20 тысяч километров на KGM Torres

KGM Torres. The name of this Korean crossover immediately caught my attention. KGM is a car brand. That's understandable, but what about Torres? The car's creators claim they were referring to the name of a national park in Chile, officially called Torres del Paine, which means "blue towers." Three majestic granite peaks rise above the surrounding landscape. But the toponym Torres del Paine seemed too long to the Koreans, so they left only the towers in the crossover's name. The more clearly the towers appeared on the KGM Torres, emphasizing, according to the marketers, the car's readiness for long journeys, the more "crazy" our idea of ​​driving this crossover 20,000 kilometers in a month seemed—the average annual driving distance for a Russian driver—and that too in winter, and especially in February, which in Rus' is known as "crooked roads." Moreover, we didn't choose a new car for the test, but one with 20,000 km on the odometer, meaning the odometer should have reached a respectable 40,000 km after the finish. Well, that's even more interesting. But, as the saying goes, once you've taken on a task, you're not going to be a failure. The kilometers piled up. Tens, hundreds, thousands of them flew from under Torres' wheels, along with snowballs, salty sand, and water spray, bringing us ever closer to our cherished goal. The precise operation of the engine, transmission, suspension, and steering inspired confidence and left no room for doubt that the technology would perform. The unprecedented snowfall that hit Central Russia didn't dissuade us from our plans either. Snowdrifts in Moscow reached 80 centimeters deep. The capital hadn't seen anything like that in 70 years. On some days, the snow simply paralyzed traffic. However, it allowed us to confirm the reliable operation of the selectable all-wheel drive. Given the 195 mm ground clearance, there were no problems at all. The transmission's automatic locking is controlled via the central display. Additional visual monitoring modes for the surrounding area can also be set from the touchscreen to avoid accidental collisions with obstacles when exiting the highway. The KGM Torres is equipped with a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine producing 163 hp. On the highway, the car demonstrates good dynamics. At times, it seems to have more power than advertised. The classic 6-speed automatic transmission operates smoothly. The crossover is roomy, has a large 700-liter trunk, and looks like it could be an excellent companion for the whole family on long trips. The interior is warm. Heated seats front and rear. Effective windshield defroster ensures stable visibility. Our car covered 20,000 km, consuming 1,870 liters of 95-octane gasoline. Average fuel consumption was just over nine liters per hundred. Not bad, considering we were cruising along toll roads at 130. A small portion of the test, perhaps ten percent, was conducted in the city. As you can imagine, fuel consumption was significantly higher in traffic jams than on the highway. After the first 10,000 km, we performed maintenance, during which, as scheduled, the engine oil, filters, and spark plugs were changed. No excessive wear or play in the connections was detected. No oil burn was detected. No abnormalities were detected in the engine or transmission performance. The second half of the test also impressed with the crossover's stable performance. If it weren't for the small chips on the windshield—road crews often encountered larger particles in the sand—it would have seemed as if the KGM Torres had only just finished its break-in and was beginning its active life. The test vehicle handled the challenging, snow-covered roads with remarkable confidence, battling the ruts of the Moscow region highways. The cruise control worked perfectly. Cold starting was seamless. Temperatures during the test reached -24ºC. However, we decided to take things a step further – using the air conditioning system, we froze the car to a symbolic -30ºC. We then simulated starting the car after an overnight winter parking. This is where we truly appreciated the importance of heated seats, as even a minute in an icy driver's seat was unbearable, and dangerous for a man's health. Well, the Koreans have brought a worthy car to Russia! We didn't find any gold, jewels, or imprisoned beauties in its "turrets." But perhaps we saw something more – a readiness to work in Russian conditions, on Russian roads and in their absence, a readiness to work with full dedication, never failing in any way, under any circumstances. We've covered 20,000 kilometers, or halfway around the Earth's equator, in the KGM Torres. We're confident the "towers" are ready for a full-fledged circumnavigation! We too... Background Information: The KGM Torres is a mid-size crossover SUV, debuting in 2022. Dimensions (mm): 4705–1890–1710 long, wheelbase 2680. The engine is a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with 163 hp. It has a 6-speed automatic transmissi...