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SsangYong’s first new model in three years is just months away, a new mid-size SUV with rugged styling and an electric option. It’s coming to Australia, but it’s not clear when.
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The upcoming 2022 SsangYong Torres mid-size SUV – the brand’s first all-new model since the Korando of 2019, and its second electric car – will come to Australia, but it’s unclear exactly when.
Previously known by its internal codename J100, the Torres – named after the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile – slots between the mid-size Korando and larger Rexton, and is the first SsangYong to emerge since the brand first declared receivership in Korea 18 months ago.
Teased this week in a series of shadowy images, production of the Torres is said to begin this June – but left-hand-drive markets will take priority for the immediate future. A ute spin-off is expected to follow at a later date.
A SsangYong Australia spokesperson confirmed to Drive the brand plans to launch the Torres locally – which will be available with electric power – but arrival timing is yet to be locked in.
First confirmed for a 2022 launch last year, the new Torres (J100) draws visual cues from models of SsangYong’s early days as a car brand, with a seven-slot grille like the first-generation (Jeep-derived) 1980s Korando, and circular headlights from its 1990s successor.
Bold flared wheel arches feature along the side – with the option of a two-tone roof, around a contrasting C-pillar – while a bulge in the bodywork on the tailgate is a nod to four-wheel-drives with vertically-mounted spare wheels.
It’s unclear if a flagship off-road-themed model will be available with the LED driving lights and all-terrain tyres of the car in the teaser, though SsangYong (via Autospy) promises “various customized products suitable for the leisure environment”.
Details of engines are yet to be confirmed, however SsangYong has confirmed it will be available with an electric powertrain in some form.
It’s unclear if a traditional petrol engine will be available, though a teaser image published by the car maker hints at a four-cylinder petrol engine driving under heavy load, mated to a (likely torque converter) automatic transmission.
All-wheel drive will be available on certain models, as confirmed by the ‘4WD’ badge on the front left door.
It also remains to be seen if the model rides on a car-like monocoque architecture akin to the Korando or a Toyota RAV4, or a ute-like body-on-frame chassis like a SsangYong Musso or Rexton, or a Toyota Prado.
The 2023 SsangYong Torres is expected to be unveiled in the coming months, ahead of a South Korean launch this July.
The car maker continues to wade through financial struggles, after plans for Korean electric bus company Edison Motors to buy SsangYong fell through in recent weeks. A Korean steel company is now believed to be the main contender in line to buy the company.
Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines as a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.
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