SsangYong Musso pick-up debuts at Geneva

Ssangyong has taken the wraps off the new Musso pick-up. The Korean brand’s affordable pick-up in international markets gets more standard kit and an upgraded interior for 2018.

The Nissan Navara rival gets an all-new look – its front-end resembles the Rexton SUV, with which the Musso is heavily technically related.

Sharing the same architecture as the new Rexton, the Musso’s body-on-frame construction is 81.7 percent high-strength steel. The brand claims that this enhances the Musso’s rigidity for better safety and also boosts its and handling and off-road abilities.

The new model is powered by an updated 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine, now developing 184hp and 420Nm of torque – jumps of 5hp and, more significantly, 20Nm on its predecessor.

The added grunt helps the Musso carry over a tonne of weight in the back and tow a 3.5-tonne trailer. Output is sent to a part-time four-wheel drive system via a six-speed manual or optional six-speed automatic transmission.

At cruising speeds, the pick-up’s front axle decouples, making the Musso rear-drive in its most economical guise. Torque is only sent to the front wheels when necessary. However, the permanent all-wheel drive for low grip surfaces can also be enabled.

Its off-road credentials are underlined by a 215mm ground clearance and relatively short overhangs. It measures 5,095mm long and 1,950mm wide, with a height of 1,840mm. The pick-up sports a load deck with a rear door that folds flat to provide space for a full-sized Euro pallet – the wooden base for transporting heavy goods often used by industry.

Inside, the model is a proper five-seater and Ssangyong has also significantly upgraded the cabin. A cleaner dash design features a standard centrally mounted 8.0-inch touchscreen that gets DAB radio, Bluetooth and MP3 connectivity. High-spec models add Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

While there is no word on whether the Musso pick-up will come to India, the Rexton SUV is headed here by Diwali 2018. The seven-seat SUV was showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo and is expected to wear a Mahindra badge, in addition to a changed name, when it launches in the country. Mahindra is also scheduled to bring a number of models to India soon including the production-spec U321 MPV, the XUV500 facelift, TUV300 Plus and the all-electric eKUV100.