KGM Ssangyong Musso XLV vs Lexus LM 500H

What's the difference?

The lack of an ANCAP rating and centre rear lap-sash seatbelt may be deal-breakers for some. However, the Musso offers a tantalising menu of luxurious standard features, in a refined, comfortable and capable package backed by a generous warranty. For $50K driveaway, it represents compelling value for money.

The Lexus LM 500h is luxurious, comfortable, practical, easy to drive and expensive. While it may appear to be the ultimate family car, with only four seats it's limited in terms of how many kids and their friends you can carry. On top of that, the privacy screen introduces accessibility issues to the kids you wouldn't encounter on other vehicles. If you are thinking of a Lexus people mover as your next family car I'd suggest looking at the LM 350h which has seven seats and no privacy screen. If you’re looking at a business class executive van the LM 500h would be perfect. 

The XLV option adds 110mm to the wheelbase (3210mm) and 300mm to load tub length compared to the SWB Musso, so our test vehicle's external dimensions are about the same as a Ford Ranger dual-cab ute. Even so, its 12.2-metre turning circle is tighter than the Ford and only slightly larger than its shorter Musso sibling.

It exudes a high standard of finish and build quality throughout, including the latest lower-body-to-chassis mounts with enlarged volume and a redesigned profile which, according to SsangYong results in superior bump absorption. As a result, ride comfort has been improved.

The leather-accented interior has a refined look and feel consistent with its prestige positioning, with fine exposed stitching along seams and a tasteful mix of contrasting surfaces that include different shades of grey and splashes of piano black and satin chrome.

The LM 500h doesn't look real. More like a concept vehicle with its vertical face wearing that enormous grille. Feels like if you watched it for long enough you’d catch it transforming into some kind of robot. Yet, at the same time its styling is elegant and prestigious.

I have a confession to make. I used this Lexus as my office. Its interior is that comfortable and spacious. I'm also a parent and there were times where it was the quietest place to get some work done.

It also let me observe people's reactions as they walked past with their dogs not knowing what was going on inside behind those tinted windows. The people that noticed were clearly car enthusiasts as they knew what they were looking at and couldn't pass without gaping it awe.

The LM 500h’s interior is superbly plush with thick carpets, beautiful copper metallic trim and nappa leather seats.

As I’ve said, the cockpit up front is less luxurious than the extravagant first class section in the back behind that dividing wall.

And yes, I’ve seen large screens before but nothing that stretches the width of the vehicle.

With its 2100kg kerb weight and 2980kg GVM, our test vehicle has an 880kg payload rating.

It’s also rated to tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer and with its big 6480kg GCM rating (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time), that means it can tow its maximum trailer weight while carrying its maximum payload.

The latter is an unusual capability for a dual-cab ute of this size, which offers great versatility for heavy load-hauling requirements in both work and recreational roles.

The longer XLV load tub has square internal dimensions of 1610mm in length and width, which combined with its 570mm depth results in 1262 litres (or more than 1.2 cubic metres) of load volume. Load-anchorage points are located at floor level in each corner.

The new assisted-tailgate operation, which SsangYong claims has a soft-opening and easy-close design, also needs some beefing-up as we found the level of assistance was not sufficient.

Cabin storage includes a single glovebox, plus small and large-bottle holders and a storage bin in each front door. The centre console has a small tray up front, two small-bottle/cup-holders in the centre and a storage box at the back with a padded lid that doubles as a comfortable driver’s elbow rest.

Rear seat passengers also get a small-bottle/cup-holder and storage bin in each door, plus two cup-holders in the fold-down centre armrest and storage pouches on each front seat backrest. The rear bench seat-base cannot be swung up and stored vertically to create more internal carrying space, like some rivals, but it does provide hidden storage underneath for soft items.

The Musso's rear doors are only 50mm shorter than the front, which ensures easy entry/exit and comfortable rear seating, even for people my height (186cm).

There are large assist handles on the A and B pillars and, when I'm seated in the second row behind the driver’s seat in my position, there’s still sufficient knee clearance and plenty of headroom.

This also applies to those seated in the slightly higher centre position, where they’ll also appreciate the minimal height of the transmission hump that allows both feet to sit together behind the centre console.

However, like all dual-cab utes short of a full-size US pick-up, shoulder room for three adults across the back seat is marginal and only tolerable for short trips.

Our only gripes are the lack of a lap-sash seatbelt for the centre rear passenger (there’s only a lap-belt), which remains a glaring safety omission that should have been addressed years ago.

