for those people taking advantage of the Department for Transport’s ‘generous’ extension to MOT Tests for eligible vehicles, I would advise not delaying by too much. The pressure on garages and MOT Test Centres is going to be almost as overwhelming as that on the NHS over the past couple of months. There is a fear of many non-roadworthy vehicles on our roads as traffic conditions ramp up and garages become packed with cars needing to be serviced, repaired and MOT tested. My advice is to be patient, because unless you are fortunate, a delay may be inevitable. If your car needs road tax, do not delay. If you have taken advantage of a Statutory Off Road Notice (SORN), do not forget to change its status online as soon as possible.

If you have attempted any ‘longer drives’ during the lockdown period, essential, or not, you will have encountered exceptionally light traffic conditions on largely uncluttered roads. My couple of ‘escapes’ were hugely enjoyable, not least because I was able to stretch the performance of Vitara. In fact, I revelled in its cross-country handling capabilities, which reminded me why I fell in love with Vitara in the first place.

Despite pushing the car quite hard, it remained somewhat more stable than my emotions have been recently! Far too many cars today feature suspension systems that are just too firm, whether by non-resilient spring rates, or too severe damping. The suspension of Vitara allows strong grip, well controlled body roll, minimal dive under braking, barely discernible squat under acceleration and a firm but quiet and comfortable ride quality. It never ‘crashes’ over road surface imperfections and the well weighted, perfectly geared power steering provides good feedback to my hands. Accepting that fancy electronic control systems do aid the progress of many crossover types of vehicle, not even extreme driving creates a flicker of Suzuki’s warning lamps.

Having already written recently about protecting your vehicle’s paint finish during these strange times, notably for the removal of bird poo and tree sap, I am as impressed with the brilliant white finish of my Suzuki Vitara, as I ever was with my previous gunmetal grey Baleno model. After almost three years of extensive usage, Baleno had not so much as a single stone chip in evidence. It is the same status for Vitara, which has cleaned up beautifully and still looks as good as new.

My most recent ‘longer’ drive session with the car resulted in a fuel return of an outstanding 57.8mpg, which contrasts with its lockdown return of around 49mpg. Regardless, these are exceptional figures for a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder engine in a car weighing around a tonne. Developing 109bhp, the engine never displays breathlessness, or shortage of verve, and its wealth of bottom-end torque ensures minimal gearchanging, even when extending the performance envelope.

Yet, I have started to notice a tiny area of wear on interior trim. While the floor mats are usually the first items to display wear and tear, they are surviving well. However, the right-hand thumb grip, on the cross-spoke of the steering wheel, is losing its matt black colour. It is only a sliver at the moment but it might grow. That apart, there are zero other faults and the Vitara runs beautifully, frugally and most satisfyingly. Even after 11 months of operation, its tyres are showing only minimal wear.

My decision to stick with Suzuki remains highly justified. Vitara is spacious, well equipped and a joy to live with in business-like SZ-T trim and, when you are desperate to relieve the boredom of lockdown, it has been the ideal means to an end!

Businesses using data for recruiting decisions are twice as likely to hire better quality candidates

Businesses using data to make recruiting decisions are twice as likely to hire better quality candidates, according to research by Aptitude Research and Oleeo. The study shows that 72% of companies are prioritising automated recruiting decisions for the year ahead to meet the needs of the business and the changing expectations of candidates, recruiters, and hiring managers.

The study, conducted in February and March 2020, found 63% of businesses feel that identifying and attracting quality hires is the greatest challenge they face. Talent acquisition and HR leaders can no longer afford to rely on reactive or traditional approaches to recruitment.

Whilst the ‘Improving Quality of Hire through Recruiting Enablement’ report highlights the critical role data plays within recruiting decisions, it also reveals that more than two-thirds (67%) of talent acquisition and HR professionals are not providing hiring managers with the information they need to make decisions. As a result, only 32% of senior leaders are confident in the data that they have available to base their decisions on.

