Photo: SsangYong
As a mid-size SUV sold between 1993 and 2005, the SsangYong Musso wasn’t exactly an appealing car. With a face only a mother could love, cheap plastics throughout the cabin, and seriously old engines sourced from Mercedes-Benz, it wasn’t the right stuff for markets in the European Union. Now, though, the South Korean manufacturer reimagined the Musso as a pickup.
The Musso featured in the adjacent gallery has little to do with its forerunner. It is, in fact, merely a facelift for the Korando Sports. The change in nameplate is meant to homogenize SsangYong’s passenger and commercial vehicle lineups. Now that the naming scheme has been addressed, let's press on.
I admit I’m a sucker for bargains and yes, the 2017 SsangYong Musso is a bit of a steal considering how much it costs. Before adding the value added tax, prices start from £15,995. This little dribble of money buys you the sheet metal before your eyes, a 2.2-liter turbo diesel engine, and standard equipment such as alloy wheels, leather on the steering wheel and gear knob, MP3 compatibility and Bluetooth for your phone, and air conditioning.
“Musso - which means rhinoceros in Korean - is a tough, robust proposition for any trade, and with a specification, price and warranty no others can compete with,” explains Paul Williams, chief executive office of SsangYong Motor UK. He’s right, you know, especially when you consider that this pickup truck's 5-year warranty isn’t restricted by mileage. That’s a hell of a promise from a vehicle that’s usually bought by professionals who abuse it on a daily basis. And yes, even the suspension joints and bushes, shock absorbers, and the wheel bearings are covered by the 5-year/limitless mileage warranty.
The chassis, matched with a manual transmission and a force-fed diesel with 178 PS (176 bhp) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) on tap, enable a towing capacity of 3 tonnes (6,613 pounds). The load bed, on the other hand, displaces 2.04 square meters (102.9 cubic feet), which is enough room for a Euro pallet.
An automatic transmission is also available, but only on the range-topping Musso EX. Priced from £18,995 excluding VAT, the highest configuration of SsangYong’s workhorse also boasts leather-wrapped and heated seats, a power operated driver’s seat, automatic headlights, LED daytime running lights, and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
I admit I’m a sucker for bargains and yes, the 2017 SsangYong Musso is a bit of a steal considering how much it costs. Before adding the value added tax, prices start from £15,995. This little dribble of money buys you the sheet metal before your eyes, a 2.2-liter turbo diesel engine, and standard equipment such as alloy wheels, leather on the steering wheel and gear knob, MP3 compatibility and Bluetooth for your phone, and air conditioning.
“Musso - which means rhinoceros in Korean - is a tough, robust proposition for any trade, and with a specification, price and warranty no others can compete with,” explains Paul Williams, chief executive office of SsangYong Motor UK. He’s right, you know, especially when you consider that this pickup truck's 5-year warranty isn’t restricted by mileage. That’s a hell of a promise from a vehicle that’s usually bought by professionals who abuse it on a daily basis. And yes, even the suspension joints and bushes, shock absorbers, and the wheel bearings are covered by the 5-year/limitless mileage warranty.
The chassis, matched with a manual transmission and a force-fed diesel with 178 PS (176 bhp) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) on tap, enable a towing capacity of 3 tonnes (6,613 pounds). The load bed, on the other hand, displaces 2.04 square meters (102.9 cubic feet), which is enough room for a Euro pallet.
An automatic transmission is also available, but only on the range-topping Musso EX. Priced from £18,995 excluding VAT, the highest configuration of SsangYong’s workhorse also boasts leather-wrapped and heated seats, a power operated driver’s seat, automatic headlights, LED daytime running lights, and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
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