You might be able to take Lexus out of Toyota but it's very hard to take Toyota out of Lexus and this particularly applies to the practicality of the LM 500h.

Every day I discovered new compartments, tray tables and storage areas. There are so many cabinets, lockers and hidey holes that we almost left my belongings (an entire family of plushie toy capybaras) behind because there are so many places to check.

Of course, I'm talking about the rear compartment here because up front there's not much storage. In fact, it proved to be quite a problem in that I had nowhere to put my bag with somebody sitting next to me and no area behind the front seats to stow it, either.

Talking of seats, the LM 500h only has four of them, with two up front and two in the rear. Up front, the seats are supportive and large, but the rear seats - those are, well... have a look at the images.

We’re talking two large captain's chairs that look as though they’ve been removed from the first class section of a plane.

And while this might be suitable for businesses shuttling a couple of executives to and from meetings, for a family, even with two children, the extra couple of seats a third row offers would come in handy.

The LM 350h has seven seats over three rows and no privacy screen. A far better choice for families.

For device charging there are USB ports up front and in the rear. There are wireless phone chargers for those in the back seats but not up front.

The LM 500h has a cargo capacity of 752 litres with all seats in place.

The Lexus LM 500h sits at the top of its range and is without a doubt one of the most expensive people movers on Earth with its list price of $220,888.

As you would imagine the standard features list is as extensive as it is extravagant.

For starters, while the regular LM 350h has two rows of seating in the rear (seven seats all up, including the front two), the 500h has the third row removed and just two super luxurious and enormous fully reclining seats fill the entire space. It’s like a theatre back there.

That theatre theme keeps going with a media screen in the back so large it stretches the width of the vehicle. Seriously, it's a 48-inch screen to watch movies or connect to your device.

The sound system is probably the best I’ve experienced - a spine tinglingly incredible 23-speaker Mark Levinson set-up.

What else can I tell you? Those rear seats are upholstered in beautifully soft semi-aniline leather. They’re heated and ventilated with a massaging function and... ridiculously comfortable.

There’s four-zone climate control, windows which have an electronic shade that turns the glass opaque, there are wireless phone chargers in the doors and carpet throughout so thick you sink down into it as you step inside.

Our LM 500h was upholstered in the 'Solis White' leather which also brings contrasting and mesmerising copper metallic trim.

Oh, and there’s a wall with an electric glass screen that can be raised or lowered to separate the rear passengers from the driver.

I should have mentioned this earlier. The kids loved it, but these parents spent a lot of time telling the 10- and three-year old not to put the screen up again.

The rear occupants, aka the kids, can also lock the screen in place. Which they did, and so sound proof is the dividing wall that we can only just hear their uproarious laughter.

Up front, the cockpit is comfortable but it’s clear all the space and luxury is for those being driven around.

Still, the front seats are leather with heating and ventilation, there’s a 14-inch media screen and 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster, plus a head-up display. Sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard.

The quiet and refined 2.2-litre inline four-cylinder turbo-diesel produces 133kW at 4000rpm and (for the XLV) 420Nm of torque between 1600-2600rpm.

The smooth-shifting Aisin six-speed torque converter automatic provides the option of sequential manual shifting, plus three drive modes comprising Eco, Power and Winter. It also has overdrive on the fifth and sixth gears for fuel-efficient highway driving.

The part-time, dual-range 4x4 drivetrain has an auto-locking rear differential that automatically locks and unlocks in response to changing traction requirements.

The LM 500h is a petrol-electric hybrid with a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine which makes 202kW/460Nm and works in concert with two electric motors.

The front motor makes 64kW/292Nm and the rear makes 76kW/169Nm. The combined maximum power output of the two motors and the petrol engine is 273kW.

The LM 500h is all wheel-drive and has a six-speed automatic transmission.

KGM SsangYong claims a combined average consumption of 9.0 litres per 100 kilometres and the dash readout was showing 10.1 at the end of our 317km test, which comprised the usual mix of suburban, city and highway driving.

Our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, was higher again at 11.0 which, while not the thriftiest we've tested, is still not bad for a ute weighing more than two tonnes in mostly urban driving, of which about one third of our test distance was hauling a near-maximum payload.

So, based on our figures, you could expect a ‘real world’ driving range of around 680km from its 75-litre tank.

Lexus says after a combination of urban and open roads the LM 500h should use 6.6L/100km. In our own testing we found consumption was higher at 9.4L/100km.

Worth noting my driving environment was mainly a hilly suburban one filled with school drop offs. Achieved some personal bests this week, with one long run to Sydney’s outskirts, only to return in nightmarish peak hour traffic.

