Living with a KGM Actyon: it’s practical and well-built, but not everything is perfect
May 22, 2025 by Jamie Edkins
Car changing is a big deal
We’ve been running a KGM Actyon for a few months to find out if it’s a decent alternative to the more established brands, and we’ve been pretty impressed with the interior.
This is our KGM Actyon – a left-field alternative to the Volkswagen Tiguan which we’ve been living with for a few months. You can check out the full spec of our car in the first report, but here we’re going to be taking a closer look at the interior.
We’ve been very impressed with it on the whole, but there are one or two things which are annoying. Here’s a rundown of five things you need to know.
1. It’s really well-made
KGM, formerly known as Ssangyong, hasn’t always had a reputation for building posh interiors. Well the Actyon seems to have changed that, because this cabin is a lovely place to spend time.
There’s loads of plush-feeling suede materials and lovely leather, and we like the dashboard design as well. There are also no annoying squeaks or rattles, unlike our Honda H-RV which has developed a noise from behind the dashboard.
2. Comfort and refinement is great
The Actyon’s sound deadening is really good. The cabin at 70mph is whisper quiet, and the seats are also really comfortable. It’s a great car for covering lots of miles in, and we also really like the ventilated seat function as the weather has started to warm up.
3. Loads of interior space
We use our Actyon for hauling equipment to video shoots, and the huge boot has made this really easy. At 668 litres it’s bigger than a Volkswagen Tiguan’s, and the square shape makes it easy to load. There’s also plenty of rear legroom for ferrying your mates to the pub after a long day of filming.
4. The infotainment system isn’t the best
The twin 12.3-inch screens look really impressive when you get in the car, and the graphics are decent as well. In operation though, the central touchscreen can be really laggy and slow to load. This is especially annoying when all of the climate controls are buried in it.
5. Reinventing the wheel
Why do car manufacturers keep changing the shape of the steering wheel? Having flat bottoms has been a thing for years now on sporty models, but the Actyon’s is a weird hexagonal shape. It’s split opinions in the Carwow office, with some people saying it looks cool and others not being so convinced.
*Prices correct at the time of writing
Living with a KGM Actyon: intro
This is our new KGM Actyon, a funky-looking SUV which provides a slightly left-field alternative to cars like the Volkswagen Tiguan and Kia Sportage. Never heard of KGM? It used to be known as Ssangyong before a full rebrand back in 2023.
It’s been selling cheap and cheerful SUVs in the UK for decades, as well as pickup trucks. The new Actyon is KGM’s latest offering, and on paper at least it looks quite appealing.
The Actyon is certainly striking to look at. It may be slightly ungainly from some angles – we’re not sure about that massive rear overhang – but the slim LED lights and muscular stance make it stand out against some of the more dour SUV offerings out there.
Our car is the K50 model, and so is every other Actyon out there because it’s the only trim level available for now. It comes fully loaded with kit. You get electrically-adjustable heated and ventilated leather seats up front, heated seats in the rear, dual-zone climate control and adaptive cruise control.
Outside there is only one alloy wheel option – with 20-inch diamond-cut rims coming as standard. Our Actyon is finished in “Iron Silver”, which is a £750 option. White is the only no-cost colour option.
Under the bonnet things are less impressive at first glance. The only engine on offer is a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol with 163hp, driving the front wheels only via a six-speed automatic gearbox. It’s a pretty old-school setup, and the claimed fuel economy is just 33.1mpg. By comparison a Kia Sportage hybrid can do 50mpg. Perhaps the Actyon will surprise us over the coming months though.
That silver paintwork is the only option fitted to this car, bringing the total price to £39,399. Equip a Kia Sportage to a similar level and you’ll pay about the same, while a Volkswagen Tiguan will cost a few hundred pounds more.
So our KGM Actyon has a lot to live up to. We’ll be documenting what it’s like to live with here, so bookmark this page to stay up-to-date.
Car change? Carwow!
Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.
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