SsangYong Musso Adventure XLV 4WD Ute 2024 Review

Musso Adventure XLV – SsangYong Musso isn’t a name that readily comes to mind when people are thinking about dual cab 4WD Utes.

However, that is changing with some 3500 vehicles sold in 2023. This is a 75% increase on 2022.

The reasons are simple yet complex and we will chat about them in this article.

I recently drove the Musso Adventure with the XLV option pack that costs $1500.

This is a new model for 2024 and adds some comfort features to the entry level ELX. The XLV option, which adds some 110mm to the wheelbase as well as some 300mm to the tub length.

The XLV Pack also increases Max Torque to 420Nm at 1400-2800rpm when selected with an automatic transmission.

More details about the 2024 Musso upgrades can be found HERE

TO LISTEN TO THE Musso Adventure XLV RADIO REVIEW, CLICK BELOW

What does the SsangYong Musso Adventure look like?

I don’t mind the design of the Musso. Its different.

It has a big and bold appearance, yet it looks softer than say the Ford Ranger.

The front grill is imposing with integrated LED headlights and lower fog lights and DRLs.

From the side it has a high waistline and looks bulky. You can notice the elongated look of the extended wheelbase.

The rear is, well, like the rear end of most Utes – Slab like.

Even though it looks big it still has a certain style about it. Way better than previous Musso generations, which went to the Korean school of awful design.

The Musso Adventure runs 18-inch alloy wheels along with 255/60 R18 road-based tyres.

What about inside the Musso Adventure?

The Adventure comes with leather look seats, heated and ventilated. They are also manually adjustable.

They are comfortable with side bolsters, but no additional lumbar support for my ageing back. However, I found them up to the task over the 1000km or so I drove over the Christmas break.

Getting in and out is easy, with grab handles for every door.

Inside you are presented with a large thick rimmed leather look steering wheel. There are the usual spoke controls, and the lighting and wiper stalks are large and clearly visible.

The steering wheel is thick at the bottom and has some handy thumb swell points. It’s also height and reach adjustable.

Overall, it’s a tick for that.

Plenty of room

You notice that there is plenty of head room and lots of seat travel for taller drivers. The drivers’ instruments are a 12.5-inch digital display that has multiple configuration choice.

The central tunnel has a reasonable sized storage area with soft top for the elbows. Twin cup holders and door pockets will also fit two larger sized bottles as well.

Even though the windows are high waisted, the door arm rests are perfect height and soft touch for the elbows.

On the transmission tunnel, there is a simple 4WD control dial, transmission lever and an old-fashioned pull up style handbrake lever.

The front tray allows phones to be stood upright on their side while plugged in for connectivity.

This area also houses twin USB-C ports and a 12V outlet. Above that are the twin seat heating and ventilation controls.

The central stack has a bunch of A/C controls and a huge 12.5-inch touch screen. Its easy to use and has excellent clarity.

Rear seats are easy to access with adequate room all round. They are well boosted and comfortable even for someone my size. There are twin A/C vents back there as well.

Musso Adventure XLV additional features.

A comprehensive feature list of all models can be found HERE

However, a brief overview is:

Musso ELX

• 2 litre Turbo Diesel engine
• 6-speed automatic transmission
• Part-time 4×4 with 4H / 4L range and automatic-locking rear differential
• 5 Tonne braked towing capacity.
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Multi-link, coil spring rear suspension with 790kg payload, leaf spring rear suspension with 1010kg payload for XLV
• Cruise control
• AEB with Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
• 3-inch digital LCD instrument cluster
• 3-inch touch screen audio
• Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™
• Leather steering wheel with height adjustment
• LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL)
• Front fog lights
• Reverse camera
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Heated and power adjustable door mirrors in body colour and LED indicators.
• Assisted tailgate operation.

Musso Adventure

ELX highlights with:

• 18-inch black alloy wheels
• Multi-link, coil spring rear suspension with 790kg payload, 880kg for XLV
• LED vertical design front fog lights
• Speed Sensitive Power Steering (SSPS) with reach adjustable steering wheel
• Leather look seats
• Heated and cool vented front seats
• Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

Musso Adventure engine, drivetrain, and mechanicals.

The Musso is powered by a 2.2L 4 Cylinder turbo diesel engine. It provides some 133kW of power at 4,000 rpm. And in 6 Speed automatic version with the XLV option pack, there is 420Nm of torque available between 1,400 – 2,800 rpm.

This drives all four wheels through a selectable part time dual range 4WD system with the controls easily accessed by a dial on the transmission tunnel.

I’m not a fan of the flick lever for the manual mode for the transmission. It’s a little fiddly.

The Adventure model gets multi-link, coil spring rear suspension, which is amongst the best in class.

The Musso is rated to tow 3500kg with a 350kg tow ball rating. Note that the Musso has an extensive suspension upgrade option list for towing or outback adventures.

What is the Musso Adventure like to drive?

Straight up front the Musso may just have the best on road ride or equal to the best of any Ute on the market. That’s a big statement but its ride on the coil springs is SUV like. You don’t need to have a load to get anything like a comfortable ride. And when you do its hardly noticeable.

I’m always one that likes more performance, and the Musso reads light on that front compared to say the HiLux, D-Max or Navara.

However, the combination of 6Sp sports AT and low delivery of torque means that the Musso drives much better than the figures would suggest.

I didn’t find performance an issue on the test. I will say though that I didn’t tow anything so can’t comment on that this time.

