By Ian Strachan.
Pick-ups used to be workhorses, so that’s what you got. A tough, uncompromising package with little thought given to design, comfort and specification. It did a job, didn’t cost too much, and that would be it
No more. A 21st century pick-up is a fashion statement. That means it has to look cool, be at least as comfortable as a car, and come with all the goodies you’d expect on an upmarket saloon. And so it is with the muscle-packed KGM Musso .
I tested the Musso in Saracen spec. It’s no coincidence that Musso is Korean for Rhino. This powerful-looking pick-up has a stylish double cab body with a high stance, impressive chunky 18-inch black alloys, a huge lined load-space and a high specification. Its spacious interior is light , well-equipped and pleasant – a far cry from pick-ups of the past.
This Musso is powered by a strong, surprisingly refined 2.2 litre diesel unit. It sounds tough and is tough – a growling 202 bhp engine with plenty of grunt if you need it for towing or off-roading. The engine is married to a six-speed automatic gearbox which results in a smooth and effortless ride. Drive settings for two-wheel or four-wheel drive and low or high ratios can be controlled with a simple central dial.
Despite its size, the unladen Musso can still return fuel economy figures of 31.3 miles to the gallon in mixed driving. That might not sound that impressive, but this is a big vehicle.
It handles pretty well, too. Suspension is soft, which means you’ll roll around corners a little, but straight-line handling is comfortable and steering is precise.
The external tough appearance of the Musso is enhanced with a chrome ladder style front grille, black and silver roof rails, side steps and powerful Saracen graphics.
There’s plenty of room for five people in this vehicle, with good headroom. The high specification also gives you TomTom satellite navigation via a 12.3-inch multi-function touchscreen, high quality leather upholstery, rear parking camera with front and rear parking sensors, electronic cruise control, automatic dual-zone air conditioning, DAB radio with Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth connection, powered heated and ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel and all round electric windows – all for £36,780 on the road excluding VAT.
You get all the safety features you’d expect on a car, plus the advantage of a high driving position. You get hill start assist, brake assist system, cross traffic alert, blind spot detection, trailer sway control and lane change assist. It has a towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes and a 1.1 tonne payload
Pick-ups have been around for a long time, but this is probably the most refined and car-like I have driven. Recently updated, It could easily take sales in the UK from more established competitors.
Public utilities, farmers and construction workers will find this a comfortable working vehicle, but it will also appeal to those who recognise the pick-up as the cool vehicle to be seen in.
