2025 KGM Actyon revealed

Like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly, the manufacturer of the “world’s ugliest car” has shifted into something new.

A South Korean car brand famous for building some of the world’s ugliest cars has shifted names, and thankfully, shapes.

Ssangyong, a company known for shocking eyeballs two decades ago with the Stavic people mover – a vehicle once crowned the world’s ugliest car – has rebranded for a second time as part of its drive for success.

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The Ssangyong Stavic was not celebrated for its style.

Originally known as Ssangyong, then KGM Ssangyong following a corporate takeover, the brand will shrug off its old name to simply become KGM from June 1.

It’s a bold move in a time when new manufacturers seem to pop up every week – names such as Deepal, XPeng, Zeekr and Leapmotor come to mind – giving customers more choice than ever.

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Ssangyong’s Actyon is a much more handsome machine.

Seeking to stand out from the crowd of new Chinese brands, KGM will advertise with a simple slogan: “KOREAN BUILT TO LAST”.

The brand relaunches with the first car designed entirely by KGM in the post-Ssangyong era, a mid-sized SUV known as the Actyon.

It has little in common with the original Actyon, a sort of SUV-ute hybrid that predated the modern crop of lifestyle-oriented pickups by years.

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The Actyon has a touch of Range Rover to its looks.

Unlike some of Ssangyong’s past efforts, the new Actyon is a reasonably good-looking thing.

It’s well equipped, too.

Priced from $47,000 drive-away, the car is loaded with 20-inch wheels, a powered tailgate, heated front and rear seats and twin 12.3-inch digital displays hooked up to Apple CarPlay and Android auto.

Inside the new KGM Actyon.

Another $3000 brings a panoramic sunroof, 360 degree camera and wireless phone charger.

Power comes from a turbocharged 1.5-litre engine that uses 7.6L/100km to make 120kW and 280Nm.

Joseph Lee, managing director of KGM Australia, said the new model represents the revival of a model that helped start the trend for coupe-like SUVs such as the BMW X6 and Porsche Cayenne Coupe.

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Ssangyong’s Actyon started a trend.

“Unveiling new vehicles is always a highlight for us all, particularly when it’s something as striking and appealing as Actyon, a modern revival of the world’s first coupe-style SUV,” he said.

“It’s timely we fully embrace the KGM branding here in Australia and celebrate the latest vehicle design language with a brand logo refresh, to align with KGM’s global identity and better reflect our commitment to design excellence.”

Originally published as 2025 KGM Actyon revealed