What Van? Britain's biggest and best van buyers' guide

1st Report

The latest addition to our long-term-test fleet may not be with us for long. This is not because we are eager to part company with it – it’s simply because SsangYong’s Musso Rhino four-door double-cab 4x4 pick-up is in the process of being replaced by a facelifted model that has taken a bit of time to emerge.

In the meantime, we are driving its predecessor, but that does not invalidate our efforts. The facelift mainly consists of a new nose – everything else remains pretty much the same.

Rhino comes with a load bed 310mm longer than the one found on the standard Musso model, plus the same 181hp 2.2l diesel, with a six-speed automatic gearbox forming part of the Rhino package.

Only one level of trim is offered and features umpteen goodies; so many that I eventually lost count.

Both the front seats are electrically-adjustable and come with heaters plus a novel ventilation system that keeps them cool in hot weather. The height- and reach-adjustable steering wheel boasts a heater too. 

A 9.2ins touchscreen is included in the deal, as is a DAB radio, Tom Tom satnav, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity and MP3 compatibility. Dual-zone climate control and cruise control are fitted as well. The reversing camera delivers a remarkably clear image. The Rhino is by no means a minnow, but both the front and rear sensors make manoeuvring in confined spaces a doddle.

All the usual on board safety systems are present and correct, plus Rear Cross-Traffic Alert. It warns you if a vehicle is coming should you be backing out of an entrance into its path.

If everything goes pear-shaped then catastrophe need not necessarily ensue. Rhino comes with six airbags. 

When turning to the automatic transmission, drivers can switch from auto to manual mode by moving the shift lever over to the M setting and then pressing a button on the lever’s side to go up and down the box.  

Another button next to the lever allows Eco, Power or Winter settings to be selected. 

Eco means you should enjoy better fuel economy in exchange for a reduction in performance. Power boosts the truck’s rate of acceleration, while Winter should deliver more grip on icy surfaces.

For a big truck Rhino handles surprisingly well, with no lurching or sliding all over the place as you push it through bends. Nor is it short on performance – particularly if your finger strays over to the Power button – with a remarkably effective kick-down facility allowing me to nip past the agricultural-tractor-plus-trailer combinations regularly encountered on Herefordshire’s dilapidated roads.

Rhino goes about its business quietly too, thanks in part to effective engine bay sound-proofing.

To select four-wheel-drive, you turn a knob between the seats that also enables you to select either a high- or a low-ratio set of gears. The set you choose depends on the off-road terrain you are facing and how arduous it is.

Like so many 4x4 pick-ups, Rhino rides poorly when unladen. On the positive side, the more weight you dump in the back, the better the ride gets.

So far as fuel economy is concerned, SsangYong quotes a combined WLTP (World Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) figure of 28.2mpg.