KGM Actyon vs Volkswagen Tiguan

What's the difference?

“Actyon!”

Any car with a name that sounds like the first word sung by Alicia Bridges on The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert soundtrack version of the ‘70s disco classic, I Love the Nightlife, is crying out for attention.

But does the KGM Actyon, from the carmaker formerly known as SsangYong (from 1987, and Dong-A-Motor for 33 years before that) deserve to get the attention of medium SUV buyers against best-sellers like the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan X-Trail and Toyota RAV4?

Keep reading, because the latest offering from this intriguing new/70-plus year-old brand from South Korea is presented, priced and packaged like a pro ready for action, so let’s go!

The third-generation Volkswagen Tiguan is likely to be the most important new vehicle Volkswagen launches in 2025.

The popular mid-sizer has proven to have impressive staying power for the brand, with the outgoing version still impressing buyers despite being nearly a decade old. 

What does this ground-up new version change? Does it have what it takes to maintain the nameplate’s reputation in one of Australia’s most hotly contested market segments? And what are some surprises this time around?

We went to its local launch to find out.