Madeline Laurano, founder of Aptitude Research, comments: “Companies are facing intense pressure to more accurately identify and measure quality of hire. While quality of hire is certainly not a new concern, the responsibility has shifted from hiring managers to HR and talent acquisition leaders. As a result, talent acquisition leaders are being held accountable for what happens beyond when a candidate accepts an offer. Candidates often make a decision to join an employer solely on their interaction with a recruiting team during the talent acquisition process. If the recruiting process is automated, it gives candidates a more consistent and meaningful experience.”

The research highlights other areas where Recruiting Enablement is making a major difference. According to the statistics, recruiters spend an average of 16 hours a week just on interview scheduling. Recruiting Enablement can help lift this administrative burden by automating the entire process, saving more than 60 hours a week in a team of just four, and allowing them to focus their time on higher value work. Given the uncertainty of the global pandemic, being as efficient as possible is crucial to all businesses.

Recruiting Enablement helps to de-bias job descriptions to attract more gender-diverse candidates, which is vital given that nearly 90% of companies are concerned with reducing bias in their talent acquisition process. It also consistently uses data to root out bias, and to fast-track top candidates. By automating candidate engagement activities, such as sharing the right content with the right candidates at the right time, proactive businesses are able to be more inclusive and search for top talent in a more diverse pool.

Although technology and data are important to hiring top quality talent, half of all large enterprises do not measure the return from their investment in recruitment technology. Furthermore, only 27% are planning to automate more than 50% of their talent acquisition processes moving forward. This suggests there is still need for further education on the subject.

Charles Hipps, CEO and founder of Oleeo, concludes: “This research highlights the critical need for Recruiting Enablement to deliver improvements such as overall efficiency, candidate experience, reduced bias, and quality of hires. It takes the guesswork out of talent acquisition and allows companies to use data and insights to drive success. Hiring the very best talent is something that all businesses are striving to do, and by being more accepting of the data, it means recruiters and HR teams will be twice as effective at finding, engaging and keeping the very best talent. It’s a no-brainer.”

How to manage your small business finances

In today’s world of DIY projects and people running their own businesses, getting your finances in order can be stressful. This is especially true if you have no prior accounting or financial experience. Here are some ideas to keep in mind as your business grows to keep your money in order.

Invest in the future

Companies that look to the future are said to be ahead of their competitors. This is because if you’re not looking at what’s to come, you’re behind your competition.

Setting aside money for future growth will help your company in many ways. Clients will appreciate you looking ahead, as this means an increased level of service. Your employees will also like that you’re investing in the business. This is because by doing this, you’re also investing in their careers.

Remember that if the day comes that you want to sell your small business, all this hard work will have been worth it.

By investing in your business’ future growth, you’re also giving your company more value. Look for opportunities and investments to keep growing. This way, you can guarantee a financial gain in the years to come.

Monitor your books closely

It’s vital to go over your books often. Do this by setting aside a specific time to review the numbers. This can be per day, per week, or per month. Whatever suits your business will work.

Becoming familiar with your business will help you in the long run. This will help to avoid potential financial crimes such as fraud.

Work with a bookkeeper that you know and trust. However, you should still review the books yourself. You can never be too careful when it comes to the finances of your small business.

If you don’t have a bookkeeper you trust enough to cover your books, you can download accounting software. This will help you keep track of your income and expenditures. Again, familiarizing yourself with the numbers will keep things secure, legal, and on track for growth.

Focus on spending, especially ROI

Knowing where your money is going and how much those expenditures are bringing in is vitally important. Reviewing your costs can help you make better financial decisions for your company. If an expense is not lucrative, it’s not worth spending on.

It’s also essential to check your ROI (return on investment). Analyzing if the company is getting a higher ROI is crucial, as you want to be making a profit. If you’re not obtaining a more significant ROI than your spending amounts to, you should consider putting your money elsewhere.

Spending your money, ultimately, will help you create growth. This is because you should be putting money into investments, which will bring in more money for your company. Focusing on your ROI can help you greatly.

Review your specific costs to understand where you can cut back on. For example, you must look into insurance policies, facility costs, energy costs, and more. Something to note is that small businesses in the United States often spend over $60 billion on energy per year. Tracking these costs and understanding the best options for your company will help you greatly.

