First released in 1993, the Musso sold about 260,000 units before it was discontinued and was Ssangyong Motor's signature model. The Musso Sports, released as a pickup truck in 2002, combined the strengths of a sport utility vehicle (SUV) and a pickup truck to gain popularity and was also called the pride of Korea's pickup trucks.
KG Mobility (KGM) revived the Musso as the electric pickup Musso EV in March last year. And this year it also launched an internal combustion version as a growth driver. On the 11th, we test-drove the Musso's gasoline and diesel models over a 120 km route from Seoul to Paju, Gyeonggi Province, and back.
The Musso's exterior is imposing, befitting a pickup truck. At 5,150 mm long and 1,950 mm wide, it is 10 mm shorter than the earlier Musso EV but 30 mm wider. Its width is 20 mm greater than the Kia Tasman.
KGM made it possible to choose the Musso's configuration as well as its powertrain to match intended use. The standard Musso is a traditional off-roader pickup with a height of 1,865 mm (minimum ground clearance 245 mm). The Grand Style, which seeks a balance between city and off-road driving, has a height of 1,845 mm (minimum ground clearance 225 mm).
The first test vehicle was the Musso Diesel Grand Style. From the front, the thick, L-shaped daytime running light (DRL) line and the five central lamps make a strong impression. The Grand Style–specific bumper that extends from these lamps down to the lower body meets the vertical LED fog lamps to make the vehicle look even larger than the standard Musso.
The standard Musso has a rectangular bumper and radiator grille. The rest of the design is the same, and the straight crease along the side gives a sharp impression. The rear bumper protrudes, emphasizing a grand feel.
Sitting in the driver's seat, the high seating position offered a wide, open view. The interior design was also uncluttered. Suede material applied to the center fascia (the area between the driver and passenger seats that houses the climate controls) added a premium touch.
The four-wheel-drive selector is a physical button, which was intuitive. The drive mode switch is next to the gear lever, making it a bit inconvenient to operate while driving. The digital instrument cluster and 12.3-inch display were clearer than the previous model, and response was improved.
The second-row space was roomier than expected. With this reporter at 172 cm seated, there was space in front of the knees for about two fists.
Both test-drive Mussos were long-deck (cargo bed) types, so the cargo area was spacious. The long-deck model has a 3,210 mm wheelbase and 1,262 L of cargo space. The standard type is 3,100 mm and 1,011 L.
Maximum payloads are 700 kg (with power leaf suspension) and 400 kg, respectively. Even when jumping on the deck to shake the vehicle, it felt stable.
Starting out in the diesel vehicle, the engine exhaust note rose with the RPM (engine revolutions per minute) climbing quickly, pulling the hefty 2,290 kg curb weight. The Musso offers Normal, Winter, and Sport drive modes.
Switching to Sport mode on Jayu-ro, the acceleration felt noticeably quicker. However, it was not to the point of delivering dynamic driving fun. It felt capable of running without strain even with cargo loaded in the deck.
The 2.2 LET engine in the Musso Diesel delivers a maximum output of 202 horsepower and a maximum torque of 45.0 kg·m, which determines initial acceleration. However, the vibrations transmitted to the steering wheel and gear selector were somewhat disappointing.
Unlike the diesel, the gasoline vehicle was quiet. Even when firmly pressing the accelerator to pick up speed, the engine noise was not bothersome. The 2.0-liter turbo gasoline engine paired with an eight-speed transmission delivered smooth acceleration. It felt comfortable at high speeds, like driving a city-oriented SUV.
This engine delivers a maximum output of 217 horsepower and a maximum torque of 38.7 kg·m. A KGM official said it is "an engine applied to a global, dedicated pickup model and verified." Body roll was less than expected even when exiting corners at high speed.
Because the test route consisted of regular roads, including Jayu-ro, we could not experience off-road performance. KGM said that when wheels slip or lift off the ground in mud or on snowy roads, the "differential lock" engages to transfer driving force to the opposite wheel.
At the end of the drive, the Grand Style diesel model returned 9.1 km/L, and the standard gasoline model returned 7.9 km/L. Considering we conducted various tests such as hard acceleration, that was a decent level. The certified combined fuel economy of the Musso Grand Style Diesel is 9.8–10.0 km/L, and that of the standard gasoline model is 7.6–7.9 km/L.
Looking at safety and convenience features, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, and lead vehicle start alert all worked properly when needed. When using Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (IACC), automatic lane change occurred somewhat late, but the vehicle speed control function worked without issue.
Following distance can be adjusted in five steps. Features such as blind spot collision warning (BSW) and blind spot collision avoidance assist (BSA) also felt helpful for safe driving.
The Musso comes in three trims: M5, M7, and M9. Choosing diesel adds 1.8 million won, and selecting the Grand Style adds 800,000 won. Starting prices including VAT are 29.9 million won for the M5, 35.9 million won for the M7, and 39.9 million won for the M9. The prices of the test-driven Musso M9 Grand Style Diesel (long deck, four-wheel drive) and Musso M9 Gasoline (long deck, four-wheel drive) are 44.6 million won and 46.8 million won, respectively.