Exploring the KGM Torres: The Ultimate Large SUV Experience
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By
Jeremy Webb
on
15th January 2025
You may not have heard of KGM or, in fact, its original brand name, Ssangyong, but you should take a look at their cars.
They produce practical, versatile, and functional vehicles that offer great value for money compared to more recognised brands. Jeremy Webb takes the KGM Torres large SUV on some trails and trips and travels around the South coast
KGM has a good selection of models, with the Rexton at the top, the Torres, and the Korando. The Torres is a large SUV with a petrol engine, which is unusual now. KGM offer an electric version called the Torres EVX, which I will review soon. The KGM Torres competes against Hyundai’s Santa Fe, the Peugeot 508, the Ford Kuga, and the Nissan X-Trail.
The Torres has a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine delivering 161bhp and feels pretty powerful, although you have to rev it to get a shift on. It is also hampered by the sluggish changing six-speed automatic gearbox, which takes a frustrating amount of time to drop down the gears when you want a burst of power.
The ride and handling are below the rivals’ standards, and you can feel the vehicle bumping over even the smoothest surfaces. You don’t get much confidence from the Torres’ handling, as it has limited grip in corners and the body leans. Steering is woolly, so you must adjust inputs when going around bends. It is not the refined SUV that its looks perceive.
The KGM Torres has a good driving position, and you sit up quite high, so visibility is good. The driver gets a manually adjustable seat on the K30 version, but if you opt for the K40, you get an electrically adjustable seat with lumbar support.
Front and rear parking sensors and a rearview camera are standard across the range, making manoeuvring easier. If you take the K40 trim, you get a camera with a 360-degree view.
A 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen sits on the dash, and the driver gets a 12.3-inch display for all their requirements. There is Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to keep everyone entertained by playing podcasts or music, and you can use your own Sat Nav App.
The interior of the KGM Torres is simplistic, clean, and well-put-together, but it lacks a comforting feel. Front occupants get generous storage with an area under the armrest, a tray for bits and bobs sits in front of the gear shift, large pockets in the doors and two USB-C outlets. The driver and front seat passenger have plenty of room so no banging your head on the roof or bumping body parts. The rear seating is also spacious, and three adults can sit comfortably without feeling hemmed in. Two USB-C outlets are located on the back of the front console so rear passengers can charge electronic items.
The rear seats can be folded and split 60/40, providing extra cargo room if required, but the boot area is cavernous and has 703 litres of space. It is quite square, which is practical for loading, and you get a small area under the floor for additional storage.
The KGM Torres has high equipment levels, with the entry-level K30 trim having 18-inch alloy wheels, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, keyless entry and start cruise control, and touchscreen infotainment.
The K40 has 20-inch alloys, leather upholstery rather than faux leather, an electric tailgate, a 360-degree parking camera, and an extra safety kit.
The Torres is a large vehicle offering great carrying capacity for passengers and cargo, whatever form that may be. The performance is decent for the engine size and what it has to shift, but the downside is the mpg range is not great. KGM states 33mpg, but everyday driving shows it delivers high 20s. The hybrid Torres, due in 2025, should offer better fuel economy and tax efficiency. It will also come with more safety aids, including a lane-departure warning system, automatic emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control and a system that lets you know when the car in front of you has moved off. K40 option gives you blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert and a system that will stop you from opening your door into the path of other cars.
If you are interested in the KGM Torres, it may be worth waiting for the hybrid option, which offers better economy, outstanding practicality, and a vast interior.
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