Item: Ssangyong Musso
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

Fiat Fullback

Ford Ranger

Isuzu D-Max

Mercedes X-Class

Mitsubishi L200

Nissan Navara

Ssangyong Musso

Toyota Hilux

Volkswagen Amarok

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The cheapest Ssangyong Musso – in EX trim – looks startlingly good value against its rivals. However, unless you are planning on using your pickup solely as a working vehicle, we recommend raising your selection to Rebel. This comes with a lot more kit, including 18in wheels, roof bars, side steps, a rear camera, heated and cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel and an 8.0in infotainment system (see <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ssangyong/musso/estate/review/n17236/in-the-cabin">Interior</a>).&nbsp;

The range-topping Saracen is still surprisingly good value and adds leather seats (versus the faux leather ones in the Rebel), cruise control, heated rear seats and a front skid plate. Rhino sits at the top of the range, featuring the longer bed and rear privacy glass, but replacing the 18in wheels with 17in.

The fact that the Musso’s single engine option isn’t particularly competitive on <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/new-official-fuel-consumption-and-co2-tests-explained/n1213">CO2 emissions</a> won’t worry company buyers too much because pickups are classed as light commercial vehicles and are taxed at a single flat rate. As you might expect from such a large vehicle, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/new-official-fuel-consumption-and-co2-tests-explained/n1213">fuel economy</a> is nothing special, with the trip computer reading high 20s for MPG at best, but then again that's true of most of its rivals.

Ssangyong claims that the Musso is “one of the toughest pick-ups on the market” and backs this up with an impressive seven-year, 150,000-mile warranty. That's a boon for buyers planning to use their Musso as a serious workhorse.

The Musso isn’t the most sophisticated vehicle, though, and that’s reflected in the extent of its safety equipment. All models come with six airbags, but there’s no <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">automatic emergency braking</a> or road sign recognition, and blindspot assistance is only included on Rhino models. We’re still waiting to find out how the Musso fares in <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/euro-ncap-safety-ratings-2019-%E2%80%93-how-safe-is-your-car/n17044">Euro NCAP</a>’s crash tests and Thatcham Research’s security assessment.

Compared with SUVs, pickups are generally rather unsophisticated to drive, but the Ssangyong Musso is one of the better of the breed.

Its steering, for one thing, is up there with the likes of the <a href="https://www.ford.co.uk/vans-and-pickups/ranger">Ford Ranger</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/amarok/pick-up/review/n17220">Volkswagen Amarok</a> for precision. And, though it may look quite top heavy, body roll is reasonably well controlled through corners.&nbsp;

However, its resistance to lean comes at a price: poor ride quality. To prevent the Musso from pitching and rolling too much through the corners, and to cope with really heavy loads, Ssangyong has fitted the Musso with pretty stiff suspension. The result is a ride that is lumpy and unsettled on anything other than the smoothest sections of motorway although, to be frank, no pickups ride brilliantly.

We tried the Musso with a 700kg stack of bricks in the load bay, and that extra weight did help settle things down a bit, although there's still plenty of shudder through the body over imperfections in the road.&nbsp;

Longer Rhino models get heavier-duty leaf springs instead of the more car-like coil springs of shorter models. Although the Rhino certainly doesn’t ride particularly worse as a result, the way it lumps and shudders over bumps and crevices is similarly irksome.

Ssangyong’s 2.2-litre <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/do-i-choose-petrol-or-diesel/n1110">diesel</a> engine is pleasingly strong, so the Musso feels perfectly comfortable both in town and out on the open road although it’s not remotely fast; 0-62mph takes 11.9sec for the automatic or 11.3sec for the manual. That’s quicker than some rivals, but the Volkswagen Amarok and punchier versions of the Ford Ranger soundly thrash it. Nevertheless, it’s relatively quiet, even when pushed hard. In this respect, the Musso is better than nearly all of its rivals; only the Amarok has a smoother, quieter diesel engine.

We’d pick the six-speed automatic gearbox over the perfectly pleasant manual alternative, despite its occasional hesitancy when swapping gears. Why? Because it’s still entirely acceptable and, crucially, the best choice if you want to tow as it has a slightly higher towing limit of 3500kg (versus the manual version’s still-impressive 3200kg) – which is up there with the most muscular of pick-ups. Plus, it can carry its maximum payload (1095kg) while towing a 3500kg trailer at the same time – and that’s something its rivals can’t do. The Rhino is able to tow the same 3500kg braked trailer with a higher 1140kg maximum payload.

Funny thing, fashion. Pickups used only to be found on farms, dragging machinery and hauling hay bales, but these days you’ll see them on the high street, too. What's more, some canny professionals have worked out that, for tax reasons, pickups are really cheap to run as company cars, which probably explains why so many have been launched over the past couple of years.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/ssangyong">Ssangyong</a> Musso is one of the least expensive 'double-cab' pickups on the market. Despite its attractive price, it comes with a strong 2.2-litre <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/do-i-choose-petrol-or-diesel/n1110">diesel</a> engine and either a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/which-type-of-automatic-gearbox-should-i-buy/n17022">manual</a> or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/which-type-of-automatic-gearbox-should-i-buy/n17022">automatic</a> six-speed gearbox. The Musso has a generous equipment list, too.&nbsp;

Like many pickups, there’s a choice of two body styles. Both are true double cabs with four conventional doors, but Rhino models have a longer load bed, heavier duty rear suspension, and the distance between the front and rear wheels has been stretched too. This allows it to&nbsp; take longer, heavier loads while retaining the same towing capacity as its shorter sibling.

