The SsangYong Musso has been a shock success story for the Korean model in 2023, with report gross sales and a revamped mannequin vary positive to maintain the momentum going.
That is the newly added Journey mannequin within the line-up, which splits the distinction between the entry-level work-focused ELX and the extra premium-priced and extremely specified Final mannequin.
The Journey appears just a little completely different to the opposite grades, with black wheels setting it aside, however it doesn’t get the identical stage of overhaul for adventurous driving that you just see in, say, a GWM XSR Ute.
However it’s nonetheless a horny factor primarily based on the value and possession promise; though, there are some doubtlessly showstopping shortcomings that might rule it out for you – learn on for extra.
How does the Ssangyong Musso XLV fare vs its rivals?
View an in depth breakdown of the Ssangyong Musso XLV towards equally sized automobiles.
SsangYong
Musso XLV
How a lot does the Ssangyong Musso XLV price?
The up to date Musso vary is a bit pricier because of upgraded know-how on supply. On take a look at we’ve the brand new Journey XLV, which is priced from $44,000 drive-away. See beneath for a full pricing breakdown for the up to date vary.
What’s the distinction is between the usual Musso and the XLV? It’s short-wheelbase versus long-wheelbase, with the XLV scoring a stretched chassis and an extended tub, however the cabin is identical dimension.
For context, the pricing of the Musso is greater than the final model ($1210-$1910 relying on variant), and it’s a disgrace that the Musso brakes the $40,000 barrier as its place to begin. That’s partly as a result of the model has dumped the guide gearbox choice which was beforehand provided within the base ELX. The Musso additionally provides a bit extra gear now although, which is detailed additional down.
Nevertheless, it isn’t as nicely geared up or as nicely priced as the worth king within the price range ute section, the GWM Ute. These kick off from simply $35,990 drive-away for the bottom mannequin dual-cab 2WD automated. GWM additionally provides the selection of a pick-up or cab-chassis physique model now, too. The 4WD variations begin from $42,490 D/A.
The LDV T60 Max is the opposite price range ute you can be contemplating, and costs for ABN holders are fairly sharp, ranging from $34,990 drive-away for the bottom mannequin dual-cab 4WD guide ute.
2024 SsangYong Musso pricing:
SsangYong Musso ELX: $40,000 SsangYong Musso ELX XLV: $41,500SsangYong Musso Journey: $42,500SsangYong Musso Journey XLV: $44,000SsangYong Musso Final: $45,000 SsangYong Musso Final: $46,500
Costs are drive-away
What’s the Ssangyong Musso XLV like on the within?
In the event you’re upgrading from the earlier mannequin, otherwise you sit between the 2 on the showroom, you’ll immediately see the distinction that the massive, twin 12.3-inch screens make to this cabin.
That’s to not say that the outdated model was feeling all that outdated – however the brand new one, with its vibrant and crisp infotainment show sitting proudly atop the dashboard and a vibrant and info-rich display within the instrument binnacle – simply feels extra trendy and a bit extra upmarket.
The brand new media display isn’t with out its foibles, although. It’s fairly primary in case you ask something extra of it than to hearken to the radio or mirror your telephone, and I had a lot of points with Apple CarPlay whereas utilizing this automobile.
I switched cables a couple of occasions till one lastly labored, and even then, you seemingly should comply with a set sequence (begin the automobile THEN plug in your telephone – not the opposite means round) for it to work.
There’s additionally no wi-fi Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, there are not any quantity or tuning dials, and the glitchy nature of the show (it saved blanking out once I was utilizing a special cable, and the one means it will reactivate was by adjusting the air-con or reversing) makes me surprise if this wasn’t an improve only for the sake of an improve.
The digital driver’s show; nonetheless, is a revelation. It has vibrant and clear instrumentation, a lot of configurations and a depth of information accessible by way of the buttons on the steering wheel… which can be the place you’ll discover the one buttons for quantity and tuning for the media display, in case you’re questioning.
Now, the controls for the air-con are good. They’re not fairly haptic jobbies as you discover in another fashions, however nor are the temperature and fan controls truly buttons. They’re touch-sensitive toggles, and there’s additionally a financial institution of buttons there on your fan velocity, air-con, mode and extra.
Weirdly although, in our take a look at automobile there was one temperature readout displaying, for instance, 22.0 C, whereas the opposite was lacking the decimal level, that means it learn 220 C. Fortunately it wasn’t pumping out human-melting warmth!
Within the Journey and Final fashions you additionally get a set of controls down beneath on your seat heating and cooling up entrance, and people are actually nice options in a ute at this sort of cash. You possibly can’t even get multi-stage seat heating in a Toyota HiLux, not to mention cooling!
Proper, so the practicalities of the cabin could possibly be just a little bit higher. Certain, you’ve received a pair of cupholders, a coated centre console bin, bottle holders within the doorways and a small unfastened merchandise cubby in entrance of the gear selector, however you don’t get a big console bin or storage spot on your telephone, and there’s no wi-fi telephone charging, both.
Again seat house is satisfactory, however not as roomy as a GWM or LDV ute. With the motive force’s seat set to my place (at 182cm/6’0”) I had my knees hard-up towards the seatback, and it’s a tough plastic seatback, too.
