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KGM SsangYong Torres 2025 review: Ultimate long-term | Part 1

2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate


I'm just going to come right out and say this – the KGM SsangYong Torres is among the stranger vehicles I've reviewed recently.

I don't mean that in a bad way, necessarily. It's more that it took me a while to figure out what it is, or what it's trying to be.

On paper, it's a mid-size SUV from the other, other Korean brand (SsangYong has suffered some turbulence of late, but it was acquired by the KGM group in 2022, hence the new name).

But look closer and there are some oddities. That might look like a spare wheel on the boot, but it's merely a design flourish. And the grab handle to the right of it might look like it opens a left-hinged boot, but again it's just a quirk – the boot opens from the top as normal.

And up front, the Torres appears to be doing its best Jeep impression, with a six-slot (rather than the American brand's seven) grille, and a bright red recovery point.

2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate 2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate

So, is this a rough-and-tumble 4WD ready to get amongst the tough stuff? Or is a city SUV playing dress-ups?

The latter, it would appear. My Torres Ultimate might look like the love child of an older Toyota Prado and a Jeep Cherokee, but there's no mistaking it's an urban-focused SUV, with all-wheel drive really the only nod to off-road adventure that I could find.

2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate 2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate

Ok, so now we know what it is, and what it isn't, what's the deal? The Torres is the torchbearer for a new generation of KGM-branded models that will soon begin to arrive in Australia. The Korean brand has been here for a while under the SsangYong name, but never achieved anything like the kind of cut-through as Hyundai and Kia.

Its new KGM overlords will be hoping to change that, though, and the Torres is the canary down that coal mine.

2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate 2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate

Mine is the Ultimate, the most expensive option, currently priced at $47,000 drive-away. There's also the Adventure ($43,000 DA) and the ELX ($38,000 DA) in the family.

Under the bonnet there lurks a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 120kW and 280Nm, which is fed through a six-speed automatic and sent to all four wheels.

2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate 2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate

Predictably, it gets the best equipment, too, with the Ultimate offering a want-for-nothing feature list which is genuinely impressive.

That includes LED lighting, including fog lights and daytime running lights, 20-inch alloys, a powered boot and a sunroof.

2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate 2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate

Inside, there's dual-zone climate, push-button start, leather seats that are heated and ventilated in the front and heated in the window seats in the back and a heated steering wheel.

Tech is handled by twin 12.3-inch screens – one for the driver, and the other handling infotainment duties – and there's Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, too.

2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate 2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate

The big selling point, at least according to the brand, is the Torres' boot space - a big 703 litres with the rear seats in place, or a bigger 1526 litres with them folded flat.

All of which is good, as is the Kia-matching seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, which in this case includes your first three services for free.

But good doesn't quite cut it in the Australian new-car market, you need to be better than that. And while in some areas the Torres definitely is, there are some weak points that have grated on me over my first four weeks with the car.

2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate 2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate

For one, there are some definite tech gremlins on board. On a couple of occasions, the screens stayed blacked-out once I started driving, suddenly turning on after a minute or two. On one occasion I had to turn the car off and back on again to jump start the screen.

I also don't love the gear-selector toggle, which looks fancy, but because you can't leap over neutral, you find yourself having to pull it several times to get from park to drive, and twice to get back to reverse, and so on.

Finally, I'm not entirely sold on its driving dynamics, at least not yet. Despite its tough-guy appearance, the Torres sports a relatively small petrol engine, and it feels like a lot of heavy lifting is being done by the turbocharger, so there's no shortage of lag and then a jerky take-off when you really put your foot down.

2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate 2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate

But if that's the not-so-great, there are real winning features, too. I know the design feels a bit like a city SUV in fancy dress, but I quite like it. It looks sharp and different, and it stands out on the road.

And it really is practical. The backseat is a little tighter than we'd like, but we have had the boot stacked to the roof and it really does swallow a lot of stuff. We're talking a pram, bouncy chair, a couple of bags and more, without too much stress or Tetris-style arranging.

I also like that its 50-litre fuel tank accepts E10 for cheaper top-ups, and its claimed 7.9 litres per hundred kilometres isn't too far off the mark, given how much of my driving has been in the city.

2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate 2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Ultimate

Still, whether I'd have the Torres over a cheaper – but still ferociously well-equipped – Chinese rival remains to be seen. But I have some longer adventures planned this month to help me figure that out...

UPDATE: Ok, that was meant to be the end of this month's dispatch, but today my screen problems worsened. Now when they black out they don't always turn back on, even when the car is turned off and back on again. And then on some trips they'll work perfectly.

But when they're out, it mans no speedo or any other important driving data, which in turn means a trip to the SsangYong Service Centre.

Watch this space.

Acquired: January 2055

Distance travelled this month: 891km

Odometer: 3666km

Average fuel consumption this month: 9.6L/100km


The Wrap

Likes

Unique styling
Plenty of storage space and cubbies
Drinks the cheapest fuel available

Dislikes

Tech has been glitchy
Backseat space compromised by massive boot
Jerky, turbo-heavy acceleration

Scores

Andrew:

The Kids:

$44,500

Based on new car retail price

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