Auto first drive Review 2016 SsangYong Musso 2.2 EX

The Musso is a no-nonsense pick-up truck that’s priced to undercut the likes of the Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi L200 and Ford Ranger by a significant margin. So it’s a bargain then? Or is it cheap as chips for a good reason?

Auto Trader verdict:

The Musso may be cheap, but unfortunately, it was far from cheerful. Even if we ignore the rather utilitarian cabin, we still would have struggled to forgive Musso fundamental flaws in the key areas of comfort, refinement and general driveability.

Constantly restless, incessant noisy, with excessive body roll and no steering connections, it's a very heavy vehicle to drive even on a calm pace. While the price point is cheap and unlimited mileage warranty has several benefits, you have a very strong constitution to rack up high mileage in Musso.

Need to know:

• On sale now. Attractive prices from £ 15,995 exc. TONG
• SUV-style rear suspension
• A five-year unlimited mileage warranty

For those of you with long enough memories might recall the original Musso and how it must have looked more like an SUV than a pick-up truck. While the Korando and Rexton models have now been taken on the mantle SUV SsangYong, Musso has turned into a simple, no-frills double-cab pick-up truck.

Sale of what looked like a ridiculous low as £ 15,995 exc. VAT, auto EX models tested here command £ 3,000 premium over the base car, though £ 1,000 is to an automatic gearbox. The remaining £ 2k gives you climate control, cruise control, heated leather front seats, automatic lights and wipers, folding door mirrors and a 7-inch touch screen - all the basic items that foregoes car.

Equipped with a four-cylinder diesel engine 2.2-liter 176bhp associated with four wheel drive system, 4X4 end it can be switched between two and four-wheel-drive, and a high ratio of high to low while on the move, via the dash mount quickly.

The Musso also offers a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty, so even if you use it for a lump of cement from one end of the country to another, all day every day, the mechanical components will still be closed for half a decade. Staying with the practical aspects, Musso load bed is big enough to take a standard Euro pallet, and it comes with a sturdy boat plastic deck and tie down points. But if you prefer you behind the closed, hard-top with a full glass, heated rear window and body-color paint is available for £ 1,670.

Like most pick-ups, which Musso sitting on a strong ladder frame chassis, which allows it to carry a payload of up to 1 ton and 3-ton crane - though not simultaneously. Surprisingly, instead of using the basic basket as leaf springs similar to those that support the majority of its competitors, who Musso is equipped with a rear multi-link suspension components and coil springs.

This set-up should give a fairly comfortable ride. Well, that's the theory, anyway.

When it comes to commercial vehicles, you need to control your expectations about modesty and comfort. After all, we're talking horse at work here, not show horses. Even with this warning applies notwithstanding, Musso still managed to surprise. And not in a good way.

While wind and road noise are both very disturbing - has someone left a window open? - They pale into insignificance when compared with the lack of fundamental Musso comfort.

Most pick-up heavy sprung up to cope with heavy loads, so they feel too stiff when driven without a load. The Musso is no exception, but it does not stop there. Because the body is deprived of fundamental rigidity, it also feels very wallowy. So much so, you'd swear the suspension was tied to the body using his bungee rope.

Lumps little in the way of sending a large attack collywobbles flowing throughout the cabin, while simultaneously sending the steering column stretched and swirled like a samba dancer on acid. Not surprisingly, for a vehicle designed to go off-road, the steering is pretty darn slow: steering requires a full three and a half turns from lock-to-lock, but also very reluctant to go back to the center. With this in mind, you might be able to imagine how frantic you need to shuffle the wheel to release the lock and get everything heading back in a straight line when pulling out of a T-junction.

Give the wheel a big attraction when entering a corner, and there is a delay that will impress commuter London. First, Musso rolls left, before finally getting the message and toward which you are pointing in. Delayed reactions also makes it difficult to plan accurately track on a country road winding on anything above speed Driving Miss Daisy.

At least 2.2-liter diesel engine is quite spirited, and it is also quite smooth - as long as you do not rev it over 3,500rpm. Working beyond this point and there is an increasing move in different mechanical and combustion racket tail-off in performance.

Automatic gearbox is no great shakes either, because there is a clear delay between each change, and change rather abruptly. You can fix the problem by using a manual override switch on the side of the gear lever to force a change, but it kind of defeats the object of buying automatically.

Unlike many competitors that offer a choice of single or double-cab, the Musso is only available as a four-door, and although legroom in the rear is not too extravagant, a trio of burly guy should still have enough elbow room to thumb through a copy of the Currant Bun.

It may be a little unfair to criticize the materials used in the cabin Musso, because after all, this is a working vehicle that needs to withstand muddy Doc Martins on the dashboard, together with the general misuse of your wrecking crew will be issued every day. To this end, things feel pretty strong.

While the dash is about as complicated a knife and fork, glossy black highlights on a lot of controls, and a touch of leather on the steering wheel, along with large windows flood light, doing their best to lift the general atmosphere of the interior.

Should I buy one?

That’s a real toughie. If price is everything and you definitely need a new pick up – whether it be for tax reasons or maybe you simply can’t countenance the thought of buying a used truck – then it might be worth a punt on the entry model Musso. At least you’ll sleep soundly, safe in the knowledge that if anything goes awry, you’d be covered by SsangYong’s exceptional warranty. However, spending more on the higher spec cars to gain creature comforts and the dubious benefits of a lacklustre automatic gearbox seems like folly to us.

Key facts:

• Model: SsangYong Musso EX Auto
• Price: £18,995 excluding VAT
• Engine: 2.2-litre turbodiesel, 6-speed automatic
• Power/Torque: 176bhp/295lb ft.
• 0-62mph: 12.7secs
• Top speed: 108mph
• Economy: 37.0mpg
• CO2/BIK Tax Liability: 202g/km / 37%
• Boot: N/A

Tweet