KGM Torres Reviews

A number of popular car brands in Australia are at risk of paying fines in excess of $10 million for not meeting tightening emission standards if they don’t correct course quickly.

KGM, formerly known as SsangYong, has fully detailed its next-gen ‘Q300’ Musso ute in its Korean home market, ahead of its expected mid-2026 Australian launch.

KGM's Actyon hybrid mid-size SUV has just been priced in Australia. It will start from $48,000, drive-away, seeing it priced competitively to many of its rivals.According to a KGM Australia spokesperson, this offer will last until at least March 2026, with the starting price scheduled to increase to $50,000 (drive-away) afterwards.The strong-selling Toyota RAV4, starts at $45,990, while a comparative Kia Sportage hybrid variant starts from $46,450, although these prices are before on-road costs.KGM already sells a petrol version of the Actyon in Australia, which currently starts from $47,000, drive-away, so hybrid pricing comes in $3000 more than a petrol alternative. The hybrid variant gets a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and dual electric motors, producing a combined system output of 150kW. The new transmission-mounted dual-motor set-up on the Actyon is the first of its kind for the brand.KGM says it can drive up 94 per cent of the time on pure electric power in urban environments.On the inside, there is an integrated 12.3-inch digital driver display and 12.3-inch central touchscreen, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available. It comes as standard with leather seats, with the front seats and ventilated and the rear outside seats are also heated. Next from KGM is expected to be the dual-cabThe Actyon Hybrid is in dealerships now.2026 KGM Actyon Hybrid pricing2026 KGM Actyon Hybrid engine and efficiency 2026 KGM Actyon Hybrid standard features20-inch alloy wheelsLeather seatsHeated and ventilated front seatsHeated outer rear seats12.3-inch digital driver display12.3 central touchscreen displayApply CarPlay and Android AutoHeated leather steering wheelHeated and power-folding mirrorsRain-sensing wipersPower tailgateK60 grade getsPanoramic electric sunroofRear sun blindsWireless phone charging 2026 KGM Actyon Hybrid standard safety featuresEight airbagsAdaptive cruise controlAuto emergency brakingLane keep assistLane departure warningBlind spot assistForward collision warningRear cross traffic warningMulti-collision brakingFront and rear parking sensors  K60 grade gets360-degree camera2026 KGM Actyon Hybrid dimensions 2026 KGM Actyon Hybrid warrantyThe KGM Actyon comes with a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. The high-voltage battery has a seven-year/150,000 kilometre warranty.

After years of ownership struggles and increased competition from Chinese rivals, Korea’s third-biggest automaker, KGM (formerly SsangYong) has had its strongest sales result in 11 years, posting an operating profit up 336 per cent year-on-year, with exports increasing by 12.7 per cent.In total, the brand sold 110,535 units globally in 2025.It is a radical turn-around for a brand that only a few years ago was rapidly running out of options after an elongated sale process from previous owner, Mahindra Group.At the time, the debt-laden automaker was struggling to find new owners, and was facing bankruptcy and re-structure.The once-embattled Korean brand’s new owner, KG Group, has turned an ailing ship around, injecting new life into its range of popular and historically value-positioned utes, 4x4s, and SUVs.Despite this saga, which dragged on for years, the brand known as SsangYong at the time was comparatively thriving in Australia as a niche but solid value player. Its diesel-powered Musso ute and Rexton 4x4 continued to sell in decent numbers, with its range of SUVs faring less well since the arrival of even more aggressively priced options from China.First off the rank for KGM’s re-boot in Australia was the Torres mid-size SUV, which replaced the Korando in combustion, hybrid, and EV forms, followed by the resurrected Actyon nameplate as an upper-mid-size SUV in combustion and now hybrid guise.It also recently added Australia’s first monocoque electric ute, the Musso EV, and the brand is now on the cusp of launching its next-generation replacement for the larger diesel Musso ute, codenamed Q300, as part of an expanded Musso sub-brand that's expected to spawn a larger pick-up truck.The next-generation diesel Musso will launch in Korea imminently, with an Australian launch no doubt not far behind.While KGM is now facing particularly tough competition in Australia with the rise of Chinese hybrid and electric options in many of the same market segments, a lot of KGM’s global success is coming from markets in Europe and South America.The brand said newly launched hybrid versions of its range were a major source of growth, now accounting for nearly a third of its global sales.In Australia last year, KGM was down 23.7 per cent year-on-year, with 4116 sales. This places it in a similar mid-tier sales bracket to Geely, Omoda Jaecoo, and Skoda. The brand is no doubt hoping the next-gen diesel Musso will reignite sales as it and many brands struggle for relevancy in a changing market. The Musso 4x4 ute is the brand’s best seller, accounting for nearly half of its volume in Australia over the course of 2025, with the related Rexton 4x4 SUV accounting for a third of the brand’s volume last year.However, while KGM faces tough competition from its Chinese rivals, that hasn’t stopped it tapping into some of the most renowned brands for technology, which should pay dividends in the future.For example, KGM has an arrangement with BYD to source its signature lithium iron phosphate (LFP) ‘Blade’ batteries, and has also established a partnership with Chery to develop a vehicle on the Chinese giant’s new platform and gain access to its hybrid tech.Stay tuned for more on KGM’s plans for the diesel Musso ute later in 2026.

