Coming in at under £19,000 for a top-specer, the previous Musso has languished near the bottom of the pickup pile for some time. But that may be about to change, because the truck is the latest in Ssangyong’s line-up – following the Tivoli and Rexton – to receive a Hollywood-style makeover.

See also: On test: £19,000 Ssangyong Musso pickup battles the old guard

Launched at this week’s Geneva Motor Show, it gets the same turbodiesel 2.2-litre engine as the Rexton, which delivers 181hp at 4,000rpm and 420Nm of torque between 1,600 and 2,600rpm in the automatic version. This is very close to the 2.4-litre block in the popular Mitsubishi L200, which offers 430Nm.

Transmission options come in the form of a 6-speed manual box or an Aisin 6-speed automatic with permanent drive to the rear wheels and 4×4 selected electronically along with a low-range box.  

As with the Rexton, the Musso’s list of basic equipment is vast with a DAB radio and Bluetooth pairing standard on all models and all but the entry-level model getting an 8-inch central screen. Top of the range trucks feature heated and ventilated Nappa leather seats and sits on 20-inch rims.

Towing capacity is 3.5 tonnes, although this is unconfirmed because the UK spec may change closer to its release.

Still available with a five-year limitless mileage warranty, the new Musso has a pallet-sized load deck offers a 1 tonne payload and the same body-on-frame construction seen on the Rexton.

There are 65 Ssangyong dealers in the UK and the pickup will be available this summer, although prices are being kept under wraps for the moment.