SsangYong’s facelifted Musso XLV tested off-road

We really grew to love our long-term SsangYong Musso during the 12 months it was with us, so when the updated 2021 model lobbed on our driveway we were keen to give it another look.

Our long-termer was a 2019 XLV Ultimate model fitted with the dealer-optional Ironman 4x4 off-road suspension kit; while this one is also the long wheelbase XLV in Ultimate trim, but without the suspension pack.

The changes to the Musso are confined to cosmetics, with an all-new front-end treatment with bolder, squared-off styling that is much more contemporary and up-to-date. The previous front end was looking old because, well, it was old.

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SsangYong has also toughened up the look using black on the grille, side mirrors, door handles and side trims, which work particularly well with this dark grey truck.

The rest of the Musso remains business as usual, with no changes to the drivetrain or mechanical package. We were a bit disappointed to find that the Musso didn’t get the same engine tweaks as its wagon sibling, the Rexton. These take the 2.2-litre diesel’s outputs up from 133kW and 430Nm to 148kW and 441Nm, and backed by an eight-speed auto in the Rexton.

This is a real nice driveline package that would lift the Musso up closer to its competitors in the ute category. For now, the Musso retains the lower-tune engine and six-speed auto transmission, which is refined and adequate but no powerhouse.

SsangYong says that officially the suspension under the Musso remains unchanged from the last model, however this car looks and feels taller; even close to our long-termer which had the raised suspension beneath it. The Ironman 4x4 suspension and underbody protection remain as options for this 2021 model, while the Australian accessories company is also developing a bullbar to fit the new front end.

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FEATURE PACKED

All the features we liked about the previous Musso XLV remain in this one: the wide, spacious and well-appointed cabin with its heated and ventilated seats, the massive cargo tub, the compliant all-coil spring suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes.

This 2021 XLV Ultimate has a heated steering wheel, which our 2019 model didn’t, and we appreciated it during the cold Melbourne winter.

While the Ultimate’s wide cab, large dash screen and faux leather seats give the Musso a premium interior feel, the seats are still manual adjustment and the air-conditioning is manual. You can add a $3000 luxury pack to the Ultimate which gets you dual-zone automatic climate control, Nappa leather seats with power adjustment for the fronts, and a sunroof.

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The Musso Ultimate is priced from $41,290 drive away. The 300mm longer XLV adds $1500 to the price and the Luxury pack a further $3000 if you feel you need it.

Even with all the fruit, the Musso represents a great value-for-money package, especially when you figure in the brand’s seven-year unlimited-kilometre warranty.

The Musso doesn’t scrimp on safety kit as every model comes with lane departure warning, AEB, rear cross-traffic alert, six airbags, blind spot warnings, front and rear parking sensors, and a tyre-pressure monitoring system which randomly reminds the driver of the status of the tyres by displaying the pressure on the gauge screen – it doesn’t wait for you to check them.

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GOING BUSH

The off-road kit starts with a part-time, dual-range 4x4 system and electronic traction control. There is an auto-locking (non-switchable) differential in the rear axle for when the going gets tough and, while this takes a second to engage, it is certainly effective when it does.

The longer wheelbase of the XLV Musso does mean it suffers for ground clearance in between the axles. This is helped somewhat with the off-road suspension pack, but it is still quite low and long.

For towing, there’s a 3500kg rating while the payload varies depending on the variant – from 790kg for the standard Musso to 880kg for the long wheelbase XLV Ultimate or 1025kg for the base model ELX with the long wheelbase XLV package.

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As well as the added payload the extra 110mm of wheelbase the XLV provides, it allows a 300mm longer cargo tub which is one of the biggest in the double-cab ute category.

While the SsangYong Musso might not be the first vehicle to come to mind of 4x4 ute buyers when they start their shopping search, it’s one that we say is certainly worth consideration, especially with the long wheelbase XLV.

As we said after living with one for the last year, the Musso is not purely a value-for-money buy but a great ute regardless.

2021 SsangYong Musso XLV specs