KGM Actyon Review (2025)

Introduction

If you’re unfamiliar with KGM, then maybe the name SsangYong is better known to you.

KGM is what the South Korean automaker is branded as nowadays, although admittedly, its cars never sold in vast quantities under the SsangYong name in the United Kingdom.

It first launched here in the early 1990s and is perhaps best recognised for repurposing Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The Rexton SUV, for example, had an uncanny resemblance to the early M-Class, partly because it shared much of the Mercedes’ underpinnings.

However, under the ownership of Mahindra, best known here for being part of the all-electric Formula E racing series, it moved away from collaborations and began developing cars itself.

Eventually, though, SsangYong hit financial trouble and was bought out by the KG Group, which renamed the brand KG Mobility, or KGM for short.

Now, it's launched its first clean-sheet design since its revival: the mid-size crossover SUV Actyon.

The Actyon name is a revival of a car that existed between 2005 and 2018, but it shares few if any, similarities.

According to the marketing spiel, the name is a combination of the phrases “act young” and “act on”- more specifically, "encouraging drivers to chase their dreams and embark on new adventures with confidence." This new motor certainly has more potential for such adventures than its ladybird-shaped predecessor.

So, KGM has brought the Actyon to the UK, but with a new brand name. This means it'll have to prove itself from scratch - and it’s doing so at a time when the marketplace is becoming increasingly crowded with East Asian manufacturers desperate to crack Europe.

BYD, ORA, Jaecoo, Omoda, and Skywellare among the newcomers - all admittedly from China. Fellow South Korean brand Genesis is relatively new to this country but is an offshoot of Hyundai, which is, of course, already very well established.

These new kids on the block have had mixed results so far, so we’re interested in how the Actyon performs.

At A Glance

The KGM Actyon certainly looks modern and contemporary - and quite similar to its slightly larger SUV sibling, the Torres.

We actually thought it was an electric car, as the grille is set lower down. The usual position of the main upper grille is replaced by a horizontal LED lightbar. It is divided into eight sections, each featuring between three and six small LED strips, creating a pattern along the front.

The Actyon’s headlights sit on either side, bending around and underneath the far end of the light bar. Beneath that, there's a large black air intake-shaped cut-out, which also houses more lights, while two black cut-outs in the middle add shape and definition to the front end.

At the sides, a black strip runs along the bottom part of the doors, just above the side skirts. Further up, there's a modest crease, as well as some bulging protection on the wheel arches and rear bodywork.

Thanks to its sloping roofline, the KGM Actyon is marketed as a 'coupe-style' SUV, and the influence of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is evident when viewed from the back. Indeed, from some angles, it's styled similarly to the Range Rover Velar or possibly the original Range Rover Sport.

The Actyon has a roof spoiler and a black horizontal bar connecting the taillights, which are thinned out and reach around the sides. The lower horizontal black strip, which runs along the side, also continues around the back, where it swoops upwards, converging with the housing for the brake lights.

The Korean car is reasonably good-looking, but that's mainly when viewed from the rump. It is a tad awkward looking from the front, but we've seen a lot worse - and beauty is in the eye of the beholder anyway.

Key Features

The Actyon certainly comes with a generous equipment list – and you don't need to worry about forking out extra to lease a top-of-the-range model because there's only one trim offered in the UK.

Named 'K50,' it includes 20-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, TomTom satellite navigation, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and black Nappa leather seats with red inserts. Even better, the front seats are eight-way electrically adjustable, heated and ventilated, while the rear outer seats are also heated.

Also included are a powered tailgate, 360-degree camera and, inside the cabin, a wireless phone charger, suede panels, carbon fibre patterns, dark wooden dashboard trim, a glowing crystal gear selector, and laminated glass to reduce road noise.

Noise-cancelling Michelin tyres help with dampening the din, too, while 32-colour ambient mood lighting and climate control are also among the features on offer.

Power is provided by a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a six-speed automatic gearbox, which, according to KGM, are both engineered to withstand off-roading.

However, since only front-wheel drive is available, we'll skip the muddy fields and rocky terrain today.

