Ssangyong Torres

Ssangyong Motor Company is still in financial trouble. Edison Motors, which would have been Ssangyong's new owner, backed out, and now, the Korean SUV specialist's looking for its new master again. However, all hope is not lost for Ssangyong and with a potential new owner in the spotlight, they've launched a brand new crossover SUV that promises Ssangyong's return to roots.

2023 Ssangyong Torres

Ssangyong's brand new crossover SUV is called the Torres and it sounds manly for a crossover SUV built to tackle tarmac, gravel, and snow like a proper SUV. Priced below the 28 million won mark, the Torres is a rugged-looking crossover that Ssangyong claims it should return to its roots that traced back from the original Korando jeep to the legendary Musso SUV of the 1990s. 

2023 Ssangyong Torres

Starting with the design, the Torres looks like a combination of modern-day SUVs and crossovers we are familiar with. In other words, it's like a mashup between a Chevrolet Trailblazer, a Jeep Cherokee, a Ford Explorer, and the previous-generation Range Rover. Overall, this bizarre mashup is what made the Torres as macho as a Bollywood action star showboating in British telly. Believe it or not, there's also a storage box located on the passenger side just like the one from the new Land Rover Defender, although the hood handles look odd on the Torres.

2023 Ssangyong Torres interior

Macho the exterior design is, the Torres' interior boasts a buttonless minimalist approach. It's got two touch screens with the top for InfoConn purposes and the lower for controlling the room temperature and drive modes, which is a bit of a tricky attempt for speedo boys behind the wheel. Guess this is why speedo boys are afraid of touchscreens these days. 

Anyway, in terms of room comfort, the Torres can accommodate up to five people and can be folded down to deliver up to 1,662 liters of boot space, which is ideal to place the optional air mattresses while spending the night out in the woods. Believe it or not, the Torres can be specified to have an optional emergency escape tool that is handy in an event of a disaster. There are other useful features available such as the smart tailgate, built-in air purifier, optional side steps, and an optional roof basket.

2023 Ssangyong Torres

Under the hood, the Torres is powered by a 1.5L T-GDi engine mated to an Aisin 6-speed AT. This engine produces 170PS of power and 28.6kg-m of torque. It even comes with an ISG system that shuts the engine off when stopped at the red light and then restarts when set off. In FF configurations, it has a combined fuel economy of 11.2kmpl while AWD variants get 10.2kmpl.

The Torres, being a crossover SUV, behaves like a normal midsize car thanks to its front MacPherson struts and rear multilink suspension. In its FF guise, it feels rather basic but in its 4WD configuration, the Torres is starting to take shape and with the AWD LOCK mode on, it's almost good to drive on the tarmac, gravel, and snow, although it feels questionable while spending weekends at Hannibal's.

Sturdy bodywork and eight airbags aside, the Torres features a wide array of ADAS such as Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Detection warning, Blind Spot Detection Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Warning, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Assist, and Safety Exit Warning.

Questionable but rugged looks, minimalist interior, a 1.5L T-GDi, a nearly-capable AWD system, and a heap of ADAS, this is what the Torres is all about. For a crossover with a manly name, it's hard to question the first-ever Ssangyong Torres but could this be the glimmer of hope Ssangyong needs as it tries to return to its roots? It's hard to say for the time being but for now, feel free to look around the Ssangyong Torres and if you're ready, be it.

Available colors: Grand White, Iron Metal, Platinum Gray, Forest Green, Cherry Red, Dandy Blue, and Space Black.

Photo: Ssangyong Motor Company