So, you’re looking for an affordable electric mid-size SUV, but you don’t want to buy a Chinese car?This might be the alternative you’re looking for. The KGM Torres EVX is a mid-sized fully electric SUV from the Korean automaker formerly known as SsangYong. A good value but niche player in the Australian market, does KGM's first EV have what it takes to keep it on your list of considerations in a rapidly changing market?Let’s take a look.Wearing a sticker price of $58,000 drive-away, the Torres EVX would have been a great value EV even just a year or two ago, but it’s now in one of the most hotly contested market segments.The trouble for the Torres EVX is it’s far from the most affordable option in the space. For that, you should be looking at the Geely EX5 (from $40,990), Leapmotor C10 (from $45,888), BYD Atto 3 (from $39,990), and now the GAC Aion V (from $42,590), all from China.If those options don’t float your boat, there are other options, like the frequently underestimated Skoda Enyaq (from $54,990 drive-away) and the more mainstream Kia EV5 (from $56,770), while the ever-present Tesla Model Y is only a few thousand more once you add on-roads (from $58,900).There's plenty of options, and the reality is the KGM Torres EVX isn’t the best value amongst them.Regardless, you get all the equipment available on the Torres in the single electric grade, including 18-inch alloys, some pretty cool Tron-style LED lights in the front, full synthetic leather interior trim, dual 12.3-inch screens for the digital dash and multimedia screen, a sunroof, 360-degree camera and front seats with heating and ventilation.While many of this car’s Chinese rivals will blow you away with comparatively giant screens, over-the-top software, gimmicky features (do frameless doors really need to make a comeback?), and crazy design flourishes, the Torres EVX, even with its funky exterior look, seems to just work.Yes, in some ways it feels a bit old fashioned compared to some rivals, but almost everything in this car is refreshingly simple to use.There’s a multimedia suite with mercifully straightforward menus, cabled Apple CarPlay, a digital dash with the right information displayed, and even traditional buttons to adjust your mirrors and seats.The sunroof has a manual shade, the door handles are where they should be and things are labelled consistently (this shouldn’t be a selling point in 2026, but here we are).The active safety equipment is good, too. This car doesn’t constantly chime, you don’t have to spend two minutes turning frustrating systems off, and even the lane keep assist feature, which is pretty heavy handed, can be switched off just by holding a button on the steering wheel.The Torres even gets a few things that exceed expectations, like the excellent 360-degree camera, sun blinds built into the rear windows, and vehicle-to-load to power external devices from its battery. It’s not without its flaws though. The designers at KGM have seen fit to remove physical hardware for climate controls, so you have to make do with a slide-out tray for the touchscreen. This is usually right near the driver’s left hand, so is easily within reach, but not if you have Apple CarPlay going. It takes up the whole screen and you have to navigate out of CarPlay to a climate menu to adjust anything. Annoying, but not bad enough to be a dealbreaker.When the Torres was revealed with its strange array of accoutrements glued to its exterior, like the fake bonnet latches, aesthetic-only blocky bumper pieces, and the tailgate with a fake spare wheel housing and a latch that implies it opens sideways (when it actually opens upward), I’m not sure anyone in the office was taken with it.To me it’s a playful take on the early days of SUVs. At least it dares to do something different, and the electric variant gets a unique take on the blocky Torres formula.The interior is a little derivative, but still a big step up. A sea of black brittle grey plastics in this car’s predecessors have been replaced by a more modern look and feel.It still doesn’t feel as cutting edge as some Chinese rivals which are even more adventurous in the interior, and it also feels a step behind its Korean contemporaries.On the whole though, I appreciate KGM trying to stand out from the pack.It’s not a bad thing to drive, but it also feels a little behind the pace in some ways.Again, this car is straightforward. With 150kW/339Nm on offer, it’s not insanely rapid like a Tesla Model Y, but still plenty quick enough.However, the EVX feels like a previous-generation EV in some ways. The motor torque can easily overwhelm the front tyres, suggesting better traction software wouldn’t go astray, and its regenerative braking modes feel a bit wonky, leading me to drive it with the regen turned down or off most of the time.This car’s Hyundai Group rivals do a much better job of blending the electric driving characteristics a bit more seamlessly, while Teslas and some Chinese cars do a better job of dealing with overwhelming electric motor torque.While the ride is generally decent, it can be a tad crashy or floaty at the limits, due to the weight of its relatively large 80.6kWh battery. For most daily commuting it’s a balanced and comfy place to be though, not too soft like a lot of Chinese cars, or as brutally stiff as Teslas used to be.The steering tune is great. It’s on the lighter side, but full of feel and not overly electrically assisted like many of its rivals. Sound levels are okay. It’s quiet at commuter speeds, but tyre and wind noise noticeably picks up around 100km/h.Who does the EVX suit? A buyer who wants their EV to feel similar to an internal combustion engine SUV.On paper, yes. The official driving range is 462km and my general rule is when you’re getting around the 450km mark, you’re not going to have range anxiety in most scenarios.However, At 80.6kWh the battery should offer more range, and the reason it doesn’t is because the Torres isn’t very energy efficient. Our car consumed 18.2kWh/100km in my week of mixed driving conditions and that’s simply not good enough. Many larger and more powerful EVs perform better. Our car indicated a range closer to 417km based on my driving time.Charging is decent at 130kW on DC, allowing a fast charging time as low as 37 minutes, while 11kW on AC means a full charge in around eight hours.

