MODEL ON TEST: K40 AUTOMATIC – MILEAGE – 5,385

Britain’s love affair with SUVs seems to be here to stay, and my better half is certainly a fan. She was immediately drawn to the chunky looks of the Torres EVX and its high seating position, as I suspect many people will be. It certainly looks the part, with its slotted front grille, bonnet grab handles and high ground clearance all playing the quasi-off-roader card to perfection. It’s both longer and taller than a Nissan Ariya.

Practicality is very much a reason why you might consider the KGM over some of its rivals too. Its 839-litre boot space figure is certainly impressive, beating the hardly-small Enyaq by over 250 litres. There’s a retractable tonneau cover, but the space under this isn’t overly tall, so you’ll probably end up taking it out and leaving it in the garage – its only real purpose is to hide valuables from prying eyes. There’s also some handy additional storage under the boot floor for charging cables, tools or a first aid kit, but the EVX does without a ‘frunk’ under its bonnet.

Fold the rear seats down and load space increases again, easily swallowing a couple of bicycles, flatpack furniture or the leaves and branches from a full day of garden maintenance. Just don’t expect too many clever ‘surprise and delight’ features like hidden hooks, nets or rails – the EVX still feels a bit more like a budget pick in this respect. Hauling a caravan wouldn’t be out of the question, with a braked capacity of 1,500kg putting the EVX above many of its close rivals.

With no transmission tunnel to worry about, KGM’s designers have also been able to give the driver and front passenger a particularly spacious cabin. There are big door pockets, cubbies and a massive lower tray between the front seats that’s ideal for swallowing wallets, keys and mobile devices when you jump in. Above this is a smaller ‘floating’ cubby and a near-vertical wireless charging slot where you can pop your phone without fear of it sliding out of position.

And, while you’ll face questions from inquisitive motorists along the lines of “What’s a KGM?”, there’s actually quite a bit to reassure you of a wise purchase. Firstly, the brand (formerly SsangYong of course) has been building proper off- roaders since 1964, and secondly, there’s a seven-year or 90,000 mile warranty covering both the car and battery pack. After less than 6,000 miles our test car
was showing some signs of wear and tear, though, with its bluff nose picking up some paint chips and a few blemishes inside.

We mentioned last month that while the twin 12.3-inch screens that dominate the KGM’s dashboard help it look much more modern than older models from the brand, they aren’t without issues. Spend time with the EVX and you just get the impression the software isn’t as slick or bug-free as some of the best from rivals, including South Korea’s giants Kia and Hyundai. For instance, you can only set the clock manually, and during a few months with the car I noticed it was often fast, gaining minutes every few weeks. An odd quirk indeed, but probably more noticeable day-to-day was the lack of wireless Android Auto support for my smartphone, or having to load a separate climate control menu to adjust the heating and ventilation controls. The built-in navigation is alright, though, using TomTom maps and even including speed cameras and average speed zones.

So, would we recommend it? After a few months with the Torres EVX it’s certainly an intriguing choice, with a decent range, plenty of power and striking looks. If you want an electric SUV with a massive boot and a long warranty, it’s worth seeking out your local KGM dealership and checking one out. It may not be the last word in up-to-date technology, but it’s well priced, comfortable and in K40 trim, has a long list of standard equipment.

ANDY GOODWIN

WHAT’S HOT: The Torres EVX has a decent range and punchy 204bhp motor.

WHAT’S NOT: Technophiles are unlikely to be wowed by its infotainment.

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL OF OUR LONG-TERM REPORTS ON THE KGM TORRES EVX

FACTS & FIGURES

PRICE: (NEW) £39,295 (N0W) £39,295 (AS TESTED) £40,045 (DEALER TRADE-IN) £24,600 (DEALER FORECOURT) £25,900

COLOUR: Iron Silver metallic

BUILT IN: Pyeongtaek, South Korea

CODENAME: U100

GENERATION: 1

PLATFORM: Unknown

BODYSTYLE: 5-door SUV, 5-seats

LAYOUT: Front-wheel drive

POWERPLANT: Single electric motor and 73.4kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack

GEARBOX 1-speed automatic

MAX POWER: 152kW/204bhp/207ps

MAX TORQUE: 250lb ft/339Nm

TOP SPEED: 109mph

0-62mph: 8.1secs

CO2 EMISSIONS: 0g/km

ECONOMY: (COMBINED) 3.9 miles/kWh

RANGE: (COMBINED) 287 miles

RECHARGE TIME
AC 11kW (0-100%) 9 hours
DC 100kW (20-80%) 37 minutes
DC 350kW (20-80%) 28 minutes

INSURANCE GROUP: 48

BIK RATE (2026/2027 TAX YEAR): 4%

SIZE (LENGTH/WIDTH WITHOUT MIRRORS/HEIGHT/WHEELBASE): 4,715/1,890/1,725/2,680mm

BOOT SPACE (MIN/MAX): 839/1,662litres

KERB WEIGHT: 1,915kg

TOWING WEIGHT: 1,500kg

EURO NCAP RATING: Not yet tested

SPARE WHEEL: (FULL-SIZE/SPACESAVER/RUN- FLAT/SELF-SEALING/REPAIR KIT): No/no/no/no/yes 

WARRANTY: 7 years/90,000 miles

DATE ARRIVED: 23rd June 2026

COSTS: None

FAULTS: None