Conclusion

Familiarising yourself with your business’ financial habits can keep you out of trouble and grow your business in the long run. Setting up good financial habits helps to reduce fraud, know where your expenses are, and what’s increasing your investments.

Set aside time to review your finances with your bookkeeper or accounting software. Analyse your expenditures and ROI, and invest in your company’s future.

All of these things and more will keep you on track to success. Never lose sight of your business, as it should be treated with care. After all, it should be your biggest investment!

Quid pro quo is a 40 years old quad pro quattro for Audi

It is astonishing, explains Iain Robertson, how an invented word can become 4×4 synonymous with a German motorcar brand that also formulated a non-translatable expression, ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’, which has also stood the test of time.

As a writer, inevitably I support the contention that the pen is mightier than the sword, because words and language mean everything to me. Even when messing about on social media, I find myself turning into a ‘grammar Nazi’, correcting misspellings, altering split-infinitives and changing tenses. In fact, it can be quite annoying, when listening to TV and radio programmes, to hear me murmuring corrections regularly. It is my sincere belief that we should be proud of our mother tongue, which is a distillation of Greek, Roman, Gallic, Germanic and Nordic and, even with regional variances and accents, is so refined that our Greater Oxford Dictionary is no less than 20 volumes, 21,728 pages and over 301,000 entries in size, consistently updated and now published online.

With almost 250,000 etymologies, or origins of words, contained within its pagination, ‘Vorsprung’ can be translated as an edge, projection, or prominence, while ‘durch’ is German for through and ‘Technik’ is loosely translated as technology. When Audi UK commissioned London-based advertising agency, Bartle, Bogle, Hegarty, with the task of arriving at a suitable advertising tagline, the largely nonsensical ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ was the result. On the other hand, the definition of ‘quattro’ is somewhat more conventional, deriving from the Italian for four. Audi differentiates between a capitalised Quattro for the original 4×4 turbocharged coupe based on the Audi 80 (A4) saloon, dropping it to lower case for other 4×4 models with quattro drivetrains, of which there are many.

Forty years ago, in trendy 1980’s London, the well-known Kensington Roof Gardens became the launch venue for the original Audi Quattro, the first, German-registered example of the flared-arch, Bauhaus-inspired coupe. Sharing space with the real flamingos and ducks residing at the rooftop location, would be stars like Stirling Moss, major VIP customers and the UK motoring media. It was an event that would bring West End traffic to a literal halt.

The Audi Quattro was already turning heads and defying statistics in the world of motorsport. Although Finnish rally driver, Ari Vatanen, co-driven by Dave Richards of later Prodrive fame, would win the World Rally Championship in 1981, in a Ford Escort RS1800 Mark Two, it would be a swansong victory and the last for a while for a two-wheel drive car. With the characteristic off-beat, five-cylinder bark of its 2.2-litre highly-tuned engine resounding off trees and hills, exhaust flaming and popping like an Army issue sten-gun, the ‘big-Q’, as it became known, was earning a winning reputation very quickly.

As the Group 4 and then B category of virtually unrestricted over-500bhp rally cars developed through the 1980s, Quattro went through several transformations, gaining aerodynamic addenda, improving the drivetrain, obtaining an automated transmission and, in its ultimate form, creating a short-wheelbase variant. I can recall vividly, viewing from a snowy and remote spot on the 1985 Swedish Rally, the growing cacophony of roaring engine, shrieking superheated brakes, warbling turbocharger wastegate and, when Stig Blomqvist appeared finally in a spectacular, 100mph sideways drift, the near terror that a flaming, yellow-hot disc braked Quattro could infer and there were three works’ entries on that event.

The impact of quattro was sudden but durable. In the rally scene, employing big wings and shovel spoilers were some of the tactics used to control the Quattros in several of their iterations. It was the glory era of rallying. Yet, despite the addenda, the drivers, who included Finn Hannu Mikkola, the remarkable French Michele Mouton and Germanic Walter Rohrl, would arrive at rest and service halts in various states of exhaustion, often requiring help to recover from the team’s physical therapist. While Audi had it all mostly under its control, its rivals were catching up and the demands were increasing, in a sport that was becoming increasingly dangerous.

