Musso has a complex history in Australia. It has spent most of its life as a medium-large 4WD wagon from Korea, but since 2004 has been sold as a dual-cab utility. The latter are still scarce on the used-car scene so we won’t cover them in any detail in this week’s review.

This vehicle originally went on sale in Australia as the SsangYong Musso in July 1996. From 1998 it was sold as a Daewoo dealers because SsangYong went bad during the Asian financial crisis. These days SsangYong is part of the Chinese Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) and again the Musso carries SsangYong badges.

 

There was more than just a change of name, when the Daewoo Musso appeared in July 1998. It featured quite a few worthwhile mechanical and aesthetic changes from its predecessor and is the one to aspire to.

The first SsangYong Musso was imported to Australia by Mercedes-Benz and sold well from day one because of its association with the prestigious German marque. The Daewoo Musso didn’t enjoy as much success. The fate of the new SsangYong Musso dual-cab ute remains to be seen, but appears to be shaping up well in these early days.

Musso is a fascinatingly cosmopolitan vehicle; with a body styled in Britain; an engine designed in Germany and originally made in that country, though these days it’s made in Korea; Australian gearboxes are used in some models, others have German transmissions. It’s all put together with a fair amount of skill in Korea.

The Musso wagon’s styling is long and sleek but the finer details of the lines tend to look overly complex to Australian tastes. In particular, the rear panel is completely over-the-top, with large lights, reflectors, badges, emblems and spoilers all cluttering one another up. Daewoo tidied up the tail after its takeover, but was only able to do so much to improve the original.

Power comes from a choice of several Mercedes-Benz designed engines; one a petrol 3.2-litre in-line six. It’s a modern twin-cam unit and hauls the two-tonne Musso along with plenty of verve.

SsangYong models used a 2.3-litre four-cylinder diesel that was on the gutless side and never sold well. The Daewoo diesel is a 2.9-litre, in-line, turbocharged five-cylinder unit that’s a big improvement and much more popular. Though less sophisticated than the petrol engine the 2.9 is a smooth, economical unit and many owners love them.

The SsangYong Musso turbo-diesel came only with a five-speed manual gearbox, the others will have either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

Petrol models come with full-time four-wheel drive, diesels with part-time. Both use a high-low range transfer box. A torque sensing unit in the transfer case acts as a centre differential in the full-time 4WD models. Operation is by a rotary switch on the dash with 4H and 4L positions.

The part-time 4WD unit is conventional, with a transfer case that can be changed from 2H to 4H at speeds of up to 70km/h. To engage 4L the Musso has to be stationary. A similar dash-mounted rotary switch to that of the full-time 4WDs has positions for 2H, 4H and 4L. A limited slip differential is fitted in the two lower cost diesel versions. Automatic front hubs are used.

 

All the current imports of SsangYong Musso dual-cabs have the 2.9-litre turbo-diesel and can be bought with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. It’s sold with either two- or four-wheel drive.

Off-road performance from the Musso is good, on-road it’s not too bad unless you really hustle it along, when typically Asian suspension vagueness makes it a bit tiring to drive. The Daewoo version is better in its suspension and steering than the old SsangYong but still nothing to get excited about.

All Australian imports of Mussos are five seaters. At one time an official seven-seat option was planned but it never got off the drawing board. There may be some aftermarket units in used vehicle you look at and these are generally of decent quality, though it’s worth having a good look to be on the safe side. The cargo area is exceptionally large and is well shaped for ease of loading.

Insurance is generally a little higher than average due to the uncertainty created at times, but premiums aren't unreasonable.

Spare parts and servicing are reasonably easy to find and aren't overly expensive. The new SsangYong network is still relatively small but is growing by the month and appears to be working well.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Off-road performance is good so more Mussos get taken into the rough stuff than many other 4WDs. So check for damage to the sill panels, bumper corners and protection plates. Also look for fine scratches in the paint caused by squeezing past bushes.

Listen for squeaks and rattles on rough roads and in off-road use. Look at the condition of the tyres for off-road damage.

Check for fit and finish in the interior as it can be rough and ready in some vehicles.

Look for signs of kids having knocked the seats and trim around during moments of boredom.

The engine should start promptly and not fume from the exhaust. If the diesel is reluctant to start there could be injector problems. Engines should be smooth and quiet, particularly with the petrol six.

All 4WD transmission components should operate smoothly and quietly and it should be easy to switch from ratio to ratio.