Performance & Drive

The KGM Actyon gets from 0-62mph in 10.8 seconds, which is hardly rip-roaringly quick. It is still adequate and will do the job as a family car, but many of its competitors are faster.

That said, the petrol engine feels quicker than the figures on screen suggest. The Actyon offers decent responsiveness to your inputs and a generous amount of low-end shove to get you pulling away at a reasonable pace. It seems prone to wheelspin, though, so pressing hard on the accelerator pedal may hamper your progress rather than get you going more quickly.

The new KGM model sounds excessively loud if you work it hard, but it’s better than we expected overall. It offers reasonable refinement and becomes pretty hushed when cruising along, especially between about 20 and 40mph. That is no doubt helped by the special Michelin noise-cancelling tyres.

The six-speed automatic transmission is okay but can be frustrating if you're in a hurry. Why? Well, the Korean is sometimes sluggish to change up a gear when you demand performance through the accelerator, resulting in more high-revving loudness.

Switching to and from reverse is also slow, which can be irksome if you're making a three-point turn. Nevertheless, the engine feels like it’s a step forward from the larger Torres, which uses the same powerplant.

The Actyon isn't hugely fun to handle, but again, it's better than we had anticipated. The steering doesn't provide as much feedback as we'd like, but it's well weighted, and the car responds well to your inputs.

Body roll around bends is relatively well controlled, although admittedly it’s not a car that likes being chucked about, and it can feel a little loose if you try to take a corner quickly. It is largely uneventful and lacking in entertainment, but the Actyon will be fine for most families.

That said, the half-decent handling comes at the cost of ride comfort, as the suspension is on the firm side. The SUV is better than the Torres in terms of its ability to deal with potholes, lumps, and bumps, but it still feels a little unsettled when driving on less well-paved roads.

Running Costs & Emissions

Despite KGM’s claims of efficiency, the 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol unit is simply not very economical by today's standards.

33.1mpg is the official figure – and you’ll struggle to achieve that in practice. It is well short of more established rivals that can enjoy figures of over 40mpg with similar specifications as the Actyon.

The SUV also has a 50-litre fuel tank, so you'll need to visit the petrol pumps more often than its foes, most of which have 60-litre tanks. Not only that, but emissions of 194g/km of CO2 mean the first year's road tax will cost £1,650 - and that's going up to £3,300 from 1 April 2025 - and £190 a year thereafter.

Thankfully, as the list price is under £40,000, you won’t get stung for an extra £410 for years two to six.

As a company car, there’s little point considering the Actyon, as you need to choose a fully electric or, at the very least, plug-in hybrid car to enjoy the best rates for Benefit in Kind tax. The Actyon is in the highest band at 37%.

Reliability is an unknown given that this is a brand-new car and we're in a new era with KGM. However, despite what you may think, its predecessor, SsangYong, as a whole, didn’t do too badly in the past.

Interior & Technology

Stepping inside, the Actyon certainly offers a very convincing interior. If you’re used to SsangYong cabin designs, the difference is night and day.

It is not as minimalist as other cars we’ve tested, but it’s cleanly laid out.

The steering wheel is a rounded hexagonal shape, which KGM says is deliberately wider than normal to minimise any obstruction of the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster behind it.

Speaking of which, the instrument cluster sits in a single unit next to the same-sized infotainment screen, the latter being slightly angled towards the driver for a better view. The top of the unit only protrudes slightly above the top of the dash, so it doesn’t get in the way of your view of the road ahead.

The infotainment system itself offers clear, crisp graphics and a reasonably intuitive menu layout. Unfortunately, the processing power appears to be wanting, and it lacks the responsiveness of competitors, causing it to feel rather clunky.

You will also have to use the screen to adjust the temperature, as KGM has decided to embed all the climate control functions into the touchscreen, which is disappointingly inconvenient.

At least the infotainment system offers shortcut buttons and customisable 'favourites' so you can easily get to the right screen. Still, it's nowhere near as useful as putting some physical buttons in the cabin.

The digital instrument cluster offers consolation. It has various layouts to choose from, and it’s informative and clear, making it easy to read.