I can recall the first time that I drove a Quattro Coupe in 1981. From its plush velour driver’s seat, it felt like many German sporting cars of the era. Yet, apart from the engaging, subdued engine burble and the slightly ‘sticky’ manual gearshift, it tracked true but seldom felt as rapid as its 0-60mph in 6.7s, or 144mph top speed suggested. If anything, it lacked vigour and only scanning the digital dashboard would reveal its nearly true velocity. It was quick but totally undramatic.

Moving on to the mid-1990s, quattro technology had become second nature to Audi and its RS line-up, having made an impression with the RS2 model that had involved Porsche in many of its detail developments. However, the RS6 Avant was something else, with the ‘quattro’ text emblazoned across the lower front grille. With its speed restrictor removed, this 450bhp car was capable of topping 200mph. Yet, it earned its stripes with unerringly sound chassis dynamics that gifted the car a safety edge, even in the most torrid of climatic conditions. The prospect of transporting safely a driver, wife, two children, granny and the family dog to Val d’Isere for the annual ski vacation was evident.

However, while quattro is synonymous with high-performance, Audi transformed the new car scene with broader applications of the technology across its more mundane models too. Its popularity for the average family car has accounted for almost 50% of all Audi sales being four-wheel drive, as much by personal choice, en-route to building upmarket brand relevance to a level at which Audi A4 sales outnumber the sometime market leading Ford Mondeo. Although the technology has been improved and even simplified for some applications, the forty-year-old quattro has proven its relevance many times over, refined by motorsport commitment, admired by safety organisations and end-users.

Most observers perceive Audi as a 4×4 brand (which it isn’t), as a direct result of its association with quattro technology, a factor that enabled its mid-1980’s separation from VW dealerships. The synergy of the 1980s is a vital component of Audi today and has led to its key rivals at Mercedes-Benz and BMW adopting similar technology.

Volvo installs speed limiters in its cars but should it?

Sometime Swedish, now Chinese brand, Volvo, has a long-standing and much-respected reputation for both the primary and secondary safety aspects of its motorcars but Iain Robertson feels that restricting speed might be one step too far.

Throughout its history, Volvo has been in the forefront of engineering safety into each and every model that it produces. The company pioneered the design and fitment of three-point safety belts in its cars, although both American Cadillac and former Swedish rival, Saab, had already developed lap belts as a means to control the movement of cabin occupants in the event of crashes. The three-point development has been adopted worldwide.

Every year, Volvo invests immense cash and time into safety research, which led it to formulating a 2020 marketing assertion that nobody in a Volvo would die from the result of a road traffic incident. Yet, it is worth noting that, while Volvo has enormous self-confidence in its talents and practices, it is not alone in making substantial progress into vehicular safety, which also has to include pedestrian and animal survival elements in the final renderings. All carmakers invest heavily in structural integrity, reducing torsional twist, which improves handling responses and overall refinement of their cars. Ascertaining the actual differences between them is a fine art that reveals no major advantage to Volvo.

Yet, Volvo nosed into the EU’s desire to introduce autonomous motoring, to become the manufacturer that would lead developments in removing the driver from the mix and thus the human element from vehicular accidents. Volvo has become a key player in ‘platooning’ technology, which involves lines of cruise-controlled vehicles driving on ‘smart’ motorways, without driver intervention, other than joining, or departing the platoons.

Now, each new Volvo car is equipped with a limited top speed of 112mph. Naturally, Volvo wanted to deliver on its promise made last year to introduce such a limitation that goes beyond regulation and legislation to help close the remaining gap to zero serious injuries and fatalities in traffic. However, while accepting that injudicious speed can play a tragic role in some types of motor related incidents, it is not always the case that ‘speed kills’, as it cannot per se. I would venture to suggest that Volvo is overstepping its responsibilities most arrogantly, especially as many of its latest models are also high-powered by the latest hybrid technology and are thus an expensive attraction to some sectors of the new car scene.

As well as the speed cap, every Volvo car also comes with a Care Key, which allows Volvo drivers to set additional limitations on the car’s top speed, for example before lending their car to other family members, or to younger and less experienced drivers. While accepting that these aspects may be safety related, perhaps those ‘at risk’ individuals either need to be trained better, or simply not drive expensive and upmarket models, until their experience levels have been built.

