KGM Torres SUV Review

Introduction

KGM might not be a company you’re familiar with, but chances are you simply know it by another name.

At the beginning of 2024, SsangYong - an established Korean manufacturer - decided it needed a completely new brand identity following the acquisition of SsangYong Motor Company in Korea by the KG Group.

The Torres is a smart SUV that helped to usher-in the new ‘KGM Motors UK’ era. It sits behind the full-fat, seven-seat Rexton in the KGM range.

The Torres itself is available with either a traditional petrol engine or as the fully-electric Torres EVX. For the purposes of this review, we’re focusing on the Torres with the petrol combustion engine.

It’s named after the Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonian Chile, a landscape dominated by towering mountains and which attracts thousands of hikers and climbers each year.

And it’s these adventure-loving folks that the Torres has in its crosshairs. Range-topping models boast all-wheel drive while there are competitive approach and departure angles for when you’re climbing gravel tracks and fording streams.

An enormous 703-litre boot is also more than capable of carrying your rucksacks and camping kit with ease.

But while the Torres can tackle anything the great outdoors can throw at it, there are still some serious challenges it must tackle.

These come in the form of rival SUVs from some of the leasing markets biggest players, including the Ford Kuga, Nissan X-Trail, Hyundai Tucson and the Jeep Compass.

At the time of writing, you could also get behind the wheel of a Land Rover Discovery Sport for a similar monthly lease fee.

So, while the Torres is ‘Powered by Toughness’, as KGM tells us, is it tough enough to mix it with the best in the business? We buckle up and find out.

At A Glance

‘Is that a Land Rover, mate?’

Those are the first words uttered by a neighbour after the Torres has been deposited on my driveway. It’s not, I tell him, but with the chunky proportions of the Torres instantly catching the eye, it’s not hard to see why you’d make that mistake.

It’s an SUV that looks like it means business. There are grab handles on the bonnet, skid plates front and back, and a bulge at the rear that makes it look like the Torres might be carrying a spare wheel on the tailgate. It’s not.

The rear haunches feature a distinctive, differently-coloured panel - separating the rear passenger windows from the boot - which adds a dash of charm and makes the Torres stand out in a crowded car park.

The cabin is equally eye-catching. There’s an intricate pattern on the inside of the doors that resembles the topography of a mountain range while a copper-coloured panel running the width of the cockpit is backlit with ambient lighting.

It’s a love-it-or-hate-it flourish, but from where we’re sitting it’s pretty cool. There’s acres of room in the back. If you wanted to get a Patagonian llama in there, you probably could.

And while the seats are on the firm side, they’re pleasant enough.

Key features

We’re driving a KGM Torres in range-topping ‘K40’ trim. Our model is front-wheel drive but an AWD variant is available to lease.

There’s no seven-seater in the range so if three rows is a non-negotiable, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

The K40 trim unlocks goodies like 20-inch alloy wheels, premium leather heated and ventilated seats in the front, heated seats in the back, a heated leather steering wheel, a powered tailgate and a 12.3-inch infotainment system with a rear view camera and sat nav, wireless phone charging and mood lighting.

There’s also a full suite of driver assistance and safety tech, including intelligent adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking and trailer sway control.

Entry-level K30 versions of the KGM Torres are equally loaded. You get as standard a rear parking camera, dual-zone air con, the same infotainment set up as the K40 minus the sat nav, and leather seats - albeit not ones that are 8-way power-adjustable or ventilated.

Whichever KGM Torrres lease you opt for, it’s powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine with 163 PS, 260 Nm of torque, and which is mated to a relatively slick 6-speed automatic gearbox.

Performance & Drive

On paper, the Torres’ 1.5-litre petrol engine doesn’t look particularly impressive.

Power of 163 PS and 250 Nm of torque looks fairly conservative. Yet it actually compares well to cars like the Nissan X-Trail, which also has 163 PS in mild-hybrid form.

The Torres also goes way better than the official stats might suggest.

KGM tells us the Torres takes a leisurely 10.8 seconds to sprint from 0-62 mph from a standstill. But with ‘Sport’ mode engaged, it felt much quicker than that, and the Torres handles surprisingly well for a car of its heft.

It’s not perfect. The Torres loses some of its poise when negotiating potholed roads and the Torres’ seats could arguably be more supportive.

But then the Torres isn’t really a car that’s built with performance in mind. And as long as you’re not asking too much of the automatic gearbox, the Torres gives you a pleasingly reassured drive.

And it definitely has the ability to surprise with its turn of pace lower down the rev range.

Running Costs & Emissions

This particular version of the KGM Torres makes use of a 1.5-litre petrol engine. There’s no hybrid wizardry and if you want an electric powertrain you’ll need to look for the KGM Torres EVX.

The petrol unit will return up to 33.2 miles per gallon in combined use but it does become thirstier the more you engage your right foot.

