Korea’s SsangYong Planning Jeep-like SUV for U.S. Market?

South Korea's SsangYong Motor Co. is developing a highly styled small SUV/crossover to compete in the American market with the Jeep Wrangler SUV, sources tell Autocar.

SsangYong, a unit of India's Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., is planning a variant of the Tivoli small crossover the company introduced in Europe earlier this year, according to the British enthusiast magazine.

Both models would be produced in the same Korean factory and likely would share the same 1.6-liter gasoline and diesel engine options. Sources tell Autocar the plant will have enough capacity to add a U.S.-bound model.

The new SUV may be styled to resemble the XAV concept SsangYong unveiled at the Seoul auto show in April, according to Autocar.

The XAV is considered a likely successor to SsangYong's Korando, which debuted in 1983. Ironically, the original Korando was a licensed copy of the Jeep CJ-7, predecessor to today's Wrangler.