According to Volvo, its 112mph speed limitation and Care Key send a strong signal about the dangers of speeding, underlining Volvo Cars’ position as a worldwide leader in safety. Yet, in its arrogant haste, while accepting that carmakers can take active responsibility towards achieving zero traffic fatalities by supporting better driver behaviour, Volvo is also delving too deeply into the individual’s capabilities, thus breaching some aspects of civil liberty.

According to Malin Ekholm, head of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre, “We believe that a carmaker has a responsibility to help improve traffic safety. Our speed limiting technology and the dialogue that it has initiated, fits that thinking. The speed cap and Care Key help people to reflect and realise that speeding is dangerous, while also providing extra peace of mind and supporting better driver behaviour.”

Naturally, she would state that, when it forms part of Volvo’s overarching stance on road safety. Intriguingly, installing speed limiters in cars and on motorbikes is not a novelty. For many years, although the Green Party has been responsible for reducing the available routes, Germany has exercised its right to drive at unlimited speed, even though most of its vehicle production is limited (where feasible) to 155mph. The nation’s autobahn network is surprisingly free of major crashes, although they do occur. The top speed limit has proven to be controversial ever since it was announced, with many observers questioning the rights of car makers to impose such limitations through available technology.

However, Volvo Cars believes that it has an obligation to continue its tradition of being a pioneer in the discussion around the rights and obligations of car makers to take action that can ultimately save lives, even if this means losing potential customers. Personally, even though we have a maximum motorway speed of 70mph in the UK, with drivers caught exceeding the limit being fined heavily, innumerable other brands of executive cars have not made agreeable noises, or desires, to follow Volvo’s action.

If there is one key problem with speeding, is that above certain speeds, in-car safety technology and smart infrastructure design may not be able to avoid severe injuries and fatalities in the event of an accident. That it can be a contributory factor is why speed limits are in place in most western countries, although speeding remains ubiquitous and can be linked commonly to fatalities in traffic. Yet, millions of people receive speeding tickets every year, more usually for transgressions at 30, 40 and 50mph.

Research shows that, on average, people have poor understanding of the dangers surrounding speeding, which could be resolved by improvements in the driver education process. If they could be taught how to manage speed in relation to traffic conditions and the environment, many of both the misdemeanours and incidents would disappear. Some people do drive too fast and simply take no heed of sound advice.

On the other hand, intoxication, whether by booze, or drugs, and distractions are two other major areas of concern for traffic safety. They constitute the remaining gap in Volvo Cars’ vision of a future with zero traffic fatalities, or serious injuries, although the company is said to be taking action to address all three elements of human behaviour in its safety activities, with more features to be introduced in future new cars. If you believe that Volvo has overstepped the mark, you can exercise your veto by not buying into the brand. On the other hand, if 112mph is more than enough and this is just making a mountain from a molehill, it will probably make no difference at all.

Home, family and country: The cost of addiction

How much does drug and alcohol abuse cost the country? Can we address addiction better to improve the economy? What works – and what doesn’t?

We’re familiar by now with the individual picture of addiction. Often misrepresented in the media and avoided in reality, the personal hell experienced by adults across the country brings with it a very real and tangible impact on our wider society.

With over 268,000 adults in 2017 in contact with drug and alcohol support services, the cost of addiction is weighed in families affected, careers derailed and lives lost. All these side-effects of substance abuse and dependency feed into our country’s economy, painting a stark picture in favour of investment in government-funded rehabilitation support and education.

The barrier of entry

On an individual level, the impact of lack of government-funded support is felt daily by addicts and those dependent on substances. Local Authorities have steadily seen investment in NHS rehabilitation grants reduced over the years, with individuals now only being considered for government-funded rehabilitation after a competitive and lengthy appraisal process wherein the addict must prove unequivocally that they are beyond saving themselves – a harsh distinction which excludes a significant portion of adults in the UK struggling with varying degrees of substance misuse each day.