That’s perhaps to be expected of a fairly large SUV and particularly one married to an automatic gearbox, but some competitors do have the edge when it comes to fuel efficiency, particularly if you opt for a hybrid like the Hyundai Tucson, which will return close to 50 mpg.

CO2 emissions stand at 194 g/km, which is at the higher end of the scale.

And if you want to lease a company car, the electric KGM Torres EVX will triumph in terms of Benefit in Kind (BiK) tax implications.

Interior & Technology

First impressions here are good. There’s a sense that the Torres has been put together with practicality in mind above anything else, and you’ll find the odd bit of cheap plastic here and there.

But it’s also the sort of interior you’d be happy to run cloth over after getting it covered in mud following a mountain biking trip. It’s versatile, then, and easy to live with, rather than offering the plushness you might expect from one of the big German brands.

It’s airy and uncluttered, too, with the ‘Shift by wire’ gear toggle switch positioned on the driver’s left arm, which frees up space on the central console.

KGM also gets the thumbs up from us for trying to do something different with the cabin, giving it a sense of playfulness.

The plastic strip that sits beneath the massive twin screen infotainment system looks great at night when backlit by the ambient lighting, though we admit it won’t be to everyone’s tastes.

The infotainment system itself isn’t the most intuitive we’ve ever tested and some of the car’s functions are stuffed inside menu folders that don’t make a whole heap of sense, but you do get used to it eventually.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto come as standard.

Practicality & Boot Space

This is where the KGM Torres cracks its knuckles and steams-in to the competition - because the boot is enormous and there’s a colossal amount of space in the back for rear passengers.

The luggage space measures 703 litres with the rear seats fully in place. The five-seat Nissan X-Trail can only manage 585 litres while the five-seat Land Rover Discovery Sport (which is typically a seven-seater) doesn’t steal much of a march on the Torres with 780 litres.

Heated rear seats in the back (on K40 models) are a welcome bonus while you can also enjoy a KGM Torres lease with reassuring automatic all-wheel drive, though we haven’t tested that variant just yet.

In the rear of the Torres you’ll find two USB ports and a 12 volt socket. The Torres can also be equipped with reclining seats in the rear, which boosts comfort on longer journeys.

Safety

The KGM Torres hasn’t yet been crash tested by Euro NCAP but previous KGM models (well, SsangYong models) have fared well. The SsangYong Korando, for example, got the full five stars back in 2019.

Even the entry-level K30 Torres models come generously equipped with safety tech.

Right off the bat, you’ll enjoy autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, driver attention alert, hill start assist, hill descent control, rear cross traffic warning, safety distance alert and speed limit warning.

Some of these systems beep and bong in a rather chiding manner but, keep telling yourself, they’re just trying to keep you safe.

Options

There are three main trim levels with a KGM Torres lease - K30, K40, and K40 AWD.

As we’ve explained above, the entry-level K30 is absolutely solid, giving you lots of kit as standard.

The K40 adds extras like heated and ventilated seats in the front, sat nav for the infotainment system, heated seats in the rear, sunblinds for the rear seats, an electric tailgate, wireless phone charging and interior mood lights.

The K40 AWD does what it says on the tin and adds all-wheel drive into the mix.

In terms of other options with a KGM Torres lease, solid ‘Grand White’ is the no-cost paint option.

Then you’ve got a choice of Space Black, Platinum grey, Forest green, Iron silver, and Dandy blue (the colour of our test car) at an additional cost of around £14 a month, at the time of writing.

Rival Cars

The Torres is pitched as a medium-sized SUV but it actually straddles the line between medium and large in terms of its size, particularly when it comes to interior space.

At 4,700 mm long and 1,890 mm wide, it’s bigger-boned than a VW Tiguan or Kia Sportage and only slightly shorter than the Skoda Kodiaq.

The Nissan X-Trail is also a close fit in terms of size and, unlike the Torres, unlocks the option of seven seats.

You’ll want to look at the Jeep Compass, which is similarly styled and will also appeal to those of an outdoorsy persuasion.

The Compass also gives you the option of a plug-in hybrid, all-wheel drive powertrain and can be leased at a similar price point to the Torres.

Verdict & Next Steps

The KGM Torres has a lot going for it.

The styling dares to be different, you won’t find a roomier cabin for your lease money, and all models come really well-equipped as standard. A punchy 1.5-litre petrol engine has more get-up-and-go than you might realise, too.

The Torres is ideal as a tow car - it’ll pull a 1,500 kg braked weight - and will likely go down a treat with those who live in the greener or more mountainous parts of the UK.

It’s not, though, the most luxurious SUV in the class and if you’re looking for a cabin with a little more razzmatazz you’ll want to look elsewhere. There’s also no hybrid powertrain to choose from with a Torres lease, which you do get with rivals like the Nissan X-Trail, Land Rover Discovery Sport or the Jeep Compass.

Self-confessed badge snob? The quirky KGM might not be up your street. For everyone else, it’s well worth a look.

Where to next?

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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 Torres.

**Correct as of 27/11/2024. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £4,848.66 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.