Expert Review
KGM Musso (2024 - ) review
The top-spec KGM Musso Saracen Platinum offers a lot for a sub-£40k price in the competitive double-cab pick-up truck category.
Words by: Tom Roberts
Published on 21 May 2025 | 0 min read
The Autotrader expert verdict:
3.5
Available new from £36,733
Released in 2024, the Saracen Platinum edition of the KGM Musso pick-up truck is one of those vehicles that really grows on you. Already a well-equipped and comfortable truck, the Musso’s top trim level really does leave little to be desired. Aside from some wobbly suspension when not fully loaded, the Musso is a confident vehicle to drive, either on your own or with a full complement of four extra passengers. It’s also four-wheel drive capable, meaning it will double up nicely as a working vehicle with impressive payload carrying and towing abilities. Recent changes to the UK’s taxation of pick-up trucks will mean a higher total cost of ownership for business users, but considering this vehicle in its top exclusive spec is available from £34K plus VAT, it will be lower than some competing pick-ups. KGM has a solid alternative to the well-known trucks in-market with the Musso, and we’d encourage people to take a look. It’s got everything you’d expect and some bits you might not, including air-conditioned front seats!
Reasons to buy:
- This special edition offers high spec and trim for a competitive price.
- The 1000kg-plus payload and 3500kg towing capability keeps it business friendly
- Comfort and technology blend well throughout the comfortable cabin.
Running costs for a KGM Musso
“Fuel economy is about where we’d expect a modern pick-up truck to be, with official figures confirming 32mpg on the WLTP combined cycle”
An ex-VAT price of under £35K for a manufacturer’s top-spec pick-up truck makes the KGM Musso Saracen Platinum a very interesting proposition. We think it can be best summed up as offering the pricing of an Isuzu D-Max with the comfort levels of a Ford Ranger Wildtrak. Fuel economy is about where we’d expect a modern pick-up truck to be, with official figures confirming 32mpg on the WLTP combined cycle, although we’d reckon on closer to 28-30mpg in normal road conditions. As for acquisition costs, the Government’s changes to pick-up truck taxation means they’re no longer considered to be commercial vehicles and cannot be taxed as such (read more in our article all about pick-up truck tax changes), so keep this in mind if you’re looking for a new business vehicle and considering a pick-up like this one. Finance options, including lease deals, are also available to break down the competitive price even further.
Expert rating: 3/5
Reliability of a KGM Musso
“Each Musso comes with a five-year or 100,000-mile warranty (whichever comes first), and we think a long warranty demonstrates manufacturer confidence in its product.”
KGM has a good reputation for reliability and demonstrates that with a generous warranty length on the Musso . Each one comes with a five-year or 100,000-mile warranty (whichever comes first), and we always say that a manufacturer offering long warranties demonstrates its confidence in the product and offers peace of mind to drivers. Service intervals are 12,500 miles or every 12 months (again, whichever comes first), regular enough to spot any potential issues early.
Expert rating: 4/5
Safety for a KGM Musso
“We found the Musso to be a reassuring vehicle to drive with safety systems that never felt too overbearing or alert-heavy”
Sticking with KGM’s desire to provide everything you’d need in a vehicle, safety spec is predictably comprehensive. Standard safety systems include Brake Assist, Safety Exit Warning, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Trailer sway control. The rear seats have ISOFIX fittings on both sides of the vehicle. Thanks to the inclusion of a robust four-wheel drive system, the Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control features are excellent and keep the vehicle planted to the ground on inclines. And speaking of the four-wheel drive system, it’s fully selectable allowing drivers to choose normal operation in two-wheel drive (2H), high-speed four-wheel drive (4H) for wet and icy conditions, and low-speed four-wheel drive (4L) for heavy towing power all by twisting a little switch. We found it a reassuring vehicle to drive with safety systems that never felt too overbearing or alert-heavy.
Expert rating: 4/5
How comfortable is the KGM Musso
“It has a premium feel that the sub-£40K asking price shouldn’t be able to offer, but this comes at the price of less ‘quality-feeling’ switches, buttons, interfaces and surfaces”
The premium Nappa leather seats you’ll find throughout the vehicle are very comfortable, heated in the front and rear, and ventilated and power adjustable in the front. The Saracen Platinum trim grade also gives you a heated leather steering wheel covered in controls and fully automatic dual zone air-conditioning. Behind the steering wheel is a clear and crisp 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and dominating the centre of the dashboard is another 12.3-inch screen equipped with TomTom navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It has a premium feel that the sub-£40K asking price shouldn’t be able to offer, but it needs to be pointed out this comes at the price of less ‘quality-feeling’ switches, buttons, interfaces and surfaces.
Expert rating: 3/5
Features of the KGM Musso
“There’s little to want for at this high trim level; some vehicles offer a lot and feel cluttered inside, but this is something the Musso at its highest specification has avoided”
At the Saracen Platinum trim level, the Musso sports stunning 18-inch black alloy wheels complemented nicely by a chrome ladder-style front grille, black and silver roof rails, black finished exterior details and side steps. The limited edition Platinum upgrades also add new wheel arches, a skid plate, an electric roll top shutter over the loadspace, sports bars, a vehicle number badge next to the drive selector stick and a special tag for your keyring. Drivers will also get electrically operated and heated door mirrors, front and rear parking sensors, rear privacy glass, a very useful rear-view camera and an upgrade to electronic cruise control. There’s little to want for at this high trim level; some vehicles offer a lot and feel cluttered inside, but this is something the Musso at its highest specification has avoided.
Expert rating: 4/5
Power for a KGM Musso
“Thanks to the 2.2-litre engine and 4x4 system, it can do what a pick-up truck needs to do, which should be the tagline for this review!”
The KGM Musso Saracen Platinum is powered by a grunty 2.2-litre diesel engine mated to a decent six-speed automatic gearbox. The Platinum’s engine is slightly more powerful than the unit offered on the standard Mussos providing 202 horsepower and 440Nm of torque allowing it to happily carry over 1,000kg in the loadspace and tow up to 3,500kg on a braked trailer. It can do what a pick-up truck needs to do, which should be the tagline for this review!
Expert rating: 3/5