With over 18,000 hospital admissions in the UK recorded in 2018 and close to three thousand deaths due to drug misuse, the prohibitive cost of residential rehabilitation services leaves many adults unable to access the rehabilitation support they desperately need to get their lives back on track. This growing gap in rehabilitation services in the UK has contributed to our public health crisis, stymying our economy.

Working addiction and substance abuse

It’s not, after all, just the homeless or unemployed who are addicts. Working professionals abuse drugs and alcohol every day, with 43% of UK staff having been tested in studies as positive for drug use. The impact of drug and alcohol misuse is felt by employers too, with similar studies finding 27% of employers as identifying substance misuse as a tangible problem in their workplace.

Employee Assistance Programmes, often touted as an ‘all size fits one’ packaged solution for employee wellbeing, invariably fail to include the specialist kind of addiction support required to make a real difference. Even when an EAP is of suitable quality to substantially help a working professional struggling with addiction, it’s rarely used; some 3-5% of workers in the UK will ever actually make use of an EAP even when it is available to them and beneficial for them to do so.

Return on investment

The government itself published materials in 2018 to aid Local Authorities to argue the case for greater investment in their regions in addiction prevention and education. Estimating the social and economic impact of drugs and alcohol at a staggering £21.5 billion, these resources further claimed the return on investment in drug and alcohol misuse prevention to be £4 for every £1 invested.

Despite these clear findings, the picture of addiction in the UK in 2020 is one of poor support at a government level, with addicts and substance misusers lacking access to education and rehabilitation at a price-point and flexible schedule they can realistically afford.

Addressing the need

With this difficulty in mind, private rehabilitation services are evolving to meet the gap and fill it. The struggles of adults in the UK who are dependent on drugs and alcohol are clear: residential rehabilitation is too expensive, and work and family life cannot be put on hold just so that a programme can be attended. Life must continue, and the inflexibility of traditional residential rehab effectively makes it unavailable to the ‘average’ adult in the UK.

Intensive outpatient programmes such as Help Me Stop’s ‘Dayhab’ drug and alcohol rehab programme, available flexibly in-person and as an all-online alternative, seek to support adults who cannot afford residential rehabilitation or attend it full-time. Blending a mixture of traditional 12-step and SMART methodology which has long been a part of traditional rehabilitation, intensive outpatient programmes like these are incorporating modern tools such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to push the envelope on accessible and successful addiction treatment.

Unpronounceable Ssangyong survives with budget-priced Tivoli

South Korean Ssangyong (just ignore the first ‘S’) has been US supportive, Chinese owned and riven with controversy since it was formed in 1986, highlights Iain Robertson, yet it continues under Indian ownership, with a modest model range.

When reflecting on the Ssangyong brand, it is worth stating that as much of a South Korean mongrel as it is, even the ugliest of dogs can sparkle in some observers’ eyes. Its brief history actually commenced 66 years ago, in support of the US Forces based in what would become the largest garrison of its troops in the world. Producing Jeeps under licence, Ha Dong-hwan Motor Workshop and the later Dongbang Motor Co merged in 1963 and became a truck and bus manufacturer. The Ssangyong Business Group acquired the company in 1986, with Ssangyong Motor being formed two years later.

Listing the brands that have been connected to Ssangyong is a little like a ‘Who’s Who?’ of the motor industry: Jeep, AMC, Panther Westwinds (a UK firm it owned), Mercedes-Benz, Daewoo, GM, SAIC (Chinese) and Mahindra (Indian). Yet, it was its ownership by Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) from 2004 to 2009 that would prove to be most controversial. Typical of Chinese companies, SAIC took a 51% stake in the troubled Korean carmaker. In 2009, crippled by a $75m loss, it was placed in receivership. In the meantime, SAIC was accused by the South Korean government of intellectual property theft, notably of its hybrid technology. Finally, Indian conglomerate, Mahindra & Mahindra, acquired Ssangyong for $463m and placed the company on a stronger footing.

The Tivoli model was introduced in 2015, which means that you can regard the 2020 version as a Mark Two that has been dramatically improved. Invariably listed at affordable prices, this one leads with its EX trim from a fiver under £14,000, at which level it makes money for the company and provides tremendous value-for-money for its customers. While Dacia still holds the lowest crossover price tag for its Renault-tech Duster, the well-engineered Ssangyong represents significantly higher quality and a hint of dynamic style that is every bit as charming as, while being different to, its Gallic-Romanian rival.

