KGM Actyon review – well-equipped, but flawed SUV

Verdict – is the KGM Actyon a good car?

The KGM Actyon has a lot going for it because it’s well equipped and feels more upmarket than you might expect, but the driving experience is unremarkable and the ride quality is disappointing. The engine isn’t particularly efficient and is a bit old-fashioned, which lets it down.

KGM Actyon models, specs and alternatives

If you’ve not heard of KGM you’d be forgiven, but you may have known it by its previous name Ssangyong – if you haven’t, you’re still absolved because the Korean brand never quite made itself as well known as rivals Kia or Hyundai. Here is its latest offering, the KGM Actyon, and it’s the first brand-new model released since the company changed its name.

The KGM Actyon is a quirky-looking mid-sized SUV – it may be a bit too bold for some, but at least it makes a change from some of the uniform looking SUVs from rivals. It gets thin headlights joined in the middle with a striped light bar for a futuristic look. The rear follows the same theme with a straight lightbar spanning the car’s width, and looks almost like that of a Range Rover Velar or Sport.

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The sides of the Actyon are unconventional – the windows end quite far forward while the C pillars are very thick, taking up almost a third of the side profile. It’s hard to know how to describe the Actyon in terms of bodyshape – it gets a rakish rear window, and yet still looks very upright overall.

While its look may be unconventional, its engine choices are the opposite; the Actyon is powered by a turbocharged 161bhp petrol engine paired with a six-speed automatic gearbox. That’s it – there’s no hybrid assistance and no fully-electric version.

Buying an Actyon will be straightforward, not least because aside from the single engine choice, there’s merely one trim level. It starts at just under £37,000, but comes with a comprehensive suite of kit that the brand will be hoping wins over buyers.

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While the outright focus for the KGM Actyon is value for money, you’re likely to be disappointed by the running costs because it uses a fairly rudimentary turbocharged engine with no form of electrification, mild-hybrid, full-hybrid or otherwise. As a result, the Actyon’s fuel economy isn’t particularly impressive – on-paper figures are in the low 30mpgs and that’s a best-case-scenario number, so you can expect less than that in the real world.

How much will the KGM Actyon cost in tax?

The KGM Actyon’s CO2 emissions figures are high, so it won’t be a great choice as a company car because it will sit in a high Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) bracket as a result. It does at least cost less than £40,000, so you won’t have to pay for the luxury car tax surcharge. With no form of electrification, the Actyon will cost the standard rate of VED (road tax), but with a stinging first-year tax bill.

What will the KGM Actyon cost to insure?

The Actyon is yet to get confirmed insurance group data, but considering the KGM Torres sits just below it in the brand’s lineup with the same 1.5-litre engine in group 33, we’d expect it to sit in at least the same group or higher. 

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The KGM Actyon is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to the driving experience. The ride is a bit disappointing, especially over road imperfections of which there are many in the UK. On neglected, challenging country roads you might notice this a lot, and windier roads expose the Actyon’s tendency for body roll – this surprised us given its hard ride, so it seems to exhibit the worst of both worlds. 

Driving around town, while it does transmit every pothole and lump, the Actyon does at least deal with speed bumps surprisingly well. The light steering makes it easier than you might expect to manoeuvre around town, and a 360-degree camera comes as standard, which you’ll be relieved to know.

The KGM Actyon is a good motorway cruiser because there’s just the slightest hint of wind noise. The ride is more settled at cruising speeds, too. Getting up to speed is slightly less impressive, though – there’s a little delay when you put your foot down from a standstill, which means the Actyon is less confidence-inspiring when it’s your turn to join a roundabout.

Petrol models

The sole version of the KGM Actyon is a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a six-speed automatic transmission. It’s a bit old-hat, really, and there’s no hybrid system to speak of to bump up performance. Thankfully, it actually feels well suited for propelling along the large car. It’s by no means quick – that 0-62mph time of over 10 seconds isn’t particularly impressive – but it is adequate. It’s a little noisy under heavy acceleration, but the automatic gearbox changes smoothly.

