Mercedes-Benz CLS53 vs Ssangyong Musso

What's the difference?

Comfortable when it needs to be and sporty when you want it to be, the CLS 53 is a bit like Mercedes’ Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde – or maybe Bruce Banner and the Hulk is a better frame of reference for some.

While it doesn’t excel in any one particular area, its breadth of useability is commendable, but ultimately it might be its all-too-familiar aesthetics that is the biggest letdown.

From the inside, it looks and feels like any other large Mercedes model (not necessarily a criticism), while the exterior – in my opinion – doesn’t go far enough to differentiate it from the CLA.

After all, if you wanted a stylish and sporty sedan, shouldn’t feel special too?

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.

Mercedes’ homogenised design is a bit of a double-edged sword, and while the CLS does wear its styling confidently, it probably looks a little too much like the cheaper and much smaller CLA for our tastes.

Both are swoopy four-door coupes from Mercedes-Benz, so of course there will be some similarities, but keen-eyed car spotters will notice some differences.

While the proportions are similar, the longer wheelbase and bonnet line gives the CLS a more mature look, and the extra details found in the head- and tail-lights, and front bumper stand it apart.

The changes to the 2022 version also brings in AMG’s 'Panamericana' front grille, which adds a bit of welcome aggression to the front end.

From the side, the steeply raked roof flows seamlessly into the rear, while the 20-inch wheels fill out the arches well.

All four doors are also frameless, which is always cool to see.

From the rear, quad-exhaust tips hint at the CLS’s sporty intentions, while a prominent rear diffuser and subtle boot lid spoiler also feature.

Inside, the biggest change to the CLS is now the inclusion of the MBUX multimedia system, which keeps it in line with the E-Class, C-Class and other Mercedes models.

AMG sports seats are also fitted, wrapped in Nappa leather and 'Dinamica' fabric upholstery for all pews.

Our test car also came fitted with red contrast stitching and seat belts, adding a racy streak to the CLS cabin.

Have to point out the new steering wheel that comes with the 2022 CLS, though, which mirrors the tiller offered in the new E-Class, and is a step back in terms of functionality.

It looks premium enough thanks to its chunky leather-wrapped rim and gloss black dual-spoke design, but using the buttons, especially when on the move, is difficult and unergonomic.

This design is definitely function over form, and might need a few more revisions to get it right.

Overall, we’d say the CLS is a good-looking car, but does play it a bit too safe with its styling?

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.

Measuring 4994mm long, 1896mm wide, 1425mm tall and with a 2939mm wheelbase, the CLS slots neatly between the E-Class and S-Class in size and positioning.

Up front, occupants are afforded ample room for head, legs and shoulders, while the electronically adjustable seats make it easy to find a comfortable position.

The steering wheel also features a telescoping function – an always appreciated feature – and the expansive glasshouse makes things feel open and airy.

Storage options include a deep door pocket, a cubby found under the armrest, two cupholders and a smartphone tray with wireless charging capabilities.

It’s a different story in the second row, though, as the sloping roofline does noticeably eat away at headroom.

Don’t get me wrong, a six-foot-tall (183cm) adult can still slide in there fine, but the roof is dangerously close to the touching the top of the head.

Leg- and shoulder-room is pretty good in the outboard seats though, while the middle position is compromised by the intrusive transmission tunnel.

In the second row, passengers have access to a bottle holder in the door, a fold-down armrest with cupholders, backseat map pockets and two air vents.

Opening the boot reveals a cavity offering 490 litres of volume, with an aperture wide enough to fit golf clubs or luggage for a weekend getaway for four adults.

The rear seats also fold in a 40/20/40 split fashion, but Mercedes-Benz is yet to detail how much volume is on offer with the rear seats down. And as a traditional sedan, the CLS is less practical than the liftback Audi S7.

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.

Powering the Mercedes-AMG CLS 53 is a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine, punching out 320kW/520Nm to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission and Merc's '4Matic+' AWD system.

A 48-volt mild-hybrid system, known as 'EQ Boost', is also fitted that serves up to 16kW/250Nm from take-off.

The result is a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.5 seconds, keeping it on pace with the likes of the 331kW/600Nm Audi S7 (4.6s) and 390kW/750Nm 250kW/500Nm BMW 840i Gran Coupe (5.2s).

While not as brutish as AMG’s eight-cylinder engine, the straight six strikes a great balance between pace and poise that perfectly suits a model like the CLS 53.

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.

Official fuel consumption numbers for the CLS 53 are pegged at 9.2 litres per 100km, while we managed an average of 12.0L/100km in our launch drive.

All of our driving was relegated to country back roads and high-trafficked urban areas however, with no consistent freeway driving.

We’ll reserve judgement on how accurate the fuel economy figures are until after we’ve had the car for longer, but the EQ Boost system is designed to help keep consumption down by being able to coast the engine in particular situations.

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.

There are certain expectations on a vehicle when it wears a Mercedes badge, namely it should be comfortable to drive while also dripping with the latest tech. And here the large four-door coupe delivers in spades.

Driving the car is smooth, easy and comfortable when in its default drive setting, you can really sink into the CLS and just eat up the miles in comfort.

There are small niggles, like the 20-inch wheels and low-profile tyres (245/35 front and 275/30 rear) throw up a bit too much road noise into the cabin, but for the most part, around town, the CLS is serene, supple and supremely soothing.

However, switch it over to Sport or Sport+ and the steering gets a bit heavier, the throttle response a bit sharper, and the suspension a bit stiffer.

Does it transform the CLS into a sports car? Not quite, but it certainly dials up driving engagement to a level where you can really have some fun.

Though this isn’t a full-fat AMG in the same vein as an E63 S and doesn’t feature the ubiquitous 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, the CLS 53’s 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine is still plenty potent.

Coming away off the line feels particularly brisk, likely due to the EQ Boost system adding a bit of poke, and even flat-footing it mid-corner delivers a noticeable surge of urgency from the creamy straight six.

However, the best of the CLS 53 experience, in my opinion, is actually the sound, with the exhaust letting off the right sort of pops and crackles in Sport+ mode on overrun.

It’s rude and obnoxious, but also completely surprising coming from the motoring equivalent of a three-piece dress suit – and I love it!

The brakes are also up to task for scrubbing speed, but our relatively brief time with the car was in extremely wet conditions, so the 4Matic+ AWD system was hugely appreciated.

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.

Like all new Mercedes-Benz models sold in 2021, the CLS 53 comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assist over that period.

This outclasses the assurance period offered by BMW, Porsche and Audi (three-year/unlimited kilometre), and matches that available from Jaguar, Genesis and Lexus, who recently upgraded their offering.

Scheduled service intervals are every 12 months or 25,000km, whichever occurs first.

The first three planned services will set buyers back $3150, broken down as $700, $1100 and $1350 apiece.

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.