Watch out Toyota RAV4 Hybrid! 2025 KGM SsangYong Torres Hybrid detailed as Korean upstart aims to take sales from Haval H6, Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage

KGM SsangYong has detailed the hybrid version of its Torres SUV ahead of its South Korean launch.

It uses a plugless hybrid set-up similar to the popular Toyota RAV4. The new Torres variant pairs a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine with a relatively large electric motor in a dedicated hybrid transmission on the front axle, replacing the standard six-speed automatic.

The engine produces 150kW/220Nm, while the electric motor is capable of producing 130kW/300Nm powered by a 1.83kWh LFP battery pack. KGM SsangYong (known simply as KG Mobility in its Korean home market) said this system is capable of driving under electric power 94 per cent of the time in city driving conditions.

Thanks to this, KGM said the Torres Hybrid’s combined fuel consumption drops to 6.4L/100km, a reduction of 41 per cent over the combustion version.

The Torres hybrid has multiple regenerative braking modes like a fully electric vehicle, and has an upgraded array of noise dampening materials to increase refinement over standard versions.

On the inside, the Torres Hybrid gets dual 12.3-inch displays for the digital instrument cluster and multimedia touchscreen, which host a new software suite the brand dubs “Athena 2.0”. This new software suite now supports over-the-air updates and better app connectivity than was previously available.

KGM also says the ride has been improved thanks to re-worked shock absorbers.

In its Korean home market, the Torres Hybrid is available with three interior colour schemes, black, grey, or tan, as well as six exterior colours that can be chosen with a contrasting black roof. The front seats are heated and cooled with power adjust, while the rear outer seats are also heated.

Other additional features include built-in shades for the rear windows, USB-C ports for the first and second row, tyre pressure monitoring, a 15W wireless phone charger, as well as wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

KGM SsangYong’s local division was contacted for comment on the new hybrid version. As it stands, combustion versions of the Torres which launched late in 2024 start from a competitive $38,000 drive-away.

In its Korean domestic market, the base T5 variant costs from the equivalent of $34,355, and if we add the roughly $7000 premium the Australian-delivered petrol-powered Torres gets over the Korean version you can expect a price of around $41,500 by the time it hits Australian shores.

KGM SsangYong has been on a roll updating and replacing its core range of ageing vehicles to make it more competitive against both its Korean rivals, Hyundai and Kia, but also the rising tide of offerings from China.

Not only does the Torres replace the outgoing Korando segment-bender, but the brand is re-introducing the larger Actyon, a more Mitsubishi-Outlander-sized SUV, due to arrive in Australia later in 2025. It has revealed a SUV-based electric ute as part of an expansion of its Musso line-up.

The electric ute shares its underpinnings with the Torres, a hybrid version of the ute is also expected to be revealed in the future. The brand has also shown concept replacements for the current Musso ladder-frame ute and its Rexton SUV relation.

SsangYong had a relatively slow year by the end of 2024, moving 2196 units down 11.3 per cent over 2023. Its downward trend has continued in the first two months of 2025, although the Australian new car market is cooling and competition for value-focused entrants is hot thanks to a litany of new ute and SUV options for China which have rushed on to the market.