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One of the KGM Actyon’s strongest assets is its interior and equipment, which is clearly the area where the relatively unknown brand wants to win over prospective UK buyers. Step inside and the red-on-black interior upholstery gives a striking upmarket and sporty impression and helps add some interest to what could be an otherwise dreary, dark cabin.

We liked the fake wood centre shelf – it looks high quality and is a useful place to lean your hand when using the infotainment.

Is the KGM Actyon’s infotainment and sat-nav system easy to use?

The Actyon’s infotainment is displayed on a 12.3-inch touchscreen on the centre of the dash. Unfortunately this system lets the cabin down a bit because it feels a little dated. It works okay and everything is laid out logically in the software, but it’s slow and unresponsive to your inputs compared to rival systems.

Another gripe is the Actyon’s lack of physical controls – because the infotainment is so laggy, it’s frustrating to have to tweak the climate controls through the software. Even functions like the demister are accessed through the touchscreen rather than being a physical control that’s easier to access. There’s one slight saving grace by way of a physical favourites button on the steering wheel which can be configured to be a shortcut to important functions.

The driver’s display is also 12.3 inches big, and it’s clear and easy to read, with a few useful different screens to choose from.

Is the KGM Actyon well equipped?

As is commonly the case with brands that are less well-known in the UK, KGM has thrown everything it can at the Actyon to add to its appeal, and there’s just one trim to, well, not choose from. You get 20-inch alloys and upmarket features like heated and ventilated powered front seats, plus a 360-degree parking camera which will make manoeuvring the large car much easier. Among the features is also a powered tailgate, which you’ll be glad for if you’re carrying lots of luggage – wave your foot under the car and it will open for you. The full equipment list is yet to be released.

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The KGM Actyon is a big car – measuring 315mm longer than a Nissan Qashqai – and that’s translated to a lot of space inside. Whether you sit up front or in the back, you’ve got plenty of room to swing a cat – the seats are large and comfortable and great for long journeys. Legroom is plentiful for all passengers and the ceiling is high up giving lots of headroom.

The rear seats recline quite far and feature two-stage heating, while there are USB-C ports, window blinds and a phone holder on each of the front seat headrests so that back-seat passengers can attach their phones and watch movies on a long journey.

There’s loads of storage space in the cabin – the centre armrest is covered in soft comfortable leather and opens to reveal a decent storage bin, while there are big cupholders in the doors which can take a bottle. The only problem is that these aren’t lined with soft material, so anything inside can rattle significantly. 

Does the KGM Actyon have a big boot?

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The KGM Actyon has a large boot which has a generous capacity when compared with other cars you can get for the price – go for a high-spec Kia Sportage or Nissan Qashqai and you’ll be paying the same but getting less space for luggage.

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KGM is not a well-known brand in the UK, and even its predecessor Ssangyong hasn’t featured in our annual Driver Power customer satisfaction surveys, so it’s hard to gauge reliability and satisfaction levels. The brand does at least vouch for itself with a competitive five-year/100,000-mile warranty which is on par with Hyundai, for example.
 

How safe is the KGM Actyon?

The KGM Actyon hasn’t been crash-tested by Euro NCAP, but it does come with a comprehensive suite of safety kit such as rear-cross traffic alert, hill descent control and a driver attention alert system among other features.

Should you buy a KGM Actyon?

The KGM Actyon has a lot going for it, including a competitive amount of kit, more space for the price compared with other rivals and you’re unlikely to see many others on the road, if that appeals to you. 

The problem is that its engine is quite old-hat for a modern SUV so fuel efficiency isn’t a strong point. The engine is, at least, potent enough for a car of this size, but the driving experience overall is unremarkable. Ride quality is unfortunately a low point, although this is much better while cruising along on the motorway.

KGM Actyon alternatives

The KGM Actyon sits in an odd area of the market. For the price of the Actyon you could get a high-spec Nissan Qashqai or Kia Sportage, but these are family SUVs that are about a size smaller. Part of the Actyon’s appeal is that you’re getting more car for the money, and with more equipment, but rivals could also include lower-spec versions of the Nissan X-Trail or Honda CR-V, which are more expensive but from better-known brands.

• Nissan Qashqai
• Nissan X-Trail
• Kia Sportage
• Hyundai Tucson
• Toyota RAV4
• Honda CR-V