Premium (95 RON) fuel is required and the tank size is 60 litres. In theory the driving range is a smidge more than 900km, which drops to around 640km using our real-world average.

Drivers of most heights and widths can find a comfortable driving position, thanks to a combination of multiple powered seat adjustments, a height/reach adjustable steering wheel, nicely-positioned elbow rests on either side and a large left footrest ideal for big Aussie boots.

The turbo-diesel’s 1000rpm-wide peak torque band between 1600-2600rpm, combined with well-matched ratios in the six-speed auto, ensure good response in the 40-80km/h speed range often encountered during city and suburban driving. However, we could not detect a noticeable change in response when switching between the Eco and Power drive modes.

The unladen ride quality is commendable, given its supple four-coil suspension and longer XLV wheelbase. Combined with nicely-weighted speed-sensitive steering (light at parking speeds, firmer at highway speeds) and responsive braking, it’s enjoyable to drive in urban environments.

It also has impressively low engine, tyre and wind noise, particularly at highway speeds where the refined drivetrain only needs 1700rpm to maintain 110km/h. These attributes create a pleasant cabin environment and low-stressed cruising.

We forklifted 650kg into the load tub, which with our crew of two equalled an 830kg payload that was only 50kg less than its 880kg legal limit. The rear coil springs compressed 70mm, which allowed the rear axle to engage with large cone-shaped jounce rubbers mounted on the chassis rails above it.

These rubbers not only provide a second stage of support when hauling heavy payloads, but also eliminate the jarring thuds of traditional hard-nosed rubber bump-stops when the suspension uses up all its travel.

The Musso made light work of hauling this payload up our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km set climb at 60km/h, self-shifting back to third gear and 2500rpm to easily reach the summit.

Engine braking on the way down, in a manually selected second gear, wasn’t as strong as the auto transmission over rode our manual selection when the engine reached 3700rpm on overrun (4500rpm redline) and shifted up to third gear.

These engine-protecting measures are increasingly common in utes and vans, which can spring a surprise when you’re leaning on the engine to assist with braking on a steep descent and the auto suddenly shifts up a gear and the vehicle starts running away from you.

Even so, the Musso’s quartet of disc brakes were more than capable of keeping speeds in check for the remainder of the descent.

Quite simply, driving the LM 500h is like piloting a limousine on stilts. Superbly comfortable, but with an elevated driving position that offers outstanding forward and side visibility, the LM 500h is an easy vehicle to drive for long periods of time.

A digital rear vision mirror means visibility behind is good and unobstructed by the privacy screen or the seats.

The drawbacks are down to the lack of space up front, with the driver’s chair limited in its ability to recline or slide back due to the bulkhead behind it.

And that's compounded by the lack of cabin storage for bags if the front passenger seat is taken.

As for the rear passengers there aren't many people movers offering this level of comfort, except perhaps the Zeekr 009.

Variable suspension that adjusts continuously keeps the vehicle composed and provides a high level of comfort for those in the rear. At the same time, the LM stays nice and flat through roundabouts while remaining civilised over speed bumps.

And then there's the acceleration, which, while not supercar-like is incredibly brisk for a van. The all-wheel drive system provides outstanding traction in wet and slippery conditions, too. 

Our family used the LM daily for everything from school runs to shopping trips and weekends away and not only was it fun to drive, our lucky rear passengers enjoyed sitting high and being able to see clearly out their windows along with the luxury of a giant movie screen.

The Lexus  LM 500h is yet to be tested by ANCAP so it doesn't have a safety assessment score. There is, however, a high level of safety tech onboard including AEB which can detect pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and other vehicles, emergency steering assist, lane keeping assistance, road sign recognition, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors as well as six airbags.

For child seats there are ISOFIX points and top tether anchor mounts on the two rear seats. We have a forward facing child seat and found it easy to install.

A space-saver spare wheel is located under the boot floor.

It comes with a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which includes commercial use (which SsangYong claims is a unique offering in this segment) and seven years roadside assist.

Scheduled service intervals are 12 months/15,000km. Capped price for the first seven scheduled services up to seven years/105,000km totals $3238, or a reasonable average of $463 per year.

Lexus covers the LM 500h with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty. 

The Lexus Encore Platinum program is complimentary for LM owners for three years, providing 24-hour roadside assist, a loan vehicle or pick-up/return service at service time, 'On Demand' vehicle evaluation options, valet and airport parking benefits as well as exclusive offers and event opportunities.

Servicing is recommended annually or every 15,000 kilometres, and impressively, pricing is capped at $695 per service over five years.