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The What Van? Road Test: Ssangyong Musso
Date: Monday, May 15, 2023
Interior and equipment
If in-cab goodies are a priority, then you are in for a treat.
For your money you get automatic climate control which can be adjusted to meet the individual requirements of the driver and front passenger. The buttons are below the 9.2in screen in the centre of the fascia.
Fitted too are a heated steering wheel and heated front seats. Unusually on a light commercial, those seats also boast a cooling function – great news in blazing hot summer sunshine.
A 12V power socket is provided along with dual USB ports. The infotainment package includes TomTom satellite navigation and a DAB radio along with Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Playing host to the radio’s remote controls, the height and reach-adjustable steering wheel is trimmed in leather and all the seats are leather-trimmed too. Both the driver’s and the front passenger’s perches adjust electrically for height, reach and rake, with the driver’s additionally featuring powered lumbar adjustment.
The heated exterior mirrors are power-adjustable and fold in electrically, and electric windows are installed in all four doors.
Cruise control is fitted as are keyless ignition, a reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors.
Triple LED front fog lights and LED daytime running lights are included in the deal, and so-called puddle lights should stop you from ending up ankle-deep in dirty water if you hop out of the cab late at night. Black and silver exterior steps along the sills make climbing into and out of the cab easier than it might otherwise be and echo Musso Saracen’s black front grille.
Flick the gearshift to the left, and you are in manual mode. You then use a button on the shift lever to go up and down the box.
You can select from three different power settings – Eco, Power or Winter – using a button next to the transmission lever. The first two are self-explanatory while the third should stop the wheels slipping in icy conditions.
The rear seats are heated and vents in the back of the console between the front seats should help keep the passengers warm or cool in line with the prevailing climate.
Squat on the middle seat and you have drawn the short straw. The back feels lumpy and uncomfortable.
Perhaps that is not surprising given that the centre of the seat back folds down and turns into an armrest with a couple of cup-holders if there are only two rear travellers. Legroom is at a premium, but is a little more generous for passengers sitting directly behind the driver and front passenger seats.
Engaging four-wheel-drive couldn’t be easier.
All you need to do is twist a knob which takes you from 2H (4x2), to 4H (4x4 with a standard set of gears), then on to 4L (4x4 with low gears) if the off-road going starts to get tough. Hit a button and you can control the rate at which the truck descends inclines.
In-cab storage facilities include a roomy tray on top of the fascia, a lockable glovebox and a lidded bin between the front seats accompanied by a couple of cup-holders. All the doors feature bins, with those in the front doors equipped with mouldings that can clasp a flask of tea or a large bottle of water.
Roof rails are fitted should you require them.
Safety systems include ABS, Electronic Stability Programme, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Brake Assist System, Hill Start Assist, Lane Change Collision Warning, Blind Spot Detection Warning and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. A traction control system is fitted and can be switched off if necessary while Trailer Sway Control should ensure that nothing untoward occurs if a trailer starts to snake while being towed.
The wipers come on automatically when raindrops hit the windscreen and the headlights illuminate when it starts to get dark. Driver, passenger and side airbags offer a safety cushion for everyone in the front if all else fails while curtain airbags should protect all the cab’s occupants.
Double-wishbone suspension is fitted at the front while five-link independent suspension helps support the rear. Disc brakes – ventilated at the front – are installed all round and the rack-and-pinion steering is power-assisted.
Our Musso Saracen’s 18in black alloy wheels were shod with Pirelli Scorpion Zero 255/60 R18 tyres which are covered by a pressure monitoring system.
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