Citroen C3 Aircross vs KGM Musso

What's the difference?

Citroen's C4 Cactus made quite an impression. A polarising machine, it was the Frenchest French car for ages which translated into almost no local sales but admiration for the bravery of those who signed it off.

It did quite well in its home market though and its designers took note. When the company turned its attention to a smaller SUV based on the C3 hatchback - complete with the baffling Aircross name - the Cactus was an obvious inspiration.

With the Hyundai Venue on the scene - as well as a wealth of larger machines at lower prices - the Citroen C3 Aircross needs to be good to justify a big sticker price.

KGM (formerly SsangYong) has revised its Musso range for 2026 with some new features and revised styling throughout the Australian line-up, as well as a name-change for this grade: the Advance which used to be the Adventure.

The updated Musso is a dual-cab 4WD ute with high and low-range gearing, an auto-locking rear differential and 3.5-tonne towing capacity, and all for under $50,000.

And with the optional XLV (extra long vehicle/version) pack, which our test vehicle has, it gets a longer wheelbase (110mm extra), a 300mm longer tub and 90kg of extra payload over the standard Musso (880kg rather than 790kg).

So, is the Musso an affordable alternative to the likes of Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger?