UPDATE: We’ve now driven the SsangYong Musso pickup, and you can read the Parkers Vans review by clicking here
The SsangYong Korando Sports pickup is about to get a revamp – and a new name. When the revised model arrives next month it will be called the Musso, and will come with a new, more powerful 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine as well as an updated look that SsangYong UK has described as ‘more ballsy’.
SsangYong Musso sounds familiar…
That’s because SsangYong previously used the Musso name on a mid-sized 4x4 from 1993 to 2005 – with a Musso Sports pickup based on this available from 2002 to 2005. Musso means rhino in SsangYong’s native Korean.
The Korando Sports name has been ditched by the UK distributor because it’s confusing; the current pickup is neither based on the Korando 4x4 nor particularly sporty. In order to make the change, it’s purchased every remaining Musso badge in SsangYong’s global inventory – so hard luck if you need to replace one on your old 4x4 anytime soon!
What’s new for the SsangYong Musso pickup truck?
The new Musso pickup is essentially the same as the Korando Sports model underneath, but as you can see from these new official pictures it has a much more macho appearance now,complete with buldging wheelarches and LED lighting.
The Musso retains the Korando Sports’ selectable four-wheel drive system, 1,075kg payload rating and car-like rear multi-link suspension, which uses coil springs rather than old-fashioned leaf springs. But it also keeps the relatively small load bed, limiting its practicality.
New 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine for SsangYong Musso pickup
The biggest news, however, is that the Musso is powered by a new 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine. Bucking the downsizing trend, this is larger than the 2.0-litre motor it replaces while being more powerful and more efficient, as well as meeting the latest Euro 6 emissions regulations.
Exact details are still to be confirmed, but fuel economy is said to be 10-15 percent better than the current model – which should bring the official figures up to around 40mpg – while the new engine’s 400Nm of torque is a 40Nm increase over the old unit.
A new six-speed automatic gearbox will also be offered at the top of the range, replacing the old Mercedes five-speed auto. The standard gearbox is a six-speed manual.
New SsangYong Musso pickup truck pricing
Pricing will be revealed when the Musso is launched in around the third week of September 2016.
Despite the all-new engine and an increase in standard equipment we’re told it will cost “within £1,000” of the model it’s replacing – suggesting an entry price of less than £15,500 excluding VAT. This will make the Musso around 20 percent cheaper than better known rivals like the Isuzu D-Max, Mitsubishi L200, Nissan Navara and Toyota Hilux.
We’re also promised a more exciting range of paint choices – so although the camo pattern of the Korando Sports DMZ won’t reappear, you will be able to have a new Musso pickup in bright red, as you can see…
The Korando Sports accounts for around 220 of the 250 or so commercial vehicles SsangYong UK currently sells each year. With a growing dealer network and the name change, the firm has ambitions to double that number – a process that will be helped by the introduction of an all-new pickup based on the next-generation SsangYong Rexton 4x4 and is due to go on sale in early 2018.
Read the full Parkers review of the SsangYong Korando Sports by clicking here
Find a used SsangYong Korando Sports for sale on Parkers by clicking here