Although Merc used to supply engines to Ssangyong, the most recent units are South Korean, starting with a 1.2-litre, 125bhp, three-cylinder turbo-petrol, then a 1.5-litre, 160bhp, four-pot and a punchy 1.6-litre, 133bhp, turbodiesel. All boast strong torque figures. Having already mentioned EX, next up the trim ladder is Ventura for £3k more. However, the top Ultimate trim level (from £19,995 to £22,995), while pricey, does include the choice of the two larger power units and the option of a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

Ssangyong has already developed a reputation for its generous equipment levels and the latest Tivoli benefits from a comprehensive range of electronic safety enhancements (driver aids) that includes the customary lane-change, emergency braking and traffic sign recognition features. With a brand new 10.25-inch LCD ‘smart’ main instrument cluster and an 8.0-inch touchscreen for the sound system, complete with the latest connectivity, topping the centre stack, Tivoli is not shy on the technology front. The main display ahead of the driver can be reprogrammed through several set-ups that also include the tailoring of some of the safety addenda and most typical driving data.

The restyling exercise has lifted expectations from ordinary to interesting. Fresh lamp designs and a new daytime running signature haul Tivoli by its bootstraps into the modern era but the revised front and rear bumper designs also look classier. The cabin has also benefited from a series of modest upgrades and, while the seats can look a little flat and shapeless, they do provide a modicum of comfort and support. Legroom in the rear of the Tivoli is more than adequate, however taller front seat occupants will request both head and legroom, which can be tight and will upset an otherwise good driving position. Storage slots are abundant around the cabin.

Although well assembled, the materials used for mouldings and seating give off an annoying new car odour that I can only hope would reduce as the esters wear off. The fit and finish is okay but the overall quality is still a peg, or two, down from Kia, or Hyundai. Yet, even in base EX trim, the Tivoli features cruise control, electric windows, remote central locking and manual air con. The cost-cutting is evident in the pressed steel wheels and plastic trims. It does not cost a lot to fit alloy alternatives. While the middle trim level features leather ‘effect’ seating, the top version incorporates heating into its real hide seat trim.

Exceedingly rigid unitary body construction results in a most satisfying suspension set-up, which is highly resilient and tolerates rough surfaces with aplomb, while resisting body roll and extraneous wheel movements, making smooth main road progress a surprisingly sophisticated exercise. Extensive work on sound deadening has resulted in much improved cabin refinement. Tivoli’s cornering agility is eager and responsive, displaying no questionable characteristics and a pleasing sense of neutrality. Yet, it is not without fun and even high-speed cornering can be adjusted playfully on the throttle. The brakes are keen and consistent in their ability to stabilise the car and bring it to a grinding halt safely.

The bottom line is that Ssangyong is actually one of the newer brands on sale. It still has a lot to learn but it is making rapid progress. The Tivoli model looks handsome but a little quirky, which is fine, and while pricing at the top end of the range is best described as ‘market competitive’, it can also be perceived as too steep for a brand with these roots. Dealer discounts will help, where the excellent seven years, 150,000 miles warranty might not. While 4WD is a feature of other Ssangyong models, 2WD Tivoli is aimed at the other, less demanding segment of the crossover scene, from where it can now build a sound reputation.

Ssangyong is a company that, through little fault of its own, has been shoved from pillar to post in its relatively short existence. However, the new Tivoli model gives a promising hint of much more to come in the future. It is one dog that could be about to have its day.

Best tips and tools to get the desired results for your business

If you’ve decided to take the leap and start your own business, now is the right time to focus on growing it.

One of the most important steps is to research and choose the best tech tools that will help you manage your business. Today, there’s a tool for virtually everything, from accounting to communicating with potential and existing customers. These products and software solutions will help you streamline processes, facilitate many repetitive or tedious tasks, and help you stay ahead of the competition. 

