At first glance, the KGM Actyon, tested here in its K50 entry-level trim, is rather striking. Looking quite future-inspired, it features a unique front grille lighting design that’s inspired by the four trigrams (Geon, Gon, Gam, and Ri) found on the Korean flag.
These symbols, representing heaven, earth, water, and fire, are subtly integrated into the design to reflect the vehicle’s Korean craftsmanship and commitment to quality. Its exterior look is probably best described as storm trooper meets Range Rover, in the best possible way.
While it will turn heads with its 20-inch rims, elongated LED lights, and SUV-coupe body styling, there’s plenty of practicality on offer too. A hands-free tailgate is a huge win in any parent’s book, and this is no exception.
Which leads us inside, to a cabin stacked with features, including black leather with red stitching, and and almost rectangle steering wheel. It’s a rather clunky design, but still works reasonably well.
It gives way to a digital cockpit that features dual 12.3-inch displays. The infotainment version features wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Like the tiller, the gear shifter was, shall we say, unique, in that it was actually quite difficult to shift.
What is good though are the heated and ventilated front seats, with the cooling component among the best we’ve experienced, in some time, if not ever. Under the bonnet is a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, paired with a 6-speed automatic gearbox.
It delivers 120kW of power and 280Nm of torque, and once it builds up enough revs, it gets up and moves. Fuel economy is a claimed 7.6-litres/100km, and we saw 8.3-litres consistently during our test period – which is pretty decent.
At the low end, responsiveness is modest, and there’s a little bit of turbo lag, but it’s not awful, and it does a decent job on the highway. Things are pretty quiet in the cabin too, with minimal engine noise (unless you push hard).
Ride is firm, but not brutal, and while the springs are set up stiff, the damping does a good job on most bumps (although the bigger stuff is a bit ordinary). Over broken road surfaces, mid-speed undulations or potholes, the ride can feel harsh.
On smoother roads, the vehicle holds itself nicely. There is some body lean, but it’s not wildly sloppy. Overall composure is acceptable, especially for its size. Steering feels fairly weighted and has a decent feel initially, though it’s not super communicative.
You don’t always get a strong sense of what the front tyres are doing, especially on less than ideal surfaces or when asking for extra grip. Through corners at normal speed, it holds steady; but push it, or if you hit bumps mid-corner; you’ll find the car can feel unsettled.
It’s not dangerous, but not sporty either. Traditional enthusiasts will notice the difference compared to more focused rivals. The Actyon is loaded with safety features, including adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking and forward collision warning.
You’ll also find lane change collision warning, lane keep assist, high beam assist, an idle stop and go setup, safe distance alert, blind spot detection and rear cross traffic warning. Overall, the safety features are well executed.
There is one exception though, the idle stop and go system is garbage. If you are stopped on a hill, it’ll make you roll down the hill while the car is starting again, for example. Sure, you can enable auto hold or turn it off, but you shouldn’t have to.
It misses the mark and provides a clunky experience when leaving roadside parking. The KGM Actyon K50 is unrated by ANCAP and priced at $46,200 drive away. It’s offered in Royal Copper, Grand White, Iron Metal, Latte Greige and Space Black.
It’s backed by a 7-year unlimited kilometre warranty. All-in-all, this SUV from Korea’s third largest auto maker looks great, and simply needs its driving experience fine tuned a little. You can find out more on the KGM Australia website, or by talking to your local dealership.
To get a low rate finance quote, talk to Australia’s best reviewed car finance broker; Credit One. To see a great range of vehicles for sale, check out OnlyCars.com.au.
Our test vehicle was provided by KGM Australia for independent review purposes. Exhaust Notes Australia has not been paid to review this vehicle.
