KGM Musso Electric 174KW Double CAB Pick UP EV 81KWH Auto

Ten Second Review

KGM enters the electric pick-up market with the Musso EV. If towing and payload aren't priorities, this smartly-packaged Korean contender might appeal.

Background

For the time being, there aren't too many choices for the relatively few people in the UK who currently want an EV pick-up. Here though, is what for some could be a more palatable option than the contenders currently available. The KGM Musso EV. It enters a market that currently is populated by only two other models. The only one to retain a diesel-like payload is the Isuzu D-Max EV, but that's rather over-priced. A better all-rounder is the Maxus eTerron9, but it looks weird and the brand is unproven. So you'd think that this smart-looking Musso EV might arouse some interest, particularly at its more affordable price. KGM, if you weren't aware, is the re-branded name for the marque that used to be known as SsangYong in the UK. SsangYong first introduced a car with the Musso badge back in 1994 - an SUV that used Mercedes technology. The Musso badge was reintroduced, this time on a pick-up, by SsangYong in 2018 and since then that model has been sold with a 2.2-litre diesel engine, which continues in the showrooms alongside this EV. The SsangYong Musso pick-up was branded 'KGM' at the beginning of 2024. So let's take a closer look at this electric pick-up.

Driving Experience

First to the stuff you'll need to know. The Musso EV has an electric motor on each axle, so is 4WD (unlike the very first electric pick-up to be launched in the UK, the old Maxus T90). This KGM's total output is 207PS, with 339Nm of torque. For segment perspective, that's a lot more than an Isuzu D-Max EV, but nowhere near the figure of a Maxus eTerron9. Much the same could be said of this KGM's EV range figure of 249 miles from its 80.6kWh battery. Three drive modes are available - 'Eco', 'Sport' and 'Winter'; plus for some reason there's an EV mode button. There are also steering wheel paddles via which you can vary the strength of the regenerative braking system. KGM has chosen to fit rear coil springs rather than the usual pick-up rear leaf springs and though this compromises the Musso's payload, it does at least give it class-leading ride quality, fitting in with what the brand claims is this models more 'urban' remit. There's great all-round visibility from the raised driving position and the turning circle of 12.4-metres is acceptable by class standards. Off-road, you're going to be slightly limited by the relatively low ride height of 181.4mm. The off-road stats are 20.2-degrees for the approach angle and a departure angle of 24.3-degrees. Self-levelling suspension maintains constant rear ride height under different loads without compromising ride quality and stability. 0-62mph takes about 8s en route to 110mph.

Design and Build

Specced correctly, this is quite an eye-catching pick-up. It stands out with muscular wheel arches housing 17-inch rims, plus there are black roof rails and red highlight panels above the front lower grey skid plate. There's also plenty of body cladding and decorative grab handles on the sculpted bonnet. Branding includes a small chrome rhino horn badge ('musso' is Korean for 'rhino'). Like most double cab pick-ups, this KGM is a substantial thing, measuring over 5-metres in length. Inside, it doesn't feel much like a pick-up, the cabin dominated by two 12.3-inch dash-top screens that are seamlessly joined. You sit high behind the squarical wheel, which has a round control below each spoke. That wheel has regen paddles and a 'favourites' button giving quick access to certain functions. Nice cabin touches on plusher models include soft leather upholstery, bronze dashboard inserts and copper-coloured contrast stitching on the dash, doors and seats. There's also plenty of cabin storage space. In the back, there's more leg room than is usual in a double cab pick-up and because there's no central transmission tunnel, a third centre-seated occupant could fit in for shorter trips. Nice touches for the rear include dedicated mobile phone pockets and powered seat controls for the front passenger seat on the side of that seat bolster, so a passenger behind could easily push the front seat ahead forward for extra leg room if it that front seat is unoccupied. There's also a 'rear seat sleep' function which mutes the speakers in the back, allowing kids to more easily rest during night driving.

Market and Model

At the time of this review, KGM was talking about putting this Musso EV on the market from around £38,000, with plusher specs up towards around £45,000. And for that, you're getting an awful lot for your money here. Just how much is illustrated by the cost of its two only EV pick-up rivals, the Maxus eTerron9, which cost around £53,000 at the time of this review; and they Isuzu D-Max EV, which cost around £60,000 at the time of this review. Basically, what you're getting with the Musso EV is a full-electric pick-up for around the cost of the segment's only PHEV pick-up, the Ford Ranger PHEV. The Ranger is a more flexible option from a usability point of view, but it won't get you the same tax breaks as this Musso. Choose a high spec version of this KGM and you really do get an awful lot of kit for your money. The front seats are powered and all the upholstery is in premium Nappa leather, which can be heated or ventilated at the front. The rear seats can be heated. And there's a 12.3-inch LCD driver display. The infotainment screen is of the same size and incorporates TomTom navigation and 'Apple CarPlay' or 'Android Auto' smartphone connectivity. There's also automatic dual-zone air conditioning, a 360-degree camera set-up and a high quality sound system, plus intelligent cruise control. And you get a full portfolio of safety kit, including a brake assist system, blind spot detection, safety exit warning, Hill driving assist, rear cross traffic alert and trailer sway control, as well as eight airbags.

Practicalities and Costs

The elephant in the room here is payload capacity. Unlike a diesel-powered Musso pick-up, this one can't take a tonne in weight at the back, the payload restricted to just 690kg. The trailer braked towing load is well down as well - to just 1.8-tonnes, though it can tow that amount at the same time as carrying its maximum payload limit. The load bed is just like a diesel Musso, so it measures 1,345mm in length, 1,515mm in width and 510mm in height. We gave you the EV range figure in our 'Driving' section - 249 miles. To give you some perspective on that, a rival Maxus eTerron9 manages 267 miles, but a pricier Isuzu D-Max EV can take you just 163 miles between charges. Talking of charges, the Musso EV supports DC fast charging, which allows the 80.6kWh battery to be replenished from 10 to 80% in 36 minutes. As for home AC charging, if you're able to plug into a three-phase 11kW wall box, a full charge takes just over 10 hours. The main reasons you're probably considering an EV pick-up will be tax-related. That's because instead of the flat rate annual Benefit-in-Kind tax payment that used to apply to pick-ups, these days the charge is based on carbon emissions and cost. Whether this Musso will enjoy the same tax breaks without a one-tonne payload capacity was unclear at the time of this review. But you'll certainly pay less in road tax for this KGM. The first year Vehicle Excise Duty for a Musso EV would be £10, a charge that increases to the standard £195 fee after 12 months. As usual with KGM models, this one comes with an impressively complete five year 100,000 mile warranty.

Summary

It's important to note that KGM is marketing this electric Musso as 'a mid-size pick-up for urban drivers'. And if that's who it's aimed at, the restrictions here in payload and towing capacity might not matter - though they may well have tax implications. Certainly if you can live with those caveats, we can see why you might like a Musso EV, if it's an electric pick-up you have to have. It's better value, longer-ranging and more powerful than an Isuzu D-Max EV. And less of a step into the unknown than a Maxus eTerron9. We still can't help thinking that a Ford Ranger PHEV might be a better fit for some folk. But if tax issues direct you to an EV pick-up, this one needs careful consideration.