I haven't driven a pick-up in ages, so I was delighted when Fine Cars of Gosport offered to loan me a Ssangyong Musso. It coincided with my visits to the Goodwood Motor racing circuit in West Sussex. I attended the Festival of Speed, the annual celebration of motorsports, cars, motorbikes and much more.
The trouble with Goodwood is that it always attracts the rain, and 2023 proved decidedly sketchy with heavy rain and winds. Parking for the event is on grass fields, often with slopes which, combined with the rain, leads to vehicles sliding all over the place. Thankfully I had the four-wheel drive and decent tyres on the Musso, so I had no issues moving across the muddy fields. Instead of heading home, I helped many vehicles escape the mud onto the tarmac.
It showed me how practical the Musso is, and although defined as a pick-up, it performs like a high-quality SUV with all the comforts too.
The Ssangyong Musso is a double-cab truck and one of the cheapest around and one of the best. You may not be considering a pick-up as your next vehicle, but after spending time in the Musso, I am because it has so many practical benefits.
The Musso is comfortable, refined, spacious, with good carrying ability, quiet and smooth. Available only as a twin cab, it has four full-sized doors, and you can choose between a short wheelbase or a long, which have lengths of SWB 1300mm and LWB 1610mm.
SWB model has a payload of up to 1105kg; the LWB can carry 1205kg. The Ssangyong Musso can tow up to 3500kg and do this with a full load on board which none of its competitors can.
The Musso's 2.2-litre diesel engine is powerful and happy whether driving in town or on the open road. I drove the six-speed automatic model, which has smooth gear changes even when towing. Handling is ok, and grip on the road is impressive, even more so off-road.
Ssangyong has fitted the Musso with stiff suspension to cope with hefty loads, but this affects the ride, which is a tad bumpy. You learn to live with this, and it doesn't take away from the many benefits the Musso has.
The Musso looks premium inside with soft-touch plastics on the dashboard and frequently used areas. The driving position is high, so you get a decent forward view and all-around visibility. You get front and rear parking sensors in the Saracen or Rhino spec versions.
The entry-level EX trim has a basic DAB radio with Bluetooth. Rebel adds an 8.0in touchscreen system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. Saracen or Rhino trims provide a 9.2in infotainment system with sat-nav. Both touchscreen sizes are responsive, with sharp graphics and are easy to navigate, although some icons are tiny.
The Musso has plenty of head and leg room for all occupants and decent storage areas throughout the cabs.
A standard plastic bed liner and a 12V/120W socket in the load bay are fitted for plug-in devices needing power. A selection of hooks allows you to strap things down.
The Ssangyong Musso in EX trim is superb value against competition in the market. The Rebel comes with a lot more Specs, including 18in wheels, side steps, a rear camera, roof bars, heated and cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel and the 8.0in infotainment system. The Saracen is still good value, and you get leather seats, cruise control, and heated rear seats. Rhino is top of the range, with the longer bed and rear privacy glass.
Fuel economy is nothing special, but you can obtain high 20s mpg driven conservatively.
Musso models come with six airbags, but it does lack some safety aids that are appearing in most vehicles now. There isn't road-sign recognition or automatic emergency braking (AEB) on any version.
Rear cross-traffic alert and Blind-spot assistance are available on Saracen and Rhino models.
Rivals come thick and fast in this competitive sector; Ford has the
Ranger https://www.ford.ca/
Toyota Hilux https://www.toyota.ca/toyota/en/
and the Isuzu D max https://www.isuzu.co.uk/vehicles/isuzu-d-max-utility/
You get an impressive seven-year, 150,000-mile warranty with the Musso.
In the market for a pick-up, you have to get in a Ssangyong Musso and drive one.
Prices start at £30000
Thanks to Fine Cars of Gosport for the loan of the Ssangyong Musso