Motors.co.uk - Ssangyong Musso Review

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There’s a lot to be said for Korean car manufacturers these days, just look how far Kia and Hyundai have come, once ridiculed for producing cars that were off the pace of the European elite are now stealing sales. So with that in mind, it shows signs of promise for Ssangyong with its latest version of the Musso four wheel drive pick-up truck. On first appearance things are looking pretty promising. In a class where beauty is very much an afterthought, the Musso actually looks pretty well packaged. It’s certainly moved the game on when it comes to styling, especially if you look further up the trim level with models armed with bull bars and large alloy wheels. If you were to park it up alongside the Nissan Navara, Ford Ranger or Mitsubishi L200 it wouldn’t be the obvious choice as the runt of the litter.

Interior
It’s much the same case on the interior too. OK so it’s not in the same class as a Volkswagen Amarok or Mercedes X-Class, but then it’s not pretending to be a top tier pick-up. The Musso is one of the most affordable ways to get behind the wheel of a double-cab pick-up and as such you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the interior. There’s a good level of soft touch material on the dashboard and the buttons are nicely placed and easy to use. Of course, look harder and you will find harder, cheaper plastics lower down, but let’s remember this is going to be used by many as a workhorse.

As you’d expect you get a throne like, king of the road driving position with good all round visibility, and thin pillars mean manoeuvres like reverse parking or even off-roading is made just that little bit easier. At the top of the centre console is home to an 8-inch touch screen infotainment unit, which grows to 9.2 inches if you opt for the Saracen spec. While it works smoothly, some of the icons are a bit on the small side to use on the move and other systems are a little slicker.

There’s plenty of head space in the Musso whether that’s up front or in the back, but taller passengers in the rear may struggle for leg room and if you’ve got three burly builders in the back, there may be arguments over shoulder space. But where it really counts is in the load bay, and like many of its rivals it will carry a European cargo pallet in the back comfortably and has a useful payload of 1,050kg.

On the road
When it comes to engine choice, it’s simple, there’s just one, a 2.2-litre diesel that’s got plenty of pull which means that whether you’re cruising on a motorway or ploughing through a muddy field, the Musso should do everything asked of it. It’s also surprisingly refined too even when pushed hard, in fact there are few cars that are as quiet in this class.

If you’re going to be towing heavy loads then the six speed automatic will be the one to go for as it has a towing weight of 3,500kg as opposed to the 3,200 in the six speed manual.

Overall the driving experience is better than you might expect, with little lean through the corners because of overly stiff suspension set up, that means the ride quality is disappointing.

Nobody buys a pick-up truck with economy in mind as all in all they’re pretty thirsty, and the fact the Musso’s only got one engine choice won’t worry the competition especially with an average MPG in the low to mid 30s and emissions of 226g/km CO2, what will turn their heads though is the seven-year,150,000 mile warranty which will be appealing to many.

One other cause for concern is that while many rivals come well equipped with safety aids, the Musso lacks tech such as automatic emergency braking, road sign recognition or blindspot warning.

Verdict
The biggest selling point for the Musso is that it’s cheap to buy compared to some of the big names in this class and of course that impressive seven-year 150,000 mile warranty. EX trim is pretty basic though, so this is really geared for anyone who wants a true workhorse. We’d suggest looking at the Rebel spec which adds a few more cosmetic touches like bigger alloys, roof bars and rear camera plus an 8-inch infotainment system. It is let down though by a limited engine choice with poor CO2 emissions, and an unsettled ride, plus some rivals have bigger load bays and there is a real shortage of safety equipment. With this in mind, we’d be more inclined to spend a little bit more for one of the Musso’s more established rivals.