Design acceleration, quietness is good..The unfortunate thing about Actian Hybrid is
Jul 29, 2025
|
Test-drive KGM's ambitious Actian Hybrid. Actian is a very attractive vehicle because it has a beautiful design that stands out among the new cars released by KGM. If you look at the Hyundai-Kia SUV, I feel that it is an SUV that values balance very much in design, perhaps because it focuses on global sales rather than flexible design. Relatively, Actian feels like it's competing with something flashy design.
Unlike the elegant design, why is the ride so hard or hard..Every time I crossed the bump, I was actually surprised. Instead, handling at high speed is quite compliant. I remember saying, "If you lose something, you gain something."
These days, SUVs with semi-medium-sized or higher are the biggest markets in domestic new car sales. Hyundai Palisades Santa Fe Tucson, Kia Sorento Sportage, Renault Grand Coleos, and KGM Torres Actian. Apartment parking lots and land areas are narrow, but more than 40,000 such mid-sized SUVs are sold on average per month. It accounts for more than 40% of the total new car market.
The key to the popularity of domestic SUVs is a hybrid power train. Seventy percent of these new car sales are hybrid. In particular, the proportion of hybrids in Grand Corleos amounts to 90%.
As a result, a hybrid power train is essential to sell mid-sized SUVs or higher in Korea these days. Grand Corleos is the vehicle that has increased its market share by properly targeting this.
In that sense, KGM is too late to mount a hybrid powertrain. If the Actian, which was released last year, had a hybrid installed from the beginning, it would have been possible to attract considerable popularity.
Torres Hybrid also came out late at the end of last year, so it did not receive much attention. In this situation, the appearance of the Actian Hybrid can be interpreted as the last game from KGM's point of view.
Perhaps that's why Actian hybrids are unusual in pricing. It's a single S8 trim that costs 36.95 million won. It has a cost-effectiveness by minimizing the price increase compared to gasoline to 2.78 million won. There are only a few options to choose from as well.
KGM, which lacks sufficient investment capacity, has incorporated hybrid technology from BYD, the world's No. 1 electrification company, instead of developing hybrid itself.Currently, BYD's main focus is the sale of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Full Hybrid has effectively folded at the end of 2022.
In the end, KGM is the Actian and Torres hybrid power trains that modified BYD's plug-in hybrid system in a full hybrid manner to suit the domestic situation.
Actian and Torres are brother vehicles. Although the platform is the same, Actian has established itself as a larger mid-sized SUV by increasing the width and length of the vehicle while changing its design. The hybrid powertrain is equipped with the same system as the Tores Hybrid.
The exterior color of the test car is a two-tone interior with a grand white interior with a built-in camel/beige. Neat and bright, it gives you a refreshing feeling in the hot summer. Options include panoramic sunroofs, 3D around view monitors, deep control package 2, Michelin sound-absorbing tires, Alpine audio, and two-tone interior packages, which are 4.106 million won based on 3.5% of the opening tax.
Actian hybrid appearance is the same as conventional gasoline models. The rear design, reminiscent of the soft side and the 200 million won range Rover, is the highlight. It is a masterpiece of KGM design after a long time.
The front stands out with LED lights applied with dry monitoring patterns, which have become KGM's design identity.The side gives a cool feeling to the stretch of the battlefield compared to Torres. The bottom black line and extension floating loop line also add sleekness. Fortunately, the 20-inch wheel is standard, so the existing posture looks full.
N2MT07||text parameter is needed (text 파라미터가 필요합니다.)
It was a 20-inch wheel, so it slightly lost fuel efficiency, but the combined official fuel efficiency was certified as 15km per liter. This is a 36 percent improvement over the gasoline model. The rear side has a slightly coupe-type SUV feeling as the roofline falls sharply. Overall, I keep thinking of the Range Rover from two generations ago.
A hybrid battery is located at the bottom of the trunk space. It is an NCM battery with 1.83 kwh capacity. KGM explains that the 12V battery has reduced its weight by 14 kilograms by using an LFP battery rather than a typical lead-acid battery.
KGM Actian Indoor
In particular, the BMS is integrated to automatically switch to sleep mode when discharge is expected. The interior is the same as the gasoline model. It has a panoramic display that connects two 12.3-inch monitors. I deleted most of the physical buttons except for the emergency lights like a Tesla car.
