SsangYong Musso XLV 2019 Review

The 2019 SsangYong Musso XLV is big news for the brand. In fact, it's just big.

The new longer and more efficient double cab version of the Musso XLV is designed to offer buyers more for the money. It's bigger and more practical than the current SWB version, but still the best when it comes to value for money.

If you're wondering what the "XLV" bit stands for, it's "extra long version". Or "a fun car to live in". Or "very large in value." 

Regardless of what the name means, the Musso and Musso XLV pairing remains ute's only Korean offering in the segment - which the company says is an advantage given Hyundai and Kia have been booming in recent years.

But it's not only unique in that it's a Korean car - it's also one of the few cars in its segment that has a choice of coil-spring or leaf-sprung rear suspension.

Here's how he ventured out at a local launch in cold and snowy Marysville, Victoria. 

Ssangyong Musso 2019: EX
Safety Rating	-
engine's type	2.2 L turbo
fuel type	Diesel
Fuel efficiency	8.6l / 100km
Landing	5 Places
Price from	$21,500

Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10

You may agree with me or think I'm crazy, but the longer XLV looks more complete in my opinion. Not pretty, but certainly more aesthetically pleasing than the SWB model. 

It is much longer than the existing SWB model, and the curves of the hips over the tank seem to highlight this fact. It is longer than Mitsubishi Triton, Ford Ranger or Toyota HiLux.

So how big is it? Here are the dimensions: 5405 mm long (with a wheelbase of 3210 mm), 1840 mm wide and 1855 mm high. For some context, the existing Musso SWB is 5095mm long (on a 3100mm wheelbase), the same width, and slightly smaller (1840mm).

The design of the front mirrors that of the Rexton SUV (Musso is essentially a Rexton under the skin), but the situation is different with the rear doors. In fact, the tops of the rear doors have edges that can catch you in a tight parking spot. The youth should also be aware of this.

Many double cabs, including the Musso XLV, have a fairly high body height, making it difficult for small people to get in and out, as well as difficult to lift heavy loads. Unfortunately, there is still no rear bumper, like on the Ford Ranger or Mitsubishi Triton - we were told that at some point one will appear.

The dimensions of the tray are 1610mm long, 1570mm wide and 570mm deep, and according to the brand, this means that the tray is the largest in its segment. SsangYong says the cargo area has a capacity of 1262 liters, and the XLV has an extra 310mm of tray length over the SWB model. 

All models have a hard plastic case and a 12-volt outlet, which many competitors do not have, especially in this price category.

How practical is the interior space? 9/10

The Musso XLV has exactly the same cabin space as the regular model, which isn't bad—it's one of the more generous options when it comes to rear-seat comfort.

With the driver's seat set in my position (I'm six feet, or 182 cm), I had plenty of space in the back seat, with good knee, head and leg room, and the back row is also nice and wide - three across is much more convenient than Triton or HiLux. The rear seats have air vents, map pockets, cup holders in the fold-down armrest, and bottle holders in the doors.

The largest drop-down rear seat is - at the moment - a middle seat belt that only touches the knees. SsangYong is promising a full three-point harness coming soon. More on this in the security section below.

Up front, a nice cabin design with good ergonomics and decent storage space, including cup holders between the seats and bottle holsters in the doors. There's a nice storage box in the center armrest and a place for your phone in front of the shifter - provided it's not one of those mega-large smartphones.

The steering wheel is adjustable for reach and rake, something that many motorcycles lack, and seat adjustment is convenient for both tall and short passengers.

The 8.0-inch touchscreen media system includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, USB input, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming - there's no sat-nav here, which may matter to rural shoppers, but it's a good system that has performed well. myself in tests… the lack of a home button is a bit annoying.

Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 9/10

Prices for the SsangYong Musso XLV have gone up over the existing SWB model - you'll have to pay for more practicality, but standard features have gone up too.

The ELX model is priced at $33,990 with a manual transmission and $35,990 with an automatic transmission. All models will receive a $ 1000 discount for ABN owners.

