Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs Ssangyong Musso

What's the difference?

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class C200 is such a stylish sedan and I would totally have one. The driving performance, luxurious features and practical size made it a winning combo for my family. The price point is definitely up there but you do get a high-end build for the cash. I've seen bigger boots in other sedans and not being able to fit a third child seat will limit some families, but this still easily earns an 8.5/10 from me.

My son really loved this one. The ambient lighting was the highlight for him and he thought it looked like a "space car" inside. He gave it a 9/10.

The Musso is a decent dual-cab ute with plenty to like in terms of its comfort and performance on and off the road.

It’s refined, capable and it has a stack of positives going for it: an unstressed engine, impressive practicality and a no-fuss driveability about it. 

Sure, its lack of driver-assist safety tech is a let-down, especially in this day and age, but in a market where utes are getting more expensive every day, the Musso offers plenty of value for money.

And I reckon the Ultimate XLV would be a solid choice from the line-up for some.

The C200 is a sleek and elegant steed.

Initially, you may think this is just a standard Merc showcase. There's the nice big badge on the pronounced nose. Beautiful sleek lines in the body... but it's the attention to detail that make this feel special.

There's a repeated badge motif in the grille and a cute cursive Mercedes logo tucked into the corner of the windscreen. The puddle lights on the doors project the badge at night time and you can often spot a badge etched into the LED lights.

However, it's the interior that's the highlight for me and I feel like it's a big step up from previous models I've been in.

Our model has the grey 'Artico' synthetic leather trim (says grey but it's really white) and a lovely mix of piano black and shiny chrome inserts that are set against soft touchpoints throughout.

The quality of the build oozes through every stitch and join. Don't even get me started on the cool customisable ambient lighting system inside, which makes this feel like you're on the set of Tron and really elevates the interior.

It's quite fun to build one of these in Mercedes' online configurator. You can customise your trims to make it feel like your own and their blue paintwork options are great (I do love a blue car).

The Musso bucks the trend of SUVs based on utes, because SsangYong has flipped the script with the Musso. This is a ute based on an SUV, its stablemate, the Rexton.

In terms of size, it’s 5409mm long (with a 3210mm wheelbase), 1950mm wide, and 1855mm high. 

In terms of styling, it stays well within the lines of what we’ve all come to expect from most modern-day utes – solid looking with a bit of chunkiness and a hint of understated flair – but there are no surprises here, which is good.

The Ironman 4x4 suspension has given the Musso, in Ultimate XLV guise, a lifted and upright, commanding presence, and the lack of side steps adds to that sporty stance.

I'm not going to lie – there are sedans out there that have an almost limo-like space inside but the C200 isn't one of them.

It's not small by any means and all occupants enjoy the comforts of decent legroom and headroom but it's not cavernous considering the specs (1437mm high/1820mm wide/4751mm long).

The optional panoramic sunroof does cut into the headroom for back seat passengers, which is something to consider if your family is very tall.

The storage is maybe a tad leaner-than-average for a car of this size. The glove box and middle console aren't massive but will suffice.

The cupholders up front can be removed if you need extra storage space for larger items and back seat passengers enjoy retractable cupholders in the armrest.

The way the front doors curve out creates a larger than normal storage bin and drink bottle holder – which help make up the difference. There is a dedicated phone pocket, to tuck it out of the way.

The boot space is 455 litres (VDA), which isn't as large as some others on the market but it was plenty big enough for my family's needs.

There's a handy under-floor storage pocket for smaller items, like the puncture repair kit, because you don't get a spare tyre in this.

When it comes to ease of use, my six-year-old loved not needing my help to get into his seat and he still enjoyed a decent view out of the wide back window.

The amenities in each row are good but not class-defining. Still, creature comforts have be well-thought through.

Front occupants enjoy heated seats and fantastic lumbar and under thigh support. Dual-zone climate control sorts out the temp, and the cool circular air vents that make loud audible 'clicks' when manoeuvred give the interior a jet cockpit vibe.

While I've never had an issue opening or closing a sedan boot, the powered lid was a nice feature to have this week.

The tech throughout is great and intuitive to use. The massive 11.9-inch touchscreen multimedia system is cool and is easy to use once you become acclimatised to Mercedes system.

The customisable digital instrument panel makes the driving experiences feel individualised.

The interior is a chilled out space with gentle scrolling touchpads taking the place of most 'push' buttons and dials.

Think of each surface as being a bit like a touchscreen tablet in how you operate it. I was a little worried the touchpads would be laggy but they're very responsive.

There's only one USB port in the whole car, which limits charging for other passengers but I did enjoy the easy connectivity of the wireless Apple CarPlay.

The electric heated front seats are a nice touch but I was amused by the 'kinetic' function on both. It's what you might call a 'massage' function on another car but here they don't really work. It's best to think of them as a way to do some (very) gentle stretching on a long trip.

The 360-degree camera view is super clear and crisp but the dynamic guidelines (which tilt the camera angle) are a bit too dynamic for my liking and I relied mostly on the bird's eye view to park.

