SsangYong’s new Torres pictured in the wild ahead of its 2023 launch.
This is our first full look at a close-to-production version of the new Torres SUV from Korean manufacturer SsangYong and it’s set to launch in right-hand drive next year – Ssangyong Australia is yet to confirm timing for the model locally. Within SsangYong’s SUV lineup it sits between the Korando and Rexton in terms of size, and the firm has previously shown rendered pictures of the model.
The Torres gets its name from the Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia. This new shot of the front shows it’s a rugged-looking SUV that’s a big visual departure from anything in the current SsangYong line-up.
At the front we see vertical grille slats, what looks to be a red cap for the towing eye and that the silver lower part of the bumper is fashioned into a skid-plate. There’s chunky wheel arch trim at the side, side steps and a storage box mounted high on the flank akin to the current Land Rover Defender’s optional side-mounted ‘Gear Carrier’.
Inside we see a much more modern and premium-looking cabin than we’ve been used to from SsangYong, with a larger central touchscreen separated from the dash. There is also a smaller screen below it, split by some air vents. A third screen sits on the centre console and the driver gets their own display screen, too. On the steering wheel we see the Korean version of the SsangYong badge.
SsangYong will begin production of the “tough and rugged” Torres firstly for the South Korean market before producing an electric version for Europe – it’s unclear what specification Australia will get.
No technical specifications for the car have been announced, although the confirmation of both electric and combustion powertrains in other markets suggests it could use an adapted combustion-engined platform, much like the new Korando e-Motion. The manufacturer has also previously said that it is developing an all-electric ute, which could end up being a derivative of the Torres.
Alastair Crooks