Budget battle: KGM Musso Ultimate vs MG U9 Explore Pro

Budget-focused 4×4 utes are the flavour of the month, as new brands flood into the Australian market, each wanting a slice of the lucrative and popular 4×4 ute pie.

Our favourite budget 4×4 ute has for a long time been the SsangYong – now KGM – Musso. We’ve liked it not just for being more affordable than most of its more popular competitors, but also for its simple and rugged construction and its ability to get the job done without fuss or fanfare.

Despite being eight years old now, and after a mid-life refresh, the current Musso has stuck to its guns and still delivers on what it promises.

To see how the KGM Musso stacks up against the latest competitors in the segment, we’ve paired it with one of the newest 4×4 utes (at the time of writing), the MG U9 pick-up in its top-spec configuration, the U9 Explore Pro, which retails for $61,000. Likewise, our KGM Musso Ultimate XLV is also the top-spec variant, but it comes in at a more affordable $53,000.

JUMP AHEAD

• KGM Musso Ultimate XLV
• MG U9 Explore Pro
• Verdict
• Specs

KGM Musso Ultimate XLV

The XLV in the model name designates a longer wheelbase and tray, with an extra 300mm of tub length, stretching to a huge 1600mm. The wheelbase is increased by 210mm, which leaves a bit more overhang at the back.

The XLV might be the longer of the Musso utes, but it looks small when parked next to the MG U9. The Chinese-made MG measures 5500mm long, 2265mm wide and 1874mm tall, while the Musso XLV comes in at 5415mm long, 1885mm wide and 1810mm high. It doesn’t help that the MG looks as though it was styled using Lego bricks. It’s big and brash and demands attention, while the Korean-made Musso appears more refined and stylish.

Musso powertrain and performance 

Under the bonnet of the Musso is KGM’s 2.2-litre single-turbo diesel engine that makes a claimed 133kW at 4000rpm and 400Nm of torque.

It’s not a powerhouse, but paired with the six-speed automatic transmission and part-time dual-range 4×4 system, it’s adequate for what’s needed. The rear differential is an auto-locker that senses wheel slip and locks when needed; there is no driver-selectable diff lock for off-road use.

We’ve done plenty of miles in these over the years, on all sorts of tracks and terrain, and have never had a fault to mention. It’s dependable, capable and will do most of what any owner will ask of it.

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The wide cabin and tray ride on a ladder-frame chassis with an IFS front end and a live axle under the back. The Ultimate-grade Musso gets a multi-link coil-spring arrangement here, as opposed to the leaf springs under the back of lower-grade Mussos, and it works well on both sealed and gravel roads.

The Musso is a delight to drive on-road, be it for daily chores or heading out of town. The spacious and well-equipped cabin makes for comfortable travel, and the added features in the Ultimate bring a touch of luxury to the ride. The Musso’s wide stance gives it a solid grip on the road, making it a sweet touring vehicle, while the powertrain gets along well enough, even if it isn’t the gruntiest out there.

Off-road, the Musso is like most midsize utes in that its IFS lifts wheels easily, losing grip at the front end. The rear tyres stay planted; however, the ETC is slow-acting and the vehicle has an auto-locking rear diff instead of a driver-activated one. This means it needs to spin the wheels before it locks the axles, which could be the split second between getting stuck or not. With a driver-activated diff lock, it could be engaged before the obstacle, resulting in cleaner, safer and easier progression.

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A huge plus for the Musso is the range of Australian-developed off-road accessories available from Ironman 4×4. The kit includes replacement suspension, which gives the vehicle more ground clearance – something that is certainly appreciated in the long-wheelbase XLV. This is a great partnership and the equipment can tailor your Musso for better performance, be it for work or off-road play. The 2100kg Musso Ultimate XLV has a 2880kg GVM, 6380kg GCM and a 3500kg towing rating.

It might be getting long in the tooth, but the Musso remains a great value-for-money proposition for a 4×4 ute. The 2027 Musso will arrive later in 2026 with a more modern look inside and out, and the rumour is that not a lot has changed under the skin – and that’s a good thing for the enduring Musso.

Musso interior

The Musso’s cabin was the widest in the class when the model debuted and, even though newer vehicles have matched it, we still appreciate the space it gives passengers in both the front and back.

The broad dashboard features 12.3-inch multimedia and driver’s display screens, the former offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, although Android is cable connection only. The multimedia screen is left largely black unless you connect to either of these third-party apps, but most users will subscribe to one or the other.

The seat trims are a leather-like material, and the front seats have power adjustment plus heating and cooling, while the rear pew offers heating for the outer positions. It’s a plain and unfussy cabin, but it’s not lacking anything you really want. The Musso features all the usual ADAS and safety systems you expect in 2026, plus a TPMS, which is more useful than most of the others.

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Musso ownership and warranty

The Musso is covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Roadside assistance is available as part of KGM’s Travel Upgrade plan. Services are scheduled every 15,000km and are fixed-price as per the service schedule.