As I've mentioned, the ambient lighting system creates a stellar atmosphere inside. I've often wondered why other car manufacturers haven't jumped on that bandwagon because it's a relatively cheap way of creating wow factor. And it generates massive wow factor in here.

The Musso’s interior is neat and well laid out. It’s also very roomy; SsangYong has made the most of this ute’s generous dimensions, taking the interior’s width right to the logical conclusion.

The pleasantries continue with an impressive all-around build quality and though there are plenty of durable plastic surfaces, there are also nice touches, like the leather seats and steering wheel.

The seats are all pretty comfortable and there’s plenty of shoulder and legroom.

There is the usual array of storage spots (door pockets, etc), cupholders (two to the rear of the auto shifter) and charge points (two USB-A ports and a 12-volt plug for driver and front passenger).

Rear seat passengers get directional air vents, but they miss out on charge points.

The 8.0-inch touchscreen is too small for my liking, and the multimedia system’s functionality is basic and a bit clunky – plug in your phone and use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto rather than the Musso’s built-in system – but the 12.3-inch instrument cluster is a nice touch.

Generally speaking, the cabin is an impressive space.

There are two variants in the Musso line-up: the entry-level ELX, available as a manual or auto, and the top-shelf Ultimate, which is available as auto only, and has a drive-away price of $42,090 (at time of writing). 

Our test vehicle is the Ultimate.

For engine and transmission details skip ahead to the ‘What are the key stats for the engine and transmission?’ section further down this page.

Standard features onboard the Ultimate include an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated leather steering wheel, leather seats, LED daytime running lights, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

It also has a 12.3-inch digital LCD instrument cluster, smart key with auto locking, a tyre pressure monitoring system, HID headlights, and 360-degree camera.

Our Musso also has the $1500 XLV treatment, which stretches the ute’s overall length an extra 300mm and the wheelbase by 110mm, yielding 251L of additional room in the tub. 

So, that brings its drive-away price, as a MY22 Ultimate XLV, to $43,590.

But, hold on, our test vehicle has a little extra up its, er, sleeve.

Our Musso has Aussie-tuned suspension, by way of Ironman 4x4 coils and dampers, which costs another $730.

So, those additions – the XLV pack, the Ironman 4x4 suspension (dubbed the constant load coil spring kit), as well its tow bar ($1530 fitted), electronic brake controller ($620 fitted) and 'Pearl White' paint ($595) – push this ute’s price as tested to $47,065.

A $3000 Luxury Pack is also available – adding a sunroof, dual zone climate control, Nappa leather seats, powered front seats and driver’s lumbar support, and heated rear seats – but our test vehicle does not have that. And I don’t reckon you need it, but suit yourself.

There are a range of exterior paint jobs available for this variant, including 'Atlantic Blue', 'Indian Red', 'Space Black', 'Marble Grey', 'Grand White' and Pearl White, which is on our test vehicle.

The C200 has a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine with an integrated starter-generator. 

What's that, you ask? So, glad you did. It's basically an electric battery that also acts as your starter... or alternator.

It smooths out vibrations from the engine and generates some power from braking. Making this a very mild hybrid. Note the 'mild'.

Is it powerful? Surprisingly, yeah. It has a maximum output of 165kW and 300Nm of torque. Combine that with the starter-generator and we have a powerful little engine that can push the C200 from 0-100km in 7.3 seconds, while still feeling like there's power in reserve.

The nine-speed auto transmission is damn smooth and there's no clunky gear changing at any speed. It's got great pick-up, too, for when you need to overtake or zip across traffic.

The Ultimate is powered by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine – producing 133kW at 4000rpm and 400Nm at 1400-2800rpm. 

However, it’s worth noting that in Ultimate XLV Guise, the Musso gets another 20Nm of torque, bringing it to 420Nm at 1600-2600rpm.

It has a six-speed automatic transmission, part-time 4WD with low- and high-range gearing, and an auto-locking rear differential.

The engine outputs look a bit underwhelming, but it does pretty well with what it has once you’re actually driving it. And that Aisin auto is a well regarded transmission, having already proven itself in this and other utes, such as the Isuzu D-Max.

The official combined cycle fuel figure is 6.9L/100km. Real world testing saw my figure at 7.2L, which was awesome for the heavy driving I did this week on a combo of urban and open-roads.

The light regen braking probably helps this coast comfortably into being a very efficient sedan for its size.

Minimum fuel requirement is 95 RON premium unleaded and you'll need 66 litres of it to fill the tank.

Driving range using the official consumption figure is around 950km, and 915km using our real-world number.

Official fuel consumption is 9.0L/100km on the combined cycle.

On this test I recorded actual fuel consumption of 10.2L/100km, but we were doing a lot of low-range 4WDing, so factor that into the figure.

The Musso has a 75-litre fuel tank, so going by those fuel use figures I’d expect to get a touring range of about 700km – that includes a safe-distance buffer of 30km. 