Standard equipment on the ELX includes 17-inch alloy wheels, a smart key with start button, automatic headlights, automatic wipers, cruise control, an 8.0-inch touchscreen media system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a quad-speaker stereo, Bluetooth phone. and streaming audio, steering wheel audio controls, cloth seats, a limited slip differential, and a safety kit consisting of a rearview camera, automatic emergency braking (AEB) with lane departure warning, and six airbags.

The next model in the lineup is the Ultimate, which is car-only and costs $39,990. It has 18" black alloy wheels with tire pressure monitoring, LED daytime running lights, rear fog lights, front and rear parking sensors, heated and cooled faux leather front seats, leather steering wheel, six-speaker stereo, 7.0 liter engine . an inch driver information display and additional safety gear in the form of blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and lane change assist.

Topping the range is the Ultimate Plus, which costs $43,990. It adds HID headlights, speed-sensing steering, a 360-degree camera system, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, power front seat adjustment, and genuine leather seat trim.

Buyers who opt for the Ultimate Plus option can also opt for a sunroof (list: $2000) and 20-inch chrome alloy wheels (list: $2000), which can be bundled together for a $3000 package. 

Color options for the Musso XLV range include Silky White Pearl, Grand White, Fine Silver, Space Black, Marble Grey, Indian Red, Atlantic Blue and Maroon Brown.

What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 6/10

The Musso XLV gets a slight boost in power thanks to a 2.2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine. Peak power output of 133 kW (at 4000 rpm) remains unchanged, but torque is increased by five percent to 420 Nm (at 1600-2000 rpm) compared to 400 Nm in the SWB models. It's still bottom of the scale in the diesel class - for example, the Holden Colorado has 500Nm of torque in automatic guise. 

There is a six-speed manual transmission (base model only) and a six-speed automatic transmission (derived from Aisin, standard on mid-range and high-end models), and all models sold in Australia will be all-wheel drive.

Musso XLV weight depends on the type of suspension. The leaf spring version has a claimed curb weight of 2160 kg, while the coil spring version has a claimed curb weight of 2170 kg. 

The Musso XLV gets a slight boost in power thanks to a 2.2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine.

For example, the 2WD with leaf spring rear suspension has a GVW of 3210kg, while the coil-spring version is 2880kg, meaning it's decidedly less capable in terms of cargo capacity, but probably more comfortable in everyday driving. The all-wheel drive version has a gross weight of 4 kg with sheets or 3220 kg with coils.

The Gross Train Weight (GCM) for the leaf spring version is 6370 kg and for the coil spring version it is 6130 kg. 

The leaf spring XLV has a payload capacity of 1025kg, while the coil spring XLV has a lower payload of 880kg. For reference, the SWB coil spring model has a payload of 850 kg.

SsangYong Australia has stated that the Musso XLV has a towing capacity of 750 kg (for unbraked trailer) and 3500 kg (for braked trailer) with a 350 kg ground ball weight.

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How much fuel does it consume? 7/10

When it comes to the Musso XLV, there are only two figures for fuel economy and it all comes down to manual and automatic.

The ELX-only manual claims fuel consumption of 8.2 liters per 100 kilometers. This is slightly better than the automatic, which consumes the declared 8.9 l / 100 km. 

We didn't get a chance to get a proper fuel consumption reading at launch, but the dashboard readings on the top performance model I rode showed 10.1L/100km in highway and city driving.

Musso XLV fuel tank volume is 75 liters. 

What is it like to drive? 7/10

The surprise for me was how much the leaf springs change the driving experience… and besides, how the driving experience gets even better with the leaf spring rear end.

The ELX has a firmer feel than the Ultimate version, with a rigid rear axle that's less prone to wiggle due to small bumps in the road surface. Some of that is also down to the 17-inch wheels and higher profile tires, of course, but you can even feel the improved steering stiffness - the wheel doesn't push as much in your hand in the leaf-sprung version. .

Indeed, the ride comfort is impressive. We didn't get a chance to ride it with a load in the back, but even without a load it was well sorted and handled corners well.

