Having experienced the new mid size SUV – the KGM Actyon hybrid (The name is a combination of ‘Act Young’ and ‘Act On’) – I am pleased to extol its virtues and pronounce positive verdicts on its outstanding and appealing features. It is not a new ‘unknown’ imported from China, but a well made Korean vehicle with a pedigree of standing, having formerly carried the respected SsangYong brand name. With attractive coupe styling, it offers a premium package of attributes at a price (£38,995) prospective customers are likely to find tempting..
The shape, while conforming to modern trends, is interesting and individual. It has significant presence, yet there are no hints of vulgar assertiveness: simply a confident and tasteful degree of poise. So much so that at the local Land Rover dealer it was mistaken for a….‘much more expensive’…Range Rover Evoque.
A top class motor in other words, befitting those who like driving in style and looking stylish as they drive. No wonder it has hit the market running. With underpinnings similar to the KGM Torres but bristling with new tech, the Actyon reaches great heights; buying, as it does, into today’s motorists preference for a compact, yet roomy and uncramped multi-purpose car that is stylish even when box-ticking practical considerations. And talking of ‘roomy’, the boot is….remarkably voluminous. To you and me that means it’s big.
Inside you are in a comfy, well appointed, fuss free cabin that offers all the latest in driver and passenger essentials. It is packed with high tech kit. Two 12 inch screens control most functions. I felt at home right away. A few minor adjustments to seating and mirrors and I was ready to press the starter button. Quality Nappa leather seating and comprehensive equipment ensure a first class lounge ambience, delivering a feeling of positive engagement. It puts you at ease straight away and the generous room adds to your comfort. Everything you touch delivers tactile satisfaction, be it upholstery, trim, switches and controls. All combine to deliver a feeling of positive engagement. Such refinement is only found, of course, where design parameters are exacting both in inception and execution: the historic seventy year SsangYong tradition written into the new KGM ensures that. Passengers, too, were delighted with their experience.
The big news is the hybridisation of the Actyon. The petrol only model is still available but I maintain that the new hybrid version is superior. It still uses the refined 1.5 litre 4 cylinder petrol engine but it is now mated to a 1.83 KWh battery made by BYD (Leaders in the field). 174bhp is delivered through a 6 speed Aisin automatic transmission. Not only does the hybrid model feel livelier and faster but it is much more economical with near 50 mpg being realistically achievable. Hybridisation has transformed the Actyon.
Responsive, quiet and smooth, progress is effortlessness. At the wheel you feel unflustered and confident. This KGM is sufficient for all sensible needs and begs the question ‘Why spend more for less?’
The suppleness of the well balanced chassis and suspension set up lets it ride the bumps while clinging to the bends in a refreshingly undemonstrative manner. It makes for safer motoring in that the driver feels relaxed but at the same time fully engaged with the kinetic satisfaction derived from being in control of sophisticated engineering. Seldom have I felt so comfortable and safe in a sub £50,000 car.
And so, I enquired of the passenger companion of my social bubble to wit: the woman formerly known as Boadicea, plus her dog, how they were fairing? Were they comfortable? Were they enjoying the smoothness of the journey? The canine said it all with an emphatic ‘Bow WOW!’
