- New truck boasts impressive equipment levels
- Imposing presence makes an on-road statement
- Lockable tonneau cover a welcome accessory
With the more practical and better equipped Musso Rhino, KGM aims to prove there’s still life left in the diesel double-cab pick-up truck market.
KGM is a long-established player in the UK pick-up truck market with its Musso. The latest incarnation of the model, the Rhino – now also the latest member of the Automotive Management long-term test fleet – falls somewhere between being a new, range-topping trim level for the Musso range and a facelifted version, with KGM saying 75% of the exterior styling has been changed, and sales of the previous Musso Rebel and Saracen due to continue until early 2027.
Not to be confused with the Musso EV which has also arrived this year, the Rhino features a 2.2-litre diesel engine. It arrives despite the double-cab pick-up market having seen a steep decline following changes to how the vehicles are taxed for company car purposes – KGM believes that the market which remains is still worth pursuing.
The Rhino is certainly specced in line with a range flagship, with equipment including heated and ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless smartphone connectivity and charging, a 360-degree camera system and intelligent adaptive cruise control – this is a very long way from being an austere commercial vehicle. KGM does however say that the Rhino is not an attempt to move upmarket and rival the Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok – instead it has the Isuzu D-Max and returning Mitsubishi L200 in its sights.
The Rhino is priced at £38,995 excluding VAT, or there’s a long-wheelbase version, badged Rhino+, for an extra £1,000. It’s the regular Rhino we have on test – a good thing from a personal point of view, given how snugly its 5,150mm length fits on my driveway (the Rhino+ measures 5,460mm). Width however is less of a concern, since at 1,950mm wide including the mirrors the Rhino is relatively trim for a pick-up truck, meaning there shouldn’t be too much trouble in car parks – a comprehensive camera system should also assist here.
Not having the Rhino+ means missing out on one of the most capacious pick-up truck load beds on the UK market, however I’m expecting the Rhino’s 1300mm x 1570mm x 570mm bed – still roomier than with previous Mussos – to be more than adequate for my needs. I was relieved to see the truck arrive with a lockable tonneau cover in place – priced at £1,261 excluding VAT and fitting – meaning the load bed can effectively become a very large saloon boot and I won’t need to resort to piling suitcases and shopping on the back seats (other accessories supplied with our truck are £630 sports bars and an £84 floor mat set). Less impressive on first sight was the Smoke Taupe (i.e. brown) paint colour – probably not the one I would have chosen, although you can imagine it blending in well with a muddy farmyard.
For most family and friends, first impressions of the pick-up have seen the colour overshadowed by the model’s sheer size and presence, helped by a raised ride height compared with previous Mussos. This is something I’ve really noticed on early drives on seeing its reflection on the back of other vehicles, most notably from the prominent LED lights which run the full width of the front end.
Related reading: How KGM works with dealers to keep ZEV mandate exemption
The obvious question is, can the Rhino’s impressive kit list and road presence make up for its commercial vehicle underpinnings, or will the pick-up prove a chore to live with as I criss-cross the country to report on car launches and industry events for AM? The next six months should reveal all.