Of course, it isn’t plain sailing for Ssangyong; other manufacturers are also in on the action. Indeed, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/ranger/4x4/review/n17250">Ford Ranger,</a> <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/navara/pick-up/review/n17169">Nissan Navara,</a> <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/hilux/pick-up/review/n17270">Toyota Hilux</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/amarok/pick-up/review/n17220">Volkswagen Amarok</a> are all vying for your attention as well.

So, read on over the few pages to find out whether the Ssangyong Musso deserves more of it. We’ll tell you what it’s like to drive, what it’s like inside and how much it’ll cost you to buy and run. And don't forget to check our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">New Car Buying pages</a> for the latest car and pickup deals.

Given the Ssangyong Musso’s low price, you might expect the interior to look and feel somewhat low rent, but that isn’t actually the case. There’s a good spread of soft-touch plastics on the dashboard and other areas that you touch regularly, and the buttons operate precisely.

Lower down on the dashboard, you'll find some harder plastics that aren't so well finished, but it’s unlikely that you’ll come into contact with these regularly – and this is a pickup, after all. All-in-all, it’s one of the plusher interiors in the class, rivalling the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/amarok/pick-up/review/n17220">Volkswagen&nbsp;Amarok</a> if not as pleasant as high-spec versions of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/ranger/4x4/review/n17250">Ford Ranger</a>.

You sit high up in the Musso, which makes for a commanding view of the road with very good visibility. Judging the proportions is simple and the deep side windows make easy work of negotiating roundabouts and T-junctions. Rearward visibility isn't usually a strength of pickups, but the Musso has a huge rear screen and thin rear pillars. If you want front and rear parking sensors, you’ll need Saracen or Rhino trim.

Entry-level EX trim has a basic DAB radio with Bluetooth, but stepping up to the Rebel adds an 8.0in touchscreen system with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a> smartphone connectivity. If you want the range-topping 9.2in infotainment system (which also features sat-nav), you’ll need either the Saracen or Rhino trim level. Both types of touchscreen are responsive, have sharp on-screen graphics and are straightforward to navigate, although some of the display icons are rather small.

Estate

Ssangyong has made giant strides in recent years, after it was taken over by a new owner and given a injection of investment to help its bid to become a credible car maker.

The result so far is a range of cars dominated by SUVs (as well as a single pick-up), most of which are below the class average standard but all of which have merits, including the amount of space and practicality they offer for the money.

The highlight in the range is currently the Korando, a Nissan Qashqai rival that offers all the space of that car but for a price closer to the much smaller Nissan Juke’s. It is very roomy and has decent engines, but it’s let down a bit by interior quality, high running costs and poor resale values.

SSANGYONG

MUSSO

There are better pickups, but not for this sort of money. The Musso is surprisingly smart inside inside, too (by pickup standards)

Up front, you'll find a sizeable storage area under the armrest, big door pockets and a tray for odds and ends in front of the gear lever. Head and leg room are plentiful and the interior is really broad, so you won’t be clashing elbows with your passenger.

The Ssangyong Musso’s rear seats are also pretty roomy. Head room is good for all three passengers, and there’s a nice flat floor for the middle occupant's feet, with decent foot room for the other two. That said, tall adults in the outer seats might find their knees brushing the front seatbacks, and the middle passenger has a slightly protruding backrest to contend with. Despite being longer, the Rhino has no more interior space than the smaller Mussos.

Instead, the Rhino’s load bed is where it has an advantage; there’s an extra 30cm of length, taking it up to 1.61 metres with a maximum payload of 1140kg, a weight that’s nevertheless matched by the admittedly far less plush <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/ranger/4x4/review/n17250">Ford Ranger XL</a>. Like their rivals, all Mussos will take a standard European cargo pallet between their wheel arch intrusions. Standard length Mussos have a maximum payload of 1105kg for manuals or 1095kg for automatics, better than all but the XL and XLT Rangers.

Other practical touches include a 12V/120W socket in the load bay for use with power tools and the like, and a selection of hooks in the back to help strap items down. There are numerous other cargo accessories on the options list too.&nbsp;

The Ssangyong Musso undercuts its rivals on price and is surprisingly good in many areas, particularly engine refinement and interior quality. Its ability to tow a 3500kg trailer even with the full load bed is also an impressive achievement, while the additional length and capacity of the Rhino will be handy to some. It's just a shame the ride isn't a bit more settled.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Go-anywhere capability</li> <li>Work-ready load bay</li> <li>Robust, durable yet also pleasant interior</li> <li>Commanding driving position</li> <li>Heavyweight towing capacity</li></ul>

The popularity of pick-up trucks is growing in the UK, thanks in part to a fixed-rate company car tax for business users, due to them being categorised as light commercial vehicles.

But it's not just those savings to your wallet that makes the pick-up a compelling buy; incredibly durability, huge towing capacity and the surprising about of technology available means the majority are worthy for much more than just working on building sites.

Prices start at under £30,000 for examples such as the Ssangyong Musso, while top-spec models, including the Volkswagen Amarok, feature rear-view cameras, heated seats and smartphone mirroring. Just beware high running costs, as might be expected for vehicles of this size.&nbsp;

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