I just tried the KGM Torres HEV and yes, the Toyota RAV4 has a very serious rival and much cheaper

KGM is a brand that looks to the future, leaving its past behind and wants to rely on its current product bet so that drivers recognize it as a bold brand that makes good cars.

The Torres, a model aimed at the D-SUV segment, surprised since its inception a couple of years ago, especially with the most recent electric version EVX, but be careful, because this new HEV hybrid version is going to be a hot topic.

This is the first self-recharging hybrid from the South Korean brand (formerly SsangYong, yes), and it is not just any model. It is an attractive car on the outside, technological on the inside, and with a high-performance behavior. Behind its electrified system is BYD, the world leader in plug-in vehicles, which has designed much of the mechanics of this car.

Models like the Toyota RAV4, Ford Kuga, or the new MG HS Hybrid+ have the new KGM Torres HEV as a tough competitor in the Spanish market, and not only because of its disruptive starting price. Let's get to know it a little more in detail.

KGM Torres HEV, what sets it apart in the range

I had not had the opportunity to see a Torres up close for so long, and I must admit that its bold and SO particular aesthetic appeals to me. I believe that the South Korean brand has hit the mark with the design of this SUV, measuring 4.70 meters in length. It has "boxy" shapes, yes, but it has very original and well-resolved features.

The KGM Torres family will soon have four members: the gasoline version, with a C label; the electric version, with a ZERO label; this new hybrid, with an ECO label; and the coupe body Actyon, which will soon also have this latest technology. In the case of the new Torres HEV, it copies the front design of the gasoline version, although inside it has some solutions borrowed from the electric EVX.

The truth is that the evolutionary leap this model has made in its transition to the KGM brand has been remarkable inside. The arrangement of screens on the dashboard, with two 12.3-inch screens joined in a panoramic position, is much more attractive.

There are hardly any buttons, so everything has to be relied on the central touchscreen which, in my opinion, is one of the car's weak points. Not very intuitive and responds slowly compared to what we are used to today in our daily interactions with screens.

The KGM Torres remains a very spacious car, with huge rear seats in all dimensions that can also recline up to 32 degrees for a "nap mode". And with an outstanding trunk, of 839 liters. But let's talk about the great novelty that this version represents for the Torres range, which is under the hood and in its entrails.

The BYD mechanics of the KGM Torres HEV

Beyond this technology, KGM has also made adjustments in many technical aspects of the new Torres HEV. Suspensions and shock absorbers have been tuned to offer a similarly comfortable performance, like the other known variants, but with greater precision and better tuning.

And getting into the electric matter, KGM could not have found a better technological partner to carry out this Torres HEV. BYD, a leader in the manufacturing of electric and plug-in hybrid cars, does not have a self-recharging hybrid model on the market.

However, its mechanical set of 1.5 gasoline engine (different from the one used in the thermal version) and two electric motors in series has allowed KGM to design an SUV with outstanding performance with a 1.84 kWh NCM battery (the largest among its competitors, from Sunwoda). And with a total range of over 1,280 kilometers.

It is a car that, despite being hybrid, has shapes very similar to a pure electric car, more than to a thermal one. Its HEV mechanics mix series and parallel operation, as Toyota or Honda do. The Torres HEV has 8 different operating modes in hybrid, but it selects them automatically according to driving conditions.

At the wheel, hardly any major changes are perceived. It mainly operates in electric mode, as long as the battery allows, even at secondary road speeds, but its great soundproofing work and the good performance of its transmission (no annoying E-CVT over-revving) left us with a very good impression in this first contact.

KGM challenged us with a consumption test on our trip from Madrid to a town in the interior of Guadalajara. Driving at speeds always very close to the legal limit (partly on the highway), but making efforts to drive efficiently, we managed to achieve 5.7 liters/100 kilometers, below the homologated consumption.

On the way back, with more enthusiasm and without thinking about consumption, we left the onboard computer with 6.8 l/100 kilometers, which is not a bad figure at all, considering the size and weight of the car. I haven't mentioned: it has 204 hp of power, in line with what the electric version offers and far from the 163 hp of the gasoline version, but at an intermediate point in terms of thrust and smoothness.

KGM Torres HEV: prices and range in Spain

The KGM self-recharging hybrid Torres will be sold in Spain in two unique trims. The most basic, "Trend", already comes with a high standard equipment, including dual-zone climate control, parking sensors, rearview camera, 17-inch alloy wheels, or the dual digital screen inside.

The "Life" trim adds a heated steering wheel, wireless charger for smartphones, electric tailgate, 18-inch alloy wheels, or paddles behind the steering wheel. This last detail is really interesting, as it is not common to see conventional hybrid cars that allow you to choose between different levels (three) of battery regeneration.

And let's talk about prices: the KGM Torres HEV Trend has a starting price in Spain of 31,500 euros with launch campaigns, which is reduced to 28,800 euros if its purchase is financed. The Life trim starts at 34,000 euros with the promotion and at 31,300 euros with financing. Prices lower, with these promotions, than all its direct rivals: the aforementioned Toyota RAV4, for example, starts at around 40,000 euros in its HEV hybrid versions.