New SsangYong Musso 2022 Review
The 2022 SsangYong Musso pickup features sharper looks and a new diesel engine
The Musso has always positioned itself as a pickup that majors on value for money, but the improvements here mean it feels like much more than just an alternative to the established competition.
The engine refinement is great, and it`s backed up by a 3.5-ton towing capacity and payload ratings, plus lots of standard kits.
This is the revised SsangYong Musso. The Korean brand is hoping that the stock of its pickup will rise over the next year or two, given the withdrawal of rivals like the Mitsubishi L200. Indeed, SsangYong says that demand is currently outstripping supply.
The most obvious change comes at the front, where there`s a significantly larger, bolder grille. More subtle exterior graphics are also present, and the cabin remains largely similar to before. That`s no bad thing. The dashboard design is shared with the Musso`s SUV cousin, the Rexton G4.
By pickup standards, it feels almost plush the design is functional but feels sturdy, while the tidy rows of switchgear all feel nicely damped when you press them. The 9.2-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is easy to use, has crisp graphics, and loads relatively fast. At least better than anything else in this segment.
The double-cab body seats 5 people and is quite comfortable in each row. There is plenty of legroom and foot space in the back for adults, and the flat floor makes it easy to get in and out of either side. The most important improvement of the Musso is inside. There’s a 2.2-liter diesel engine here, shared with Lexton like a dash, which greatly improves sophistication.
Where the edges of the old unit were a bit rough, this model has almost no rattling noise, especially when idle. In fact, it’s even smoother than our favorite pickup, the Ford Ranger’s 2.0-liter unit. It is quite muted, even under intense acceleration.
The engine is combined with the same Aisin 6-speed automatic transmission as the previous model. It’s smooth enough, but it doesn’t exactly match the responsiveness and flexibility of a Ford 10-speed unit. Another drawback is that Musso is much more thirsty than a 29.5mpg ranger. On paper, Ford can reach 36.7mpg. You can maximize its mpg number by taking advantage of the
switchable all-wheel drive.
On the road, it’s best to send all the torque to the rear wheels only, but on tougher terrain, there are options for all-wheel drive mode and low-gear settings in very difficult situations. Hill descent control and hill start assist are also useful for full-scale off-road use.
However, the performance of the new engine will only improve slightly. No one will notice a single extra horsepower compared to the old engine, but the new 420Nm torque is 20Nm more than before. This high peak is achieved at 1,600 pm at the same engine speed as before and continues up to 2,600 rpm, providing a great boost when towing or transporting heavy loads.
And this is one of the areas where Musso excels. If needed, you can take full advantage of the ability to tow a 1,095 kg payload and a 3.5-ton braked trailer at the same time. The dimensions of the cargo box differ by just a few millimeters in length and width from Ford’s, but they are actually a bit deeper.
When we first tried the vehicle in the summer of 2018, we were critical of the drive. The rear suspension was very stiff and unloaded driving was very unbearable. However, it has been dealt with for a long time and is now running near the ranger for convenience. The downside of this is that Musso is a bit more unpredictable through the corners than Ford, but it’s not a trading breaker for such a vehicle.
To read the whole article and check out all of the features, visit: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ssangyong/musso/358077/new-ssangyong-musso-saracen-2022-review