Test Car Specifications
Model: 2024 KGM Musso Saracen+
Price: From £41,313 plus VAT
Engine: 2.2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel
Transmission: six-speed automatic, selectable four-wheel drive
Power: 202hp
Torque: 441Nm
Emissions: 241g/km
Economy: 31.0mpg
0-62mph: 11.9 seconds
Top speed: 114mph
Gross Payload: 1,205kg
Max Towing Capacity: 3,500kg
Styling
Some might say no pick-up truck is attractive, but it's probably fair to say the Musso isn't the sexiest thing on the road. It isn't even the sexiest pick-up truck on the road. That gaping grille, the slab sides and the sense that the wheels are a bit too small all add up to ensure the Musso never tugs at the heartstrings. But it has presence, especially in Saracen+ form with the black alloy wheels and the extra length. In fact, the Saracen+ is about a foot longer than the standard Musso, so it's a very big truck indeed. It gets noticed, if not always for the right reasons.
Interior
Perhaps the Musso’s greatest strength, aside from its bargain price, is its interior – particularly in higher-specification examples such as the Saracen+. The design is pretty clean and minimalist, with just a climate control panel in the centre of the dashboard and a big touchscreen higher up, while a digital instrument display lurks behind the steering wheel. If it sounds high-tech, don’t get too excited, because the technology itself isn’t all that much to write home about, but it’s functional and clear, which is what really matters. And with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, it’s a really useful system.
More impressive, though, is the quality of the materials in there. You might expect a budget pick-up truck to feel as though it’s made from old wheelie bins, but not a bit of it. The plastic mouldings wouldn’t be out of place in a mass-market passenger car, and the switchgear largely feels very robust. Sure, some of the rocker switches on the steering wheel feel a bit flimsy, but so too do the rotary dials in a Ranger. As pick-up trucks go, the material and build quality both belie the car’s bargain price tag.
Practicality
By opting for this longer version of the Musso, practicality is undoubtedly improved. Not only do you get a much longer load bed – that’s where all the extra length has been used – but the Musso comes with a greater carrying capacity, of more than 1.2 tonnes. Okay, it’s only a 100kg increase over the standard Musso, but it’s still very useful. And it can tow, too, with a maximum towing weight of 3.5 tonnes. In fact, the 6.9-tonne maximum gross train weight is the largest of any pick-up in the class, allowing the Musso Saracen+ to tow and carry outrageously heavy loads all at once.
Unfortunately, none of the extra length has been used to increase space in the double-cab interior, which will come as a blow to those who want a pick-up as a lifestyle vehicle, rather than a workhorse. That means rear legroom is still a bit tight, and though headroom is very good, taller passengers will feel a little cramped on long journeys.
Performance
Every version of the Musso – no matter which length it is – comes with the same 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel engine, but the Saracen+ pairs that with a six-speed automatic transmission as standard. That means the 202hp on offer can go to either the rear wheels alone or all four wheels, depending on whether you put the vehicle in one of its all-wheel-drive modes, but you get respectable if unremarkable performance. Getting from 0-62mph will take just under 12 seconds if the vehicle is unladen, and that’s about the going rate for pick-up trucks.
Speaking of loads, though, the engine has enough grunt to haul a 3.5-tonne trailer, and the cargo bay is capable of carrying 1,205kg. And off-road capability is assured, thanks to the low-range mode for the transmission and gizmos such as hill descent control. However, the Musso isn’t especially economical, and the official figure of 31mpg is only likely to be achieved with minimal weight on board and on a longer drive. And while that efficiency won’t sound great to SUV drivers, it isn’t horrendous for a big, heavy, automatic pick-up truck.
Ride & Handling
Most budget products have a weak point somewhere, and the Musso is no exception. Here is a vehicle that does a lot of the hard graft, but struggles with refinement and road manners in a way that won’t be entirely foreign to some seasoned pick-up drivers, but might be a bit new to those who’ve only driven more upmarket trucks. Whereas the Ranger and Amarok almost feel like passenger 4x4s, the KGM feels much more commercial and agricultural in its approach.
That’s partly down to the ride, which in the Saracen+ is compromised by a change to the rear suspension. Where the standard Musso has a reasonably sophisticated multi-link suspension arrangement, the Saracen+ gets leaf springs, which are robust, but much less sophisticated. In truth, the difference isn’t all that great – both the standard Musso and the Saracen+ feel a bit bobbly when the cargo bay is empty – but the ride is nowhere near as smooth as it is in, say, a Ranger. Even on the motorway, where surfaces are generally smoother, the Musso seems to find sizeable imperfections hitherto unknown to roadbuilders.
As a result, the Musso never quite feels settled on the road, and the steering doesn’t help with that impression, either. It’s very light and distant, which means there isn’t much feel for what’s going on. That’s fine around town, or even off-road, where you want larger steering inputs to feel effortless, but it’s less helpful on a B-road or a motorway, where a little more precision would be very welcome.
That said, the Musso is very capable over the rough stuff, and though the Saracen+ doesn’t quite have the all-terrain capability of its shorter siblings, it will still take quite some stopping over rough ground. And for all the issues with ride and handling, the combination of automatic gearbox and 2.2-litre engine mean it doesn’t get too noisy on the motorway and it pulls nice and smoothly.
Value
The cheapest Musso comes in at £30,933 including VAT, and that's mighty cheap. But the Saracen+ model costs around £10,000 more, at £41,313, and that puts it much closer to the likes of the Ranger and Amarok, although both are still more expensive in comparable double-cab forms. That said, the Saracen+ is very well equipped, with leather upholstery, two-zone climate control and satellite navigation, as well as heated and ventilated front seats, front and rear parking sensors, and a reversing camera. It has all the toys, and it's still pretty cheap, if not quite as cheap as the basic Musso.
Verdict
As a value proposition, the Musso is difficult to beat. But while the Saracen+ model might offer more capability than the standard vehicle, it doesn't quite offer the same ratio of capability to price. Nevertheless, it's the cheapest way of carrying this much stuff, and for that, it should be lauded. Sure, the driving experience leaves a bit to be desired, but the interior is more upmarket than you might expect and the price will draw buyers in. It does its job perfectly.
