The Ssangyong Musso ute is poised to follow the shift away from manual transmissions and become an automatic-only proposition – a trend started by the Ford Ranger in the Australian ute market. Will others follow?
The 2024 SsangYong Musso ute will only be available with an automatic transmission by the end of this year, according to information unearthed by Drive and confirmed by the South Korean car-maker.
Government documents show SsangYong is poised to drop the manual transmission from its updated Musso line-up in the coming months.
As reported by Drive in June 2023, Australian buyers chose an automatic transmission in 96 per cent of all Musso purchases – equating to less than 80 manual Musso utes sold in 2022.
With the $2000 option set to become standard equipment across the two-variant range – being an Aisin-sourced six-speed automatic – it’s expected the price of the Musso will increase when the updated 2024 model launches.
All models are expected to now come with the 133kW/420Nm version of the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine; the 133kW/400Nm tune was designed for the manual transmission.
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The 2024 update could also be in line for a minor facelift, with a more modern headlight, grille, and front bumper design, as previously reported.
The SsangYong Musso remains one of the cheapest four-wheel-drive dual-cab pick-ups on the Australian market, offering a low-range gearbox, an auto-locking rear differential, and a ute tub as standard for $38,790 before on-road costs.
While the Musso remains untested by Australian and European crash-testing authorities (ANCAP and Euro NCAP), the 2023 vehicle comes with six airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, and lane-departure warning as standard on the ELX – with additional safety tech offered on the Ultimate variant.
However, all Ssangyong Musso models still only have a lap belt in the middle rear seating position, which would weigh against it in a crash-test score.
A spokesperson for SsangYong Australia told Drive further details on the updated Musso will be available later this year.
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