That is good for fogeys as a result of it gained’t be simply destroyed by youngsters, however not so nice to have your knees jammed into. Foot room and head room are good although, and you may match three adults throughout the again.
However would you need to? I imply, the fitment of a centre lap-only seatbelt is an enormous security oversight for my part. A 3-point harness isn’t an excessive amount of to ask for, absolutely?
There’s a lightweight on the finish of this tunnel; although, because the Musso is among the solely utes (perhaps the one ute on this section) with three – sure, 3 – top-tether factors to connect child-seat straps too.
So, in case you have been to place a child seat within the center with simply the lap-strap belt in play, you’d nonetheless be capable of tether it in place utilizing the center top-tether. There are additionally ISOFIX factors within the window seats.
The facilities are good within the second row, with a pair of directional air-vents, map pockets on each seatbacks, and bottle holders in each doorways, plus – in case you don’t plan to make use of that center seat – you possibly can fold down the armrest with cupholders as an alternative.
In contrast to another utes, there is no such thing as a flip-up seat base within the Musso, however there’s a intelligent pull-out drawer accent accessible within the components catalogue, if you wish to make it a bit extra sensible.
Talking of sensible, let’s speak about this tub – it’s the explanation you’d select the XLV mannequin over the usual model, since you get a heap extra tray house.
The usual tub is 1300mm lengthy, measures 1570mm large, 1140mm between the arches (that means it’s a contact too slim for the 1165mm Aussie sq. pallet), and has a extra chasmic depth than most utes at 570mm.
Selecting the XLV will imply the identical width, arch-gap and depth, however an enormous 1625mm of flooring tub size, that means in case you left the tailgate down you’d be capable of match two Euro pallets in, nose-to-tail, with ease.
One thing you actually ought to bear in mind with the Musso is that it’s an enormous factor in case you purchase the XLV. It’s relatively oddly proportioned, too, with a stumpy nostril, regular sized cabin and lengthy tray, that means you really want to control your mirrors in parking heaps and tight spots.
For reference, the common Musso is a comparatively tiny 5095mm lengthy with a 3100mm wheelbase. Selecting the Musso XLV means you’re coping with 5409mm of size and a 3310mm wheelbase.
Each are 1950mm large, however there’s additionally a bit extra peak for the XLV, at 1855mm versus the still-totally-carpark-suitable 1840mm SWB mannequin.
What’s below the bonnet?
The SsangYong Musso vary is obtainable with one powertrain, however two states of tune.
The two.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel is nice for 133kW of energy, however torque varies between the SWB fashions (400Nm) and the LWB XLV variations (420Nm). That is partly to help with the additional weight and functionality that the XLV grades supply up.
All variations of the Musso have a six-speed Aisin automated gearbox fitted, and selectable four-wheel drive (2H, 4H and low-range 4L) and an auto-locking rear differential, too.
Now, in terms of the aptitude and capability on supply right here, in some methods it relies upon which mannequin you choose, however in others, it doesn’t.
All grades include an unbraked towing capability of 750kg and a braked most towing capability of 3500kg, which is the benchmark stage for dual-cab utes. Then it will get fascinating in terms of the opposite numbers you have to know.
So, the gross automobile mass (or GVM) for the SWB variations of the Musso is 2880kg, and that jumps to 2980kg for the XLV variations of the Journey and Final. However in case you select the ELX XLV mannequin, the determine is 3220kg, as a result of it has leaf-spring rear suspension, the place the opposite variations are all working a rear coil-spring setup.
That has an affect on gross mixture mass (GCM), too, with the SWB fashions rated to 6380kg, and the Journey and Final XLV long-wheelbase fashions pegged at 6480kg. However the ELX XLV has an enormous GCM of 6720kg, which makes this factor correctly fitted to exhausting work.
Now, let’s take into account payload capability for the mannequin vary. All SWB variations have a payload of 790kg. And the XLV variations of the mid- and high-grade fashions are rated to 880kg. It’s solely the ELX XLV that cracks a tonne (1010kg to be actual) of payload capability – due to these leaf springs.
How does the Ssangyong Musso XLV drive?
The Musso drive expertise is first rate, however not groundbreaking.
As has been the case for some time now, the two.2-litre turbo-diesel feels as much as the duty, with a good quantity of mid-range shove. It isn’t fast from a standstill, however it has sufficient punch that can assist you overtake with out fuss, and feels snug and by no means underdone on the open street.
I didn’t do a load take a look at or tow this time round, however I’ve performed so previously within the Musso XLV, and the engine appears to understand the exhausting work you throw at it.
The six-speed automated transmission can be first rate, with principally clean shifts in city and open street conditions. However I did have a couple of situations the place the gearbox determined to shuffle forwards and backwards needlessly at decrease speeds, when it may have relied on the torque to tug by way of. Identical at greater speeds, the place it may be busier than it must.
The larger high-speed concern; although, is the steering. In Journey and Final spec – there’s a speed-sensitive steering system that alters the weighting of the steering, and makes it unnecessarily heavy once you flip the steering wheel at speeds round 80km/h to 110km/h.
