Last week I spoke of the SsangYong Musso short-wheelbase ute – an impressive dual-cab diesel in a light commercial market that currently favours models with a dual personality – a workhorse
through the week and a recreational vehicle on weekends. SsangYong has just introduced a long- wheelbase version of its Musso – the XLV. The Korean vehicle manufacturer has made no secret of the fact it is chasing business from the established opposition with this XLV which has a 310mm longer tray and a 110 longer wheelbase to the short-wheelbase Musso. This provides a bed length of 1610mm x 1570mm wide by a rather deep 571mm. Payload capacity rising to 1020kilos. The 2.2-litre turbo-diesel Long-wheelbase Musso XLV comes in three grades – ELX, Ultimate and Ultimate Plus – the ELX manual at $33,990 drive-away expected to account for few sales, in six–speed auto another $2,000. The ELX is the only model with leaf springs, the higher grade Ultimate at $39,990 and the Ultimate Plus $43,990 both gain the short-wheelbase Musso’s coil sprung rear end. The pricing undercuts the established dual cab utes by a considerable margin plus the equipment levels are impressive so too the quality which really surprises. I drove a variety around Marsville in Victoria last week in atrocious weather and road conditions and came away impressed. None of the utes carried any load however so my only reservation is to see how the coil-sprung suspension reacts with some weights on board. I’m David Berthon

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