Torrance is not the showbiz end of town............having said that, it's not far from good neighbourhoods like Manhattan Beach. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Torrance - very comfortable executive hotel with a useful breakfast bar in the lobby for those 0630 coffees on the run. (The Safety Course starts early.) This was also the Virgin Atlantic crew hotel - so some good nights jawing around the open hearth fire in the outdoors near the bar. It's interesting how many VA crew are into helicopters.
Rent a car from Hertz (right near the factory) and make sure you get the GPS. There is no way to find your way around the LA basin without it. The GPS also has "places of interest" on it - so no shortage of good things to see.
I would describe Torrance as homely but industrial. It's the southern end of LA and between it and the centre are some of the worst 'hoods. Set the GPS to "freeways" and you won't go wrong.
Personally I preferred the coastal communities away from LA/Hollywood.