It could catch you off-guard. It’s nearly like dropping energy steering on the freeway. Issues simply go hefty unexpectedly. It may do with some fine-tuning, and there are not any drive modes to regulate the steering weight, both.
Additionally just a little unsettling is the journey, which doesn’t fairly nail the transient of being a work-and-play automobile fairly in addition to another price range utes. It nonetheless very a lot looks like a body-on-frame ute.
In the event you’re stepping out of a 20-year-old trade-in, you mightn’t choose up on the wobbly really feel it reveals over most bumps (at high and low speeds)… however in case you’ve simply pushed a GWM Ute, you’ll really feel like this can be a little bit of a backwards step.
Moreover, I actually want there had been some modifications made to the Journey to make it appear and feel a bit extra adventurous. Completely different suspension, extra aggressive tyres, or perhaps a sports activities bar would have added one thing to this bundle.
Fortunately, at the least the security know-how (which I’ll let you know extra about quickly) on this automobile isn’t too overbearing.
There’s a lane departure warning system which doesn’t attempt to steer for you; it simply beeps to let you know in case you’re straying out of your lane. It has a easy button to show that off on the steering wheel, which you’ll want to do every time you drive.
And I famous there are some potential patrons who commented they wouldn’t select a Musso as a result of it nonetheless doesn’t have adaptive cruise management. It’s an excellent level, contemplating that system is obtainable within the ute’s house market of South Korea.
Funnily sufficient, that adaptive cruise system is built-in into an electrical energy steering set-up that additionally brings lane-keep help and lively lane centring – so is it truly is an enormous disgrace we don’t get that tech…
What do you get?
Musso ELX highlights:
17-inch alloy wheelsFull-size spare wheelAutomatic high-beamLED daytime working lightsFront fog lightsRain-sensing window wipersHeated aspect mirrors with built-in indicatorsAssisted tailgate operation12.3-inch digital instrument cluster12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment systemApple CarPlay, Android Auto6-speaker sound system2 x entrance USB-C portsFabric upholstery
Musso Journey provides:
18-inch black alloy wheelsLED vertical entrance fog lightsSpeed-sensitive energy steeringReach-adjustable steering wheelLeatherette upholsteryHeated and ventilated entrance seatsTyre-pressure monitoring
Musso Final provides:
HID headlightsWalk-up welcome systemTouch-sensing entrance door locksWalk-away automated door lockingHeated steering wheelBlind-spot monitoringRear cross-traffic alertLane change-collision warningSafe Exit WarningSurround-view digital camera
Final Luxurious Pack ($3000) provides:
Powered sunroofPremium leather-based upholsteryPower entrance passenger seatDriver energy lumbar supportHeated outboard rear seats
Is the Ssangyong Musso XLV secure?
In the event you want a related automotive security authority to persuade you {that a} automobile is secure, you then’re going to be disillusioned right here, as there is no such thing as a ANCAP or Euro NCAP score for the Musso.
Additional to that, this automobile has one thing that ought to, for my part, be outlawed in a brand new automobile – a lap-only centre seatbelt. I get it, if that’s what you’ve received to maintain you secure in a Seventies Ford or Holden, that’s cool. However lap-sash seatbelts have been round because the Nineteen Fifties!
Normal security tools contains:
6 airbagsAutonomous emergency braking (AEB)Ahead collision warningLane departure warningDriver consideration warningReversing cameraFront and rear parking sensors
Musso Final provides:
Blind-spot warningRear cross-traffic alertLane-change collision warningSafe Exit WarningSurround-view digital camera
I’m not an enormous fan of the “richer individuals should be safer” mindset, and sadly, in case you’re keen and in a position to spend extra in your Musso, you’ll get extra security tools.
How a lot does the Ssangyong Musso XLV price to run?
The Musso is sensible from an possession perspective.
There’s a seven-year, limitless kilometre guarantee for personal and enterprise prospects, and a seven-year roadside help plan on supply, too.
Servicing intervals are each 12 months/15,000km and – you guessed it – there’s a seven-year capped-price program that spans out to 105,000km, with the common upkeep payment capped at $375.
As for gasoline consumption, the SWB fashions have an official gasoline consumption score of 8.6 litres per 100 kilometres on the mixed cycle, whereas the XLV LWB fashions are pegged at 9.0L/100km.
In my testing, I noticed a return of 9.9L/100km throughout a mixture of driving, however there was no towing, off-roading or loaded testing as a part of this drive.
CarExpert’s Tackle the SsangYong Musso XLV
The SsangYong Musso’s modifications may enchantment to those that need a extra high-tech appear and feel inside their ute.
The worth equation nonetheless stacks up for patrons on a price range who need a dual-cab diesel 4×4 and don’t need to wait 18 months to get it.
However whereas it’s a first rate factor, it falls a bit wanting being nice as a result of as I’ve defined, there are some notable points to contemplate – if it have been me, I’d be getting right into a GWM Ute as an alternative.
Click on the pictures for the complete gallery
BUY: SsangYong MussoMORE: Every thing SsangYong Musso