The larger tub is great and awkward at the same time. It fits heaps in, and the soft top tonneau works well. I love the soft release tailgate. Big tick SsangYong.

There is well positioned tie down points as well. Too many tubs forget that the name is tie down, not tie up and position the hoops near the top of the tub.

One thing that is awkward is that with the extra length and high sides, reaching anything in the middle at the front, even for a taller person like me, is difficult.

Over the test period I drove the Musso on sand, dirt roads, forest trails, suburban streets, and the motorway. On road ride and handling are great as mentioned.

Sand is a breeze. Corrugated dirt roads are managed better than many other similar Utes. Forest trails needed some extra care. The long wheel base, low approach and departure angles and breakover angles mean that its not ideal for heavy duty 4WD adventures.

Musso Adventure safety features.

The Musso doesn’t have an official ANCAP safety rating, but comes packed with a heap of safety features such as:

Airbags

• Driver
• Passenger
• Head for 1st row seats (front)
• Head for 2nd row seats
• Side for 1st row occupants (front)

Seatbelts

• Lap/sash for 4 seats
• Pretensioners 1st row (front)
• Pretensioners 2nd row (rear outer seats)
• Load limiters 1st row (front)
• Load limiters 2nd row (rear outer seats)
• Adjustable height 1st row
• Warning – seatbelt reminder

Emergency

• Control – crash avoidance with braking (low speed)
• Brake assist
• Brake emergency display – hazard/stoplights

Vehicle control

• ABS (antilock brakes)
• Traction control
• Electronic stability
• Rollover stability
• Trailer sway
• Hill descent
• Hill holder
• EBD (electronic brake force distribution)

Driver assistance

• Lane departure warning (LDW)
• Blind spot warning (BSW)
• Alert/warning – collision forward
• Warning – driver fatigue
• Park distance – front
• Park distance – rear
• Camera – rear

What is the SsangYong Musso Adventure XLV like to live with every day?

• Having heated and cooled front seats and leather look seating in a lower spec model is appreciated.
• The front ‘A’ pillars are thick and at an awkward angle that when combined with the large external mirrors, can completely hide a vehicle at a roundabout or pedestrian on a crossing. It takes a little adjustment then all is good.
• The steering becomes heavier at speed, its noticeable but also provides more direct feel and response.
• I like the fact that the cruise control is NOT adaptive, old fashioned is the way to go for me thanks.
• On road ride and handling is particularly good and more SUV like than most Utes.
• Wireless smartphone connectivity would be appreciated.
• Large tub is both good and aa little frustrating but has the right tie down points.
• Little things like easily turning off the LDW function makes daily driving more pleasant.
• The bonnet uses struts for easy opening and the tailgate has a soft open feature which is great.

So where does the Musso Adventure XLV fit in.

Even amongst Utes there are different perspectives and uses. The Musso Adventure crosses over between 4WD recreation and work Ute.

Its on road ride is excellent for a work Ute and tradies will appreciate the extra space and comfort of the cabin. The larger tub is a bonus. Payload is reasonable at 880kg.

It wouldn’t be in my choices for a 4WD Ute to take to Cape York for example, but if outback touring or towing and just need the practicality of a Ute, then its would be right up there.

Also, if I were a tradie that didn’t need a flat tray but needed practicality then the Musso would be a smart choice.

SsangYong Musso Adventure XLV Final Thoughts

The Musso Adventure XLV has a lot going for it. Unfortunately, the Musso suffers from a perception issue. It suffers in comparison to the Japanese brands and shouldn’t.

Buyers aren’t sure about it and are slowly coming around to finding out about it.

Korean build quality at Chinese prices.

Outstanding value for money. 7-year unlimited km warranty.

Extra tub space and reasonable performance.

Lots of interior comfort and space as well as features you find in more expensive Utes.

Proven 4WD system and 3500kg towing capability.

Instead of a Musso Adventure XLV What else could I buy?

Dual Cab 4WD Utes are a popular segment with 3 of the top ten selling vehicles in 2023 Utes. In fact, the top three were Utes.

The Musso Adventure breaches that gap between the Chinese Utes and the Japanese Utes. It’s a bit of a work Ute as well as a recreational based 4WD Ute.

So buyers could look at LDV T60, GWM Cannon, the all new Triton, Nissan Navara SL, Toyota HiLux SR5, Isuzu D-Max LS-U, Mazda BT-50,

Some other SsangYong Ute reviews

• 2024 SsangYong Musso model details
• SsangYong Musso Ultimate XLV 4WD Ute 2022 Review
• 2021 SsangYong Musso updates its style and features for MY21
• 2019 SsangYong Musso Ultimate Review
• 2019 SsangYong Musso XLV Review
• SsangYong Musso Long Tray Radio Review
• 2018 SsangYong Musso Dual Cab Ute Range Launch Review
• 2018 SsangYong Musso 4WD Dual Cab Ute Radio Segment
• 2012 Ssangyong Introduces its New Actyon Dual Cab Ute Range
• SsangYong Actyon Sports Ute (or) Finding Religion Review
• 2011 SsangYong Actyon 4X4 Ute Review

*MLP Includes GST and LCT but excluding statutory charges, dealer costs and dealer delivery. See your dealer for RDAP. Does not include price of options. Some features mentioned in the article are options. RDAP means Recommended Drive Away Price (without options but including all other charges)

*Towing and AWD capability is measured against similar vehicles in the same class.