MG U9 Explore Pro

While the Musso might be showing its age, the U9 from MG is an all-new product for 2026. The platform, driveline and exterior design are shared with the LDV Terron 9, but there are some differences.

The reborn MG brand went about things a little differently to anything else in the market (except the LDV) when it came to designing its big utility. While it is a double-cab ute built on a ladder-frame chassis and powered by a four-cylinder diesel engine backed by an automatic transmission and a dual-range transfer case, things stray from the norm when you look under the skin.

MG U9 powertrain and performance

The U9 is powered by a 2.5-litre single-turbo diesel that MG claims is the most powerful in the segment, with a claimed 160kW and 520Nm coming from the four-cylinder engine.

They are big numbers, especially when compared to those of the Musso, but on the road and tracks it doesn’t feel that much more powerful than the established Korean ute. The engine is backed by a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission, a dual-range transfer case and triple locking differentials.

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The diff locks are driver-activated after pressing a button on the console to bring up a menu on the screen to select the lockers. Strangely, there is no way to lock the centre diff in high range, which hobbles the MG on steep, loose tracks. The Explore Pro is the only model in the three-vehicle U9 range to get the locking front diff.

Another aspect of the U9 is its rear differential, which is part of an independent rear suspension set-up. While IRS set-ups are more commonly found under passenger cars and light-duty SUVs, where improved dynamics and comfort take precedence over load capacity, the U9 still manages a 3500kg towing capacity and a 770kg payload in the Explore Pro model, and up to 870kg in the entry-level Explore model. The rear axle under the U9 is rated to 1200kg.

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The front suspension is a conventional wishbone and coil IFS set-up.The short control arms of the IFS and IRS configuration severely limit wheel travel, so the U9 picks up its all-terrain tyres easily when off-road. The ETC is slow-reacting, so the U9 really needs its diff locks to tackle off-road terrain. When it’s all locked up, the U9 feels unstoppable. If you prefer gimmicks over lockers, the U9 offers eight drive modes for different track conditions, but they are made redundant by the locking diffs.

The short-travel suspension slams the tyres into potholes, giving a sometimes rough ride in the MG. The U9 Pro rides on 275/65R20 Falken Wildpeak tyres and, while we would normally stay away from 20-inch wheels and low-profile rubber for off-road use, the Falkens still have plenty of sidewall and give the ute a tougher look with improved off-road traction and durability.

MG U9 interior

The U9’s cabin is wide, spacious and loaded with equipment.

It’s probably one of the most tech-laden set-ups in any ute, but that’s not always a good thing, with some functions being overcomplicated. I found it annoying that some of the buttons on the console and HVAC controls still lead you to the multimedia screen to make your selection, rather than operating directly.

The front seats are leather-trimmed and are heated and ventilated, with power adjustment and massage for the driver. Front seat passengers are faced with a wide and bluff dashboard housing a pair of 12.3-inch screens, one each for the multimedia and the driver’s information.

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The digital rear-view mirror gives a poor and distorted view of what’s behind the U9 while driving. Luckily, the rear-view camera gives a clean and well-defined image on the multimedia screen when reversing the 5.5-metre-long ute. The back seat is likewise leather-clad and includes heating for the outer positions, as well as a recline function that gives a more comfortable seating position.

This is made possible due to the lack of a bulkhead between the cabin and the load bed. With no panel there, back seat users are able to open a flap between the folded rear seats and the tray to carry long items. It’s a useful feature that is unique in this category, made possible by the one-piece side panels running from the door pillars back to the rear of the tray. This also means that you can’t remove the cargo area to fit a tray or service body like you can on most other utes in the market.

MG U9 ownership and warranty

MG vehicles come with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. This can be extended to 10 years or 250,000km (whichever comes first) for MG passenger vehicles intended for personal use, and up to seven years or 200,000km (whichever comes first) for MG light commercial vehicles, by completing scheduled servicing with an authorised MG dealer.

If you exceed these kilometre limits during the period of your standard warranty, the extended warranty will not apply. Roadside assistance is available, and service prices are fixed for the first 12 months.

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Verdict

Sometimes it’s the simple things that do the best job. While the current KGM Musso might be getting old and is set for replacement later this year, it doesn’t miss out on anything you could want in a 4×4 ute, be it for work or play.

It’s a well-proven platform and drivetrain that includes all the safety and convenience features you would expect, and the ability to kit it up with off-road accessories from Ironman 4×4 puts it in a great place. Yes, the accessory range is limited, but it comprises a lot more than you will readily find for the MG U9.

The MG might be newer, bigger and certainly brasher, but the brand still has a way to go before it sorts its ute out. Some of the controls are overcomplicated, and other elements – like the digital rear-view mirror – feel like tech for tech’s sake and don’t work as well as simpler solutions.

The MG having front and rear locking diffs isn’t just a nicety in the U9 – it’s essential, as the slow ETC and short wheel travel would leave it compromised without them. Further refinement and development of the U9 platform will make it a killer 4×4 ute in the future, but for now the well-proven Musso gets our vote.

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Specs