Bear in mind, though, your fuel consumption will likely be higher than ours – and consequently your driving range will be lower – because we were only carrying a set of four Maxtrax in a carry bag, a vehicle-recovery kit, a tyre-puncture repair kit, a first-aid kit, an air compressor, some tools – and my massive ego. 

You’ll be carrying a lot more if you’re heading off for a weekend out bush with your mates or your family. Think camping equipment, food and water, as well as everything else that goes along on a trip away.

The steering feels solid and concise. The tyres seem like they're glued to the road, making winding roads downright fun to tackle. Oh, and the sharp 11 metre turning circle is wonderful.

The handling makes this your best friend in a car park. The lower ground clearance did elicit some unladylike grunts when I parked on a hill, but otherwise the wide door apertures makes it easy to get in and out of.

The only thing I would note is the low-profile ground clearance. Just be aware of your speed and angle when you handle car park ramps or road bumps in this. They are not your friends.

The news is mostly good. The Musso is quite refined and rather impressive, in terms of comfort and performance, especially for a ute that’s considerably cheaper than a lot of others in the dual-cab realm.

At almost five and a half metres long and weighing in about 2100kg, the Musso Ultimate XLV has a planted feel about it on-road – length, weight and suspension combining to produce a settled vehicle.

The 12.2m turning circle is a minor issue on busy suburban streets, but it’s nothing terrible.

Steering has a nice weight to it, although it can feel a little bit too “trucky" at times. The steering wheel is reach- and rake-adjustable, so that’s good.

Ride quality has definitely improved over previous iterations, but some credit for that must be due to our test vehicle’s longer-than-standard wheelbase.

The XLV’s Ironman 4x4 constant-load coil suspension doesn’t help the ute’s comfort cause, but it’s easily reined in when you throw a substantial load in the tray.

As mentioned earlier, the engine does well with what it has once you’re on the road, and while the six-speed Aisin auto is probably more truck-like in its execution than some might like, I reckon it does a decent job.

It’s not too shabby for touring, either.

For one thing, this stretched Musso feels controlled and well settled on dirt tracks at speed. It feels suitably agile on bush roads peppered with shallow ruts, potholes and moguls, with the Aussie-tuned Ironman 4x4 coils and dampers working effectively to keep everything under control.

But this lengthy Musso also feels quite low when the terrain becomes any more challenging than that and the challenges become more technical in nature. 

Ground clearance is listed as an ordinary 215mm and even though the Ultimate XLV, with its Ironman 4x4 suspension, benefits from a minor suspension lift, you have to drive this ute with focussed consideration due to the ever-present threat of bumps, scrapes or worse to the underbody. 

That longer wheelbase, which helps to yield that aforementioned settled ride at speed, reveals its trade-off when you get into low-range 4WDing territory.

This ute’s rampover angle of 20 degrees is especially shallow compared to shorter wheelbase rivals and that long underbody doesn’t help the Musso’s bush efforts at all. 

Its approach angle (25 degrees) is okay, but its departure angle (20 degrees) could be better.

You also don’t get a lot of rear-axle articulation, but the auto rear diff lock kicks in soon enough when a back tyre lifts off the deck and momentarily loses traction.

Wading depth is not listed, but I’m happy to use the 350mm referred to in our previous Musso reviews as a guideline – and, because of that, I’d avoid anything deeper than a shallow puddle.

Despite some of those less-than-ideal factors, the Musso still manages to do okay in low-speed off-roading. Its 4WD system is switchable on a dial (2H, 4H and 4L), which is easy to operate but I did have some difficulty getting 4L to fully engage.

The Musso’s standard Nexen N’Priz RH7 tyres (255/60R18 108H) are okay for on-road use but, if you’re going to use this ute as an off-road tourer, do yourself a favour and replace them as soon as humanly possible with a set of decent all-terrains.

The Musso Ultimate XLV’s payload is listed as 880kg.

The XLV designation adds 300mm of length to the tub and that’s an additional 251L of cargo space, according to SsangYong.

The tub/tray (whatever you want to call it) is 1625mm long (at floor height), 1612mm wide (1140mm between the wheel arches), and is 578mm deep, which is handy for extra packing space.

The load space has a durable looking plastic tub liner and four tie-down points that appear pretty solid.

The Musso has an unbraked towing capacity of 750kg and a braked towing capacity of 3500kg.

The Musso line-up does not have an ANCAP safety rating, but it does have six airbags and a suite of safety tech, including AEB, driver attention warning, lane departure warning, blind-spot warning, as well as front and rear parking sensors, a tyre pressure monitoring system, and a 360-degree camera view.

The C200 comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is standard for the market.

There are multiple servicing options and on the five-year plan, the services average $1090 annually, which is quite expensive.

Servicing intervals are pretty good at every 12 months or a longer than usual 25,000km, whichever comes first.

The Musso has a seven-year / unlimited km warranty. 

Service intervals are scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs soonest.

Be aware: SsangYong’s capped price servicing applies to all seven years, but only covers basic servicing.