The best part is that most of these tools are free or low-cost. They’re also easy to set up and use, so you don’t have to worry about burdening your budget or wasting valuable time and money on their implementation. 

But with so many options out there, how do you decide which ones are best for your business?

To help you out, we’ve put together a list of 5 tools we believe every business needs, complete with tips that will help you get the desired results.

1. Website Design and Hosting

If you want to tell the world who you are, showcase your products or services, generate new leads, and land new business, you’ll need a good website. Today, having a strong online presence is a must for every business, and that is impossible to achieve without a website.

Depending on your vision, brand, and business model, you’ll need to decide what you want your site to do for you. Do you want an interactive design or maybe you want to host a blog? Once you decide this, find a tool that will allow you to use your site in whatever capacity your business needs.

If marketers were to create and send emails to each and every prospect on their list manually, they would probably not have time to do anything else. Sending hundreds or even thousands of messages to prospective customers every couple of days is a repetitive and daunting task.

That’s why you need an efficient email automation tool. Outreach tools like GMass handle everything from sending personalised emails in bulk, including sending automatic follow-ups, mail merge to email addresses saved in Excel spreadsheets, and campaign tracking.

2. Email Marketing Automation

If marketers were to create and send emails to each and every prospect on their list manually, they would probably not have time to do anything else. Sending hundreds or even thousands of messages to prospective customers every couple of days is a repetitive and daunting task.

That’s why you need an efficient email automation tool. Outreach tools like GMass handle everything from sending personalized emails in bulk, including sending automatic follow-ups, mail merge to email addresses saved in Excel spreadsheets, and campaign tracking.

If marketers were to create and send emails to each and every prospect on their list manually, they would probably not have time to do anything else. Sending hundreds or even thousands of messages to prospective customers every couple of days is a repetitive and daunting task.

3. Cloud Storage

Having cloud storage will enable you to house all your important business documents including spreadsheets, forms, images, videos, PowerPoints, contracts, as well as any piece of content used by you, your clients, or your employees. This will prevent loss of important files in case your computer/laptop gets stolen or a hard drive crashes.

Cloud storage tools like Dropbox and Google Docs, keep track of everything in one place and can be accessed by multiple people at once. They also keep documents up-to-date by saving edits and changes automatically. This can help boost creative thinking, productivity, and eliminate the need for feedback chains that could hold you back. 

4. Microsoft Excel

Using Excel might sound like a no-brainer but how about taking things to another level? In reality, most companies use only a small portion of Microsoft Excel. This is because they don’t have properly trained IT personnel to support the big number of spreadsheets and applications designed to increase the efficiency of operations. In fact, most employees never manage to go beyond the elementary level, so if a problem arises, they have to wait for days or even weeks for it to be resolved. 

If your company relies on Microsoft Excel, it’s time to consider using expert support.

With professional Microsoft Excel support, you will get on-demand support for applications and spreadsheets along with on-site training, monthly workshops, and learning guides that will enable you to optimize business operations with minimal staff and increase your productivity by more than 200%.

5. Project Management Software

When you’re a business owner, you need to stay on top of your game so sometimes even the simplest of tasks can seem impossible to achieve. How do you make sure that client work is finished on time? Or how do you track the status of each project? There are efficient ways to be managing your work and business, and you should give them a shot. 

Having a good project management software will help you assign tasks, review work, see the status of every project at any time, schedule deadlines, etc. A tool like this will hold everyone (you, your team members, and even your customers) accountable for their share of the work, thus increasing overall productivity and efficiency.

6. Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Whether we like it or not, cyberattacks are real and they happen to businesses of all sizes. For that reason, you have to take precautions to protect your business from ransomware, hackers, viruses, and other cybercrimes. 

Having a reliable VPN will help you make sure you have a secure network connection. If you tend to work from public places, using a public network (like the WiFi in your favorite coffee shop) and you operate with sensitive data, a VPN is an affordable and effective way to safeguard your business and help you save time & money.

Final Thoughts

We live in a digital age, so businesses that fail to embrace tech tools that improve operations, connect users, and simplify daily tasks are very likely to fall behind their competitors. 

To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, explore the above-listed digital platforms –  this will allow you to find opportunities for growth and success down the road.