Kgm Reviews

You may have never heard of this brand before, but if I say it rose from the ashes of SsangYong, things likely make a little more sense.The KGM Actyon, which has roots as a SsangYong model dating back to 2005, is now a mid-to-large SUV based on the smaller, yet still mid-size Torres SUV.It launched initially with petrol power last year, but now a new fuel-sipping hybrid powertrain is on offer.Pricing currently starts at $50,000 drive-away for the entry-level Hybrid K50 and extends to $53,000 drive-away for the flagship Hybrid K60. The latter is on test here and it’s $3000 more than the equivalent petrol model.It's worth noting there are hybrid versions of the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage and Honda CR-V that are cheaper, but aren't as well equipped.Standard highlights include LED headlights, 20-inch alloy wheels, a hands-free power tailgate, dual 12.3-inch displays, dual-zone climate control, black leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, plus heated outboard rear seats.Stepping up to the Hybrid K60 brings a surround-view camera, panoramic glass sunroof, rear door pull-up sunblinds and a wireless charger.One of the few things that's missing is wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You’re required to plug your phone into one of the USB-C ports which feels a little outdated now. However, it’s good peace of mind knowing your phone will reliably charge.In terms of the interior, the Actyon Hybrid is virtually identical to the petrol-powered equivalent. It’s minimal, screen-heavy and looks nice, however it can be a hassle to use certain functions, like climate control, on the move. I wish there were more physical buttons on the centre stack.What I do like is the vast amount of interior space, especially in the second row and the boot. The only catch is that the hybrid misses out on a spare wheel because that's where the high-voltage battery pack goes. You get a tyre repair kit instead, sadly.The hybrid powertrain features a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor for a total system output of 150kW, which is 30kW more than the petrol trims.This is mated with an electric dedicated hybrid transmission (e-DHT) with drive sent to the front wheels only. No all-wheel-drive version is on offer.While 150kW may seem like a decent amount of power, it doesn’t feel it in practice, especially in ‘Normal’ drive mode. The throttle calibration is too tapered, making the car feel sluggish off the mark.Select ‘Sport’, however, and it’ll almost spin the front tyres if you’re not careful. A little too hot or cold for my liking.It doesn't help that the hybrid powertrain has a lazy logic. The system prioritises electric power, but it leans on it too much, especially at higher speeds, causing the battery charge to deplete sooner than you’d think.As a result, the petrol engine fires up to charge up the battery pack. You can’t hear or feel the engine start from behind the wheel, but it’s not great to have it idling away when you’re stopped at a traffic light.It just feels like this hybrid system isn’t as smart or intuitive as a Toyota, Kia or Honda hybrid.This reflects the fuel consumption. KGM claims the Actyon Hybrid consumes an average of 5.5L/100km, according to ADR 81/02 combined testing, which is roughly 2.0L/100km less than the petrol equivalent.In practice I saw figures close to this when driving in the city, but on my 1050km road trip, which included plenty of rural highways, I achieved an average of 6.6L/100km. Not as efficient as a Toyota or Honda hybrid…There are the other aspects of the driving experience that are mediocre. The steering has an indirect and artificial feel and the suspension is largely compliant, but gets unsettled and bouncy over bigger bumps.There are plenty of other cars that are more enjoyable to drive, especially on long-distance journeys.The KGM Actyon hasn’t been crash-tested by ANCAP and is therefore unrated. Standard safety equipment includes eight airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, driver attention warning, as well as front and rear parking sensors.Owners are covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty with five years of roadside assistance. This warranty term is becoming much more common for mainstream carmakers and doesn't push the boundaries like it once did.Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 10,000km, which isn’t ideal if you do long-distance driving. The first seven services are capped and total $2903, which averages out to around $414 per service.While this may be cheaper than a Hyundai or Kia to service, Toyota and Honda cars are cheaper again.

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.

Another week another new hybrid family SUV from a challenger brand. But this brand isn’t Chinese, it’s KGM, the 'other' Korean carmaker. The KGM Torres Hybrid is affordable, competent and spacious, but can it divert attention away from all the other hybrid family haulers?

Before the Toyota HiLux BEV and Isuzu D-Max EV arrives, South Korea's KGM has beaten them to the punch with its new electric dual-cab ute, the Musso EV.

The SsangYong Musso has had a solid reputation as a value-for-money ute since its introduction in the early 2000s. But while it's attracted fans as a workhorse, it's never achieved the sales success of the Toyota HiLux or Ford Ranger. Following SsangYong’s rebrand to KGM, the updated Musso continues as the hero dual-cab and it's being touted as an affordable alternative to the more popular utes.

KGM – formerly SsangYong – has revised its seven-seat Rexton large SUV range for 2026, with some minor changes throughout the Australian line-up. The mid-spec Advance (formerly the Adventure) is equipped with high and low-range 4WD, an auto-locking rear diff and 3.5-tonne towing capacity. Is it set to challenge the likes of GWM Tank 500, Mahindra Scorpio and LDV D90? Or even the Ford Everest?

Formerly SsangYong, the newly-branded KGM hopes to make a splash with its ambitious Actyon - a Toyota RAV4 rival offering standout styling, larger-than-average packaging, value pricing and - quite unexpectedly - impressive refinement, quality presentation and sporty dynamics. It has flaws, but, drawing on 70 years of experience, the South Korean medium SUV is also likely better than you think.

There are many different makes and models to choose from in today's highly competitive 4x4 dual-cab ute market. For those prepared to look beyond the major players, is the KGM SsangYong Musso XLV Ultimate Luxury Pack the bargain its low drive-away pricing would suggest?