KGM Motors MUSSO Review & Prices

The KGM Musso is a bit like a hardcore prog-rock album - technically very impressive, but overshadowed by alternatives that are just a bit more popular and easy-to-digest. That’s because, if you’re going by numbers alone, it’s the most impressive pickup truck on the market - but the reality of ownership is that, for most people, a Ford Ranger or Toyota Hilux is a better bet.

It’s a real workhorse of a truck (or should that be work-rhino? ‘Musso’ means ‘rhino’ in Korean) and has the distinction of being the only pickup on sale which can carry its full payload and tow the maximum 3.5-tonnes at the same time. That’s a feat that the Hilux, Ranger, or other less cultured trucks like the GWM Poer300 or Isuzu D-Max can’t match - all of which the Musso can count as its main alternatives.

The Musso dates from when KGM was still SsangYong - it arrived in 2018, was facelifted in 2022 and renamed to KGM in 2023. As a result, it has more in common with the KGM Rexton SUV than it does with the latest KGM models such as the Torres.

As well as carrying capacity, the Musso’s focus is on rugged simplicity. All models use a 2.2-litre diesel engine, and there’s a choice of six-speed manual or a rather dated six-speed automatic gearbox. All versions also get four-wheel drive, and while all models get the same double-cab bodywork you can opt for a long-wheelbase model which takes the Musso from having one of the shortest load beds in the class to the very longest.

On the inside, things look good to start with. While the cab is clearly more dated than the likes of the Ford Ranger, it still gets a big touchscreen, standard digital dials and some soft-touch materials. Unfortunately despite the generous equipment levels everything feels very basic and quite awkward in operation.

Space for passengers in the back is good though, with a more reclined backrest than you can find in some alternatives making for much better long-distance comfort.

The standard Musso’s load bed measures just 1,300mm long, which is rather short compared to the Ranger or Hilux. Payloads are strong at over 1,100kg, though, and if you need more capacity you can go for the long-wheelbase Saracen+ model. It not only gets a huge 1,610mm load length, but has more than 1,200kg of payload.

Thanks to a huge ‘train weight’ of nearly seven tonnes, both models are also capable of towing a full 3,500kg - the maximum available to any pickup - while carrying their full payload.

It’s just a shame that you won’t have much fun doing any distance in the Musso. The engine is fine - a bit noisy - and the automatic gearbox is no worse than the one you get in a Hilux or a D-Max. The problem is the suspension, which is incredibly bouncy and rough over bumps.

The payoff is decent off-road ability with a low-range gearbox and switchable four-wheel drive, though it doesn’t get the differential locks available on other trucks including the D-Max.

So the Musso is an ideal truck if ultimate carrying capacity is your priority - but if you’re looking for a pickup to double duty as a workhorse and a family car, you’ll get better service from an Isuzu D-Max or a Toyota Hilux. Even the GWM Poer300 makes for more comfortable daily transport.

You can check out the latest KGM Musso deals right here on Carwow. Remember you can buy new or used vans through Carwow, and even sell your old van through our network of trusted dealers.

At just under £33,000 (ex.VAT) the KGM Musso is one of the cheapest pickups on sale. It’s undercut only by the GWM Poer300 and the Utility model of the Isuzu D-Max. You’ll pay a few thousand extra for the plusher DL20 D-Max, and closer to £40,000 for a Toyota Hilux or Ford Ranger.

The base model, the Rebel, is the only one to get a manual gearbox and therefore a slightly lower towing capacity. It still comes with heated front seats, wireless smartphone connectivity and 18-inch alloy wheels. You can step up to the Saracen trim to get cruise control, ventilated seats, dual-zone climate control, black alloy wheels and built-in navigation. The top-spec Saracen+ is the long-wheelbase model and costs from just under £38,000 ex.VAT.

The KGM Musso’s engine is powerful enough, but the suspension lets the side down - it’s way too bouncy, even laden

The Musso engine range couldn’t be simpler - there’s one. It’s a 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel shared with the Rexton SUV, and it produces 202hp. You can get it paired to a six-speed manual gearbox in the base-spec Rebel, but most people will find the six-speed automatic a better fit, especially as it has a higher towing capacity.

The engine is just about fine - it doesn’t feel as muscular as the 2.8-litre four-pot in the Toyota Hilux, nor the particularly beefy 3.0-litre diesel in the Ford Ranger, but it’s plenty to get the Musso up to speed. The gearbox isn’t fantastic, though, with clunky shifts and a tendency to downshift noisily when you don’t really need it. The massive central shifter takes up a lot of room, too.

Around town, the high driving position and tight turning circle mean it’s just fine to manoeuvre through narrow streets and traffic jams, though you’ll have to find some rather large parking spaces if you’re in the long-wheelbase Saracen+.

On the motorway and on twisty roads, though, the suspension really shows its dark side. It’s far too bouncy - the rear end feels like it’s constantly fidgeting even when you’re on a freshly surfaced road. This makes even the smallest bumps and road imperfections filter through, and there’s never an absence of noise and vibration. It’s really tiring on a long journey, and a Hilux or a D-Max are much better in this regard - though the Ford Ranger is still the gold standard.