The cabin also features plenty of soft materials and a wood veneer strip along the dashboard. Admittedly, some of the KGM Actyon’s fittings are low rent, but most of the cheaper, thinner plastics are well hidden from view.

The looks are impressive, too, with the red and black Nappa leather, red seat belts and a luminous crystal gear selector adding an air of classiness to the cabin.

It is a shame the touchscreen’s lack of responsiveness lets it down slightly. If you’re going to bury all the car’s controls into the infotainment system, at least make sure it’s up to the job.

Nevertheless, for the money, the KGM Actyon’s interior is of better quality than expected.

Practicality & Boot Space

Thanks to the eight-way powered front seats, which offer plenty of travel, it's easy to find a comfortable driving position in the Actyon.

Forward visibility is reasonably good, too, as the pillars have been kept fairly thin. However, part of the window is blocked off near the door mirrors, making peering through the gap between the mirror and the window all but impossible.

The back end of the coupe-styled SUV is a different story, as there's no third window. This means the rear pillar is huge, obstructing over-the-shoulder visibility. What’s more, the sloping roofline makes the rear windscreen shallower.

It is not all bad news, though, as spaciousness is one of the Actyon’s strong points. The front offers lots of headroom and legroom, and there's enough separation between the two front seats to avoid bumping shoulders.

The rear of the KGM is notably accommodating, too, with plenty of legroom for taller adults. The sloping roofline barely impacts the available headroom, and the seats can be reclined up to 32.5 degrees, although they can’t slide.

Interior storage includes a reasonably sized cubby in the centre console, a wireless charging pad, two cupholders in the front, and a couple of trays. The door bins are also pretty accommodating. Furthermore, coat hangers are built into the back of the front seats, and there are four USB-C ports.

If you’re thinking that the cabin’s spaciousness comes at the cost of boot space, think again. It measures 668 litres, which is quite a bit bigger than many of its rivals. The cargo capacity expands to 1,568 litres with the back seats folded down in a 60:40 split. There is also a flat floor, while the loading area is very squared off and accessible to maximise usability.

Safety

The KGM Actyon is yet to be assessed by crash-testing specialists, Euro NCAP.

The last related model to be put to the test was the Korando, back in the SsangYong days. It earned a five-star rating in 2019, scoring 88% for adult occupants, 85% for children, and 74% for safety assists.

The Actyon includes automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, driver attention alert, lane keeping assist, rear cross-traffic warning, rear blind-spot detection and blind spot collision assist, plus lane change collision warning.

You also get front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree around-view monitoring system.

Options

There is no options list for the KGM Actyon, although you can choose from a selection of body colours.

By default, the SUV is solid white, but for a few hundred pounds extra, you can have it in black, dark blue, browny-green, or silver.

Rival Cars

The KGM Actyon is in a very tough market.

The Kia Sportage is likely the biggest opponent, and it's available in trims that are significantly cheaper, albeit less generously equipped.

The Citroen C5 Aircross, Ford Kuga, Nissan Qashqai, and Skoda Kodiaq are also waiting for your money.

The Vauxhall Grandland and the Volkswagen Tiguan are among the more established competitors, too.

Verdict & Next Steps

Overall, the KGM Actyon offers many good points and has a lot of potential, but it lets itself down in a couple of key areas.

It is superbly well equipped, leaving nothing (bar a different paint job) on the options list. It offers decent looks and a pleasantly attractive interior. It is spacious, highly practical, and has a very generous boot capacity.

The driving experience isn’t bad, but the Actyon offers a poorer ride quality than some of its rivals. The inferior fuel economy and high emissions leave you with big road tax bills, too - and far more frequent fill-ups at the petrol station than many of its competitors.

Additionally, the infotainment system is let down by its sluggishness and the climate control functions that are all buried within the touchscreen.

While dumping everything in one single trim is commendable, many of the KGM Actyon’s rivals offer similar entry-level cars that are considerably cheaper to lease.

All things considered, KGM has produced arguably its best-ever car, including those from the SsangYong era. Unfortunately, a couple of the Actyon’s weaker points are likely to be deal-breakers for many, especially once the first year’s road tax doubles before Easter.

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the KGM Actyon.