Amidst all the excitement of new car brands arriving in Australia (seemingly by the day), it's easy to forget that not every member of the class of 2025 will be joining us in the new year.

As we prepare to close the curtain on 2025, the Australian new car market looks a very different place than it did at this time last year.

South Korea’s KGM (formerly known as SsangYong) has officially revealed the design of its new-generation Musso dual-cab ute ahead of more details surfacing in the new year.Dubbed the ‘Q300’, this generation of the Musso dials up the style factor with glitzy looks that are similar to the current Actyon- and Torres-based Musso EV.The front particularly is busy with lots of design elements. KGM has shown off two grille designs, but both feature big LED headlights that are joined by a full-width LED daytime running light set-up.Around the side there is plenty of thick black cladding around the wheel arches and the door sills. There are also vertical accent strips at the top of the wheel arches, like the Musso EV.At the back there is a step into the tub, vertical tail-lights, KGM embossing on the tailgate, as well as a complex sports bar.Beyond this KGM hasn’t provided any further details. It appears this new-generation ute has a body-on-frame chassis, though it’s unclear how much has been altered compared to the outgoing generation.Globally this new Musso will be offered with petrol and diesel powertrains, though no specifications or outputs have been announced yet.The current Musso is offered with a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that produces 133kW and 420Nm. In other markets there’s also a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine available.KGM plans to launch this new-generation Musso in the domestic market in the first quarter of 2026.It’s unclear when it will be coming to Australia. We’ve reached out to KGM Australia and will update this story once we hear back.The Musso name dates back all the way back to 1993 when it was adorned on an SUV. It later spawned a dual-cab ute version in 2002 called the Musso Sports.The outgoing version of the Musso, dubbed the Q200 generation, dates back to 2018. It has received a number of updates over the years, including one that launched in Australia earlier this year with the availability of electric power steering among other safety feature additions.It also saw SsangYong dropped from the name altogether.Given there is a new Musso that’s now been revealed, it’s unclear whether a new-generation Rexton SUV is also on the horizon. The two vehicles have historically been based on the same platform and share a lot of componentry.

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