Things don’t improve much when you load up the bed, either, or when you’re towing. It’s a shame, especially as KGM touts the Musso’s car-like coil spring rear suspension - when most alternatives use old-fashioned leaf springs. It seems that sometimes, the old ways are the best.

The highest overall payload on the market, but the load bed is pretty short unless you get the Saracen+

The KGM Musso is the only double-cab pickup that’s available in two sizes. The standard model has one of the shortest load beds around, but the larger Saracen+ has the very longest - so it really is a tale of two halves.

Both have a deeper bay than most, though whether this is of use to you will come down to personal circumstances. Either way, there are a wide range of roll covers or hard-tops available to fit, though the bed doesn’t really have any smart features like a gas-sprung tailgate or in-bed power points.

KGM Musso Internal and external measurements

Exterior dimensions (Standard/Saracen+)

Length: 5,095mm/5,405mm
Width including door mirrors: 1,950mm
Height: 1,840mm
Wheelbase: 3,100mm/3,210mm

Loadbay dimensions (Standard/Saracen+)

Length: 1,300mm/1,610mm
Depth: 570mm
Width: 1,570mm

Towing capacity

All but the basic manual version of the Musso can tow the maximum 3,500kg, which is equal to the best tow vehicles on the market. Manual models have a lower 3,200kg limit.

The key is the Musso’s total Gross Train Weight - the amount that the Musso can weigh with an attached trailer. It’s close to seven tonnes on the Saracen+. This means that it can carry its full payload of more than 1,200kg while towing a 3,500kg trailer. For heavy users, that could be indispensable, and certainly gives the Musso capabilities beyond even some small HGVs. Anyone with a standard car licence can drive this combination, too.

Payload

Payload capacities are impressive as well. The standard length model can carry 1,105kg with the manual gearbox and 1,095kg with the auto. The Saracen+ can carry up to 1,205kg. That equals the very best single-cab D-Max Utility. Even the standard model is the equal of the best Ford Ranger or double-cab D-Max.

Looks smart enough and there’s lots of room in the back, but the KGM Musso’s cab feels cheap and is awkward to use

The Musso’s cab is shared with the KGM Rexton SUV for the most part, and so it looks quite automotive. You get a neat strip of air vents with a large 12.3-inch touchscreen over the top, and a panel of proper climate controls - though they’re a touch-sensitive strip rather than proper buttons.

There is real switchgear on the steering wheel, though the toggle switches for things like volume and cruise control feel like they’ve come from a Christmas cracker. The truth is that it strikes rather an unhappy medium, failing to hit the modern heights of the all-screen Ford Ranger but not achieving the glove-friendly attitude of the Toyota Hilux either.

The touchscreen is also pretty poor. There’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though both are wired rather than wireless. Using any of the other menus is frustrating, because the interface doesn’t make much sense and the touchscreen itself isn’t very responsive.

At least the seats are comfortable - in both rows. Saracen models get heated and ventilated Nappa leather, with electric adjustment so it’s easy to find a comfy driving position. The steering wheel doesn’t adjust as much as you’d like, but most people should be fine. The rear seats, meanwhile, are pretty comfy by pickup standards, but you don’t get anything in the way of creature comforts back there. At least the big square windows ensure a good view out.

All versions of the KGM Musso use the same 2.2-litre diesel engine and so claimed fuel economy doesn’t range much, going from 33.5mpg in the Rebel manual to 30.1mpg in the Saracen+ automatic. We tested a Saracen (not +) with the automatic gearbox and returned an average of 27mpg over a week’s mixed driving. Not bad, but we saw more than 30mpg from the GWM Poer300 and Toyota Hilux without trying too hard.

Company car tax bills will be steep due to the high emissions of over 200g/km, but the Musso’s low list price does at least mean it’s cheaper per month than most alternatives - the tax-busting Ford Ranger PHEV aside. Road tax is the same flat rate as all pickups.

Euro NCAP has never crash-tested a KGM model. In fact, even when KGM was SsangYong, it didn’t test many - only the Tivoli in 2016 and the Korando in 2019. That means judging the truck’s safety is a bit of a guessing game, but KGM does at least point to the standard six airbags, high-strength steel in the truck’s construction and list of safety equipment as positives.

However, without a formal crash test, you’ll have to judge for yourself whether the KGM Musso’s safety is a priority to you.

KGM has never sold enough vehicles in the UK to factor in the Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, so it’s difficult to get a handle on reliability. But the Musso’s reputation looks good. It’s never been recalled, under either SsangYong or KGM, and gets a strong five-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

Anecdotally, one of the delivery companies that brings the Carwow team vehicles to review from several manufacturers recently told us that they’d traded in their fleet of Ford Rangers for KGM Mussos, which is a pretty high endorsement.

Service intervals are pretty standard, at one year or 12,500 miles, whichever comes first.