KGM Musso EV Dual-Cab Ute Airbags: What ANCAP's Safety Alert Actually Means for Buyers
- Tim Bond
- 14 hours ago
- 5 min read
Key Facts Panel
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If you own a KGM Musso EV dual-cab ute or you're considering one, ANCAP has just issued a genuine consumer alert worth reading properly, not skimming.
The electric dual-cab ute was advertised with eight airbags as standard. It actually has six.
Here's exactly what happened, what it means for current owners, and whether it should change your buying decision.
KGM Musso EV Dual-Cab Ute Airbags - What ANCAP Actually Found
The discrepancy wasn't caught through a routine audit. ANCAP discovered it while conducting a destructive crash test on a Musso EV dual-cab ute as part of preparing the vehicle's first official safety rating.
A front centre airbag that was supposed to deploy simply wasn't there, which led investigators to check the full specification against what KGM had been advertising.
The centre airbag, sometimes called a front row far side airbag, sits between the driver and front passenger seats and is designed to stop the two occupants striking each other during a side impact crash.
The driver's knee airbag helps manage lower limb movement and protects against pelvic injury in a frontal collision. Both were listed in KGM's consumer specification brochure and website as part of a standard eight airbag suite for the dual-cab ute. Neither is actually fitted.
Timeline of What Happened
Date | Event |
November 2025 | Musso EV dual-cab ute introduced to the Australian market, advertised with eight airbags |