The center display is operated through touch and swipe functions. Similar to Torres, many physical buttons were removed, but the auto hold button was installed in the steering wheel. In addition, the favorite physical button is also installed on the steering wheel, improving usability. The steering wheel design is a double D cut above and below. This is to make it possible to see the digital instrument panel well through the rim.
The Actian Hybrid, unlike the gasoline model, has improved BYD's 1.5 gasoline turbo engine to fit the hybrid. It has a maximum power of 150 horsepower and a maximum torque of 22.5 kgf.m. The hybrid battery has a capacity of 1.83 kWh, the largest in its class.
In addition, one motor charges the battery with a serial-parallel two-motor method, and the rest of the motors serve as generators. What is peculiar is that the 12V battery, which is used as a power source in the car, is equipped with an LFP low voltage battery, not lead acid. It is characterized by a 14kg weight reduction compared to lead-acid batteries.
Motor power is best compared to its peers. The Torres hybrid is 130Kw, compared to the Kia Sportage 47.7Kw, Hyundai Palisade 54Kw, and Renault Grandcholes 100Kw. It is 177 horsepower in terms of horsepower. Instead, it is regrettable that even if the engine power is added together, it will be only 204 horsepower.
The torque is 30.6kgf.m, which is observed in urban driving. It is not enough to drive only with a motor to accelerate to medium speed. KGM explains that it implements electric vehicle modes up to 94% of urban driving standards. If you re-accelerate at relatively high speed, you can feel that the output is insufficient.When you start the engine, you almost drive in electric vehicle mode in the city center.
It shows just the right output for accelerating from the city center to the middle speed 'not insufficient, not overflowing'. If you step on the Kookaxel for re-acceleration, the engine will only be driven. It starts very smoothly.I feel frustrated when I accelerate my passing beyond 100km/h. The body has grown, but most of them use motor output, so it feels like 204 horsepower is insufficient.
The 3D around view monitoring system allows you to check the vehicle's surroundings as viewed from above through four digital cameras, which are quite convenient when parking in a small space.
The ride is quite hard. In particular, it was awkward to deal with the impact when crossing the bumps such as alleys. The hard part helps with sleek handling, but something needs to be set up separately in the uneven treatment part.
The short cushion part of the driver's seat was also quite inconvenient. It is 178cm tall, a little taller than the average height, but the thigh is short, so it will be quite inconvenient to drive long distances.
Quietness is a quality. There was no loud noise when the engine was running. It's a good catch of noise and vibration. The first row is based on double bonded glass. Instead, the road noise comes up a little in the second row.
The engine 150 horsepower and motor 177 horsepower are likely to exert 327 horsepower when simply added up, but the fact that the actual total output was 204 horsepower was felt while driving. Compared to the rival Grand Colleos, the most regrettable part is the lack of output at high speed.
Rehabilitation braking can be operated in four stages. There is a paddle shift at the back of the steering wheel. +If you press the mode, it goes up one step at a time. -If you press the mode, it goes down one step at a time. Stage 0 of regenerative braking is literally coasting.
It was uncomfortable because the driver's seat cushion was short
The infotainment response is satisfactory. The air conditioning menu does not come with a separate physical button, but can be fixed to the right side of the display. If you swipe the right side of the monitor to the left, you will see an air conditioning menu. You can activate the Drive Mode feature by lowering it from the top.
The fuel efficiency was about 14 km per liter in the city driving. The fuel efficiency was not as good as expected, perhaps because of the strong air conditioner because of the hot weather. The advantage of the Actian hybrid when comparing the Grand Coleos with the convenience equipment is the panoramic sunroof option. The problem is that the panoramic sunroof joint is excited even though the sunroof barrier is completely closed. It's a bit disappointing to finish.
Panomara sunroof shading gap gets in the strong sunlight
Overall, Actian hybrids are most attractive in their elegant design. In addition, it is satisfactory as a full hybrid that can run like an electric car with the largest battery and the most powerful motor in its class. The benefits of two types of low pollution are a bonus.
The part that is unfortunate is a bit hard to ride and the uneven absorption part is annoying. In addition, it is necessary to design the first row seat cushion part and the second row seat a little larger.
N2MT07||text parameter is needed (text 파라미터가 필요합니다.)
a line review
Advantages- Smooth driving quality and quietness..The elegant design is a bonus
The disadvantage is that the ride is harder than I thought..The first row of seats is too small
Editor Kim Tae-jin, tj.kim@carguy.kr
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