The steering is very light at low speeds, making it easy to maneuver in tight spaces, even though the turning radius has increased somewhat (SsangYong's figure hasn't been suggested, but that's just physics). 

If you're wondering why the higher end versions have coils, it's because of the size of the wheel. The lower grade version gets 17" rims, while the higher grades have 18" or even 20" rims. It's a shame, because otherwise the ELX is really impressive, but it just lacks a few nice touches you could wish for - leather seats, heated seats and the like.

I also drove the Ultimate Plus, which was fitted with optional 20-inch wheels and was less enjoyable as a result, just picking up a lot more little bumps in the road even when I could swear there weren't any. .

No matter which model you get, the powertrain is the same - a refined and quiet 2.2-liter turbodiesel that won't win any horsepower awards, but certainly has the grunt to get the big, long, heavy Musso XLV. moving. The automatic transmission was smart and smooth, and in the ELX, manual shifting was effortless, with light clutch action and smooth travel.

There was an off-road review element on our starting ride, and the Musso XLV performed pretty darn well.

The approach angle is 25 degrees, the exit angle is 20 degrees, and the acceleration or turn angle is 20 degrees. Ground clearance is 215 mm. None of those numbers are best in class, but it handled the muddy and slippery trails we rode without too much trouble. 

We didn't rock climb or ford large rivers, but the overall suppleness, comfort and handling of the Musso XLV was enough to inspire confidence, even after a few rides the track began to wobble.

Warranty and safety rating

Basic Warranty

7 years / unlimited mileage


guarantee

What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 8/10

The SsangYong Musso has not received an ANCAP crash test rating, but the brand is working on getting a five-star ANCAP score. As far as CarsGuide knows, the Musso will be crash tested later in 2019. 

Theoretically, he should reach the maximum rating. It comes with some security technologies that many of its competitors cannot match. 

All models come with Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), Forward Collision Warning and Lane Departure Warning. Higher grades have blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert and tire pressure monitoring.

SsangYong is working on getting a five-star ANCAP score but hasn't been crash tested yet this year.

A rear view camera is offered in a wide range along with rear parking sensors, and the top version has a surround view camera system.

But there will be no active lane-keep assist, no adaptive cruise control - so it falls short of the best in class (Mitsubishi Triton and Ford Ranger). However, Musso still offers more protective gear than most established brands.

Plus, it comes with four-wheel disc brakes, while many competing trucks still have drum brakes in the rear. There are six airbags, including rear seat curtain airbags. 

There are dual ISOFIX child seat anchor points and three Top Tether child seat anchorages, but all current generation Musso models feature a medium knee-only seat belt, which is bad by today's standards - so it has 2019 and 1999 technology. installation of a seat belt. We understand that a solution to this problem is inevitable, and personally I would refrain from buying Musso until it is implemented.

How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 10/10

SsangYong Australia backs all of its models with a compelling seven-year, unlimited mileage warranty, making it class-leading in the commercial vehicle segment. At the moment, no other vehicle comes with this level of warranty coverage, although Mitsubishi uses a seven-year/150,000 km (probably permanent) promotional warranty on the Triton.  

SsangYong also has a seven-year limited-price service plan, with the Musso set at $375 a year, excluding consumables. And the company's "service price menu" offers great clarity on what the costs to owners might be in the long run. 

SsangYong also offers seven years of roadside assistance - and the good news for customers, whether they're business buyers, fleets or private owners, is that the so-called "777" campaign applies to everyone.

Verdict

I have no doubt that the Musso XLV model will be popular with customers. It's more practical, still excellent value, and with a choice of leaf or coil springs, it caters to a wide audience and my personal choice would be the ELX... I just hope they make the ELX Plus, with leather and heated seats, because, gosh, you love them when you have them!

We can't wait to get it through the Tradie Guide office to see how it handles the load... and yes, we'll make sure it's the leaf spring version. Stay with us for this. 

Will XLV Musso get back on your radar? Tell us what you think in the comments below.