Overview
WHEN SsangYong rebranded as KG Mobility in 2024, it seemingly forgot (intentionally, it says) to adorn its Australian models thusly.
KGM-SsangYong appears simply as ‘SsangYong’ on the Torres mid-size SUV tested here, retaining a familiar logo – and the quirky styling – we’ve come to associate with the Korean marque.
From its Jeep-cross-Hummer frontal treatment with faux bonnet rigging points, bold rear-side blade, and offset (and again fake) Continental wheel cover, the KGM-SsangYong Torres is an unusually styled vehicle that is also quite well finished – both outside and in.
Tested here in flagship Ultimate guise (from $47,000 d/a), the five-seat KGM-SsangYong Torres offers an expectedly high level of standard equipment including LED lighting, dual-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front seats with power adjustment, dual 12.3-inch screens, rear privacy glass, a powered tailgate, and stylish 20-inch alloy wheels.
Those wheels are driven by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.
Outputs are listed at 120kW (5000-5500rpm) and 280Nm (1500-4000rpm) – quite a way behind most of the competition but surprisingly sufficient in this 1532kg package.
KGM-SsangYong lists a combined cycle fuel consumption figure of 7.9 litres per 100km – or 1.2 litres less than achieved on test (9.1L/100km).
Bear in mind, the vehicle requires 95RON or higher premium unleaded, which may add to running costs over time, and that the fuel tank holds just 50 litres. Based on our figures, that means a driving range of just over 550km.
The Torres measures 4700mm in length, 1890mm in width, 1720mm in height, and 2680mm between the axles. Cargo space is listed at 703-1526 litres (between five- and two-seat modes) and accessed via a top-hinged powered tailgate. The rear seats may be split 60:40 for added convenience.
Braked towing capacity is listed at just 1500kg.
KGM-SsangYong currently offers a three-year free servicing period across the Torres SUV range, the range usually supported by a seven-year capped-price arrangement as part of a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty bundle.
Service intervals are pegged at 12 months or 15,000km (whichever comes first) with prices ranging from $338 to $442. Over a three-year period, this amounts to $1118, $1898 over five years, or $2678 over seven years – a little pricey when compared with many mainstream rivals.
Roadside assistance is offered for five years.
On the safety front, we find it disconcerting that the vehicle is not offered with a safety rating.
KGM-SsangYong does however package the Torres Ultimate with eight airbags, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind spot warning, driver attention alert, lane centring, lane change warning, and lane keeping assist, high beam assist, rear cross traffic alert, safe distance alert, and tyre pressure monitoring.
Importantly, the Torres also offers dual ISOFIX and three top-tether child seat anchorages.
The three-grade Torres range (from $37,200 to $46,200) is offered in five paint colours. Premium paint adds $595 to the list price.
Driving Impressions
While we have our reservations about the styling of the KGM-SsangYong Torres, we must say that the fit and finish is mostly rather impressive. We say mostly because the steering wheel feels quite old hat, and some interior materials are a little hard and scratchy.
The cabin is otherwise quite spacious and offers generous leg- and headroom throughout. It’s perhaps not as wide as some in the segment, but this is a Medium SUV segment player after-all.
Disappointingly, the seating is a little flat and firm, particularly in the cushion (base) which – despite the adjustment available – can make longer trips quite tiring. The thrum of the Ultimate grade’s 20-inch rubber was also rather tedious, grating against otherwise subdued mechanical and wind noise.
We found the infotainment and instrumentation arrays straightforward and easy to navigate but were disappointed to find no wireless smartphone mirroring (i.e., no wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto) or charging at this price point. The screen was at times laggy, and at others shutdown entirely – along with the instrument panel.
Unfortunately, we received warnings and chimes that all the safety and driver support systems had become inactive on several occasions when travelling at highway speeds: leaving only the vehicle’s basic functions operational. It is not a good sign of quality at all – and potentially dangerous for the inexperienced.
Mechanically, the KGM-SsangYong can feel a little overwhelmed in accelerating from standstill but improves once on the go. The transmission is smooth and impeccably decisive, the ratio spread well spaced to compliment the 1.5-litre engine’s broad torque curve.
However, we did not enjoy the toggle-style gear shift selector when manoeuvring at car park speeds – the switch requiring two inputs at each direction change before engaging Drive or Reverse. The idle-stop system is also very tardy, and best switched off in our opinion.
Forward and lateral outward visibility is fine, though the rear is somewhat obscured by the rear side window covers when reversing from a 45-degree park. Fortunately, the camera system is great and the steering light and (reasonably) tight at low speeds, making the Torres very easy to park. KGM-SsangYong lists the turning circle of the Torres at 10.8m.
Travelling a little quicker, we found the Torres strut front / multi-link rear suspension both firm and flat. The trade-off here is that the ride is a little brusque, but the handling very keen. It’s a compromise that gifts the Torres with the kind of agility Aussie drivers expect, but with a ride that may shake your fillings loose over poorly maintained roads.
The Torres’ all-wheel disc brakes provide positive braking via a well-modulated and progressive pedal. Assistance here is just right for family buyers, offering the kind of confident braking required on wet, dry, sealed or unsealed surfaces.
On balance, and despite our love of certain SsangYong models past (which in our view are often unfairly overlooked), the Torres fell well short of expectations.
While we certainly found the value for money reasonable, the seven-year warranty generous, and the engine power adequate, the vehicle’s repeated and multiple electronic system failures, lack of any safety rating, questionable ride, and mismatched styling gave us genuine cause for doubt.
In a market segment bristling with solid competition, we think you’d need to be truly enamoured with the KGM-SsangYong offering to preference it above the rest. In answering the question posed at the start of this review, we simply do not feel the Torres has enough of what it takes to stack up against its mainstream rivals.