Ssangyong Musso review

The cheapest Musso (EX) looks startlingly good value against its rivals. However, unless you are planning on using your Musso as a working vehicle only, we’d recommending stepping up to Rebel, which 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.

The range-topping Saracen is still surprisingly good value, costing below the £25k mark and featuring a 9.2in screen with sat-nav, power adjustable leather seats (versus faux leather ones in Rebel), heated rear seats and a front skid plate.

The fact that the Musso’s single engine option isn’t particularly competitive on CO2 emissions won’t worry company buyers too much. That’s because pick-ups are classed as light commercial vehicles and are taxed at the same rate. True, fuel economy is nothing special, but neither are rivals’ efforts.

Ssangyong claims that the Musso is “one of the toughest pick-ups on the market” and is backing this up with a massive seven-year, 150,000-mile warranty; a boon for buyers who are looking to use their Musso as a serious workhorse.

The Musso isn’t the most advanced vehicle, however, and that’s reflected in the extent of its safety equipment. All models come with six airbags, but there’s no automatic emergency braking, road sign recognition or blindspot assistance. We are still waiting to find out how the Musso fares in Euro NCAP’s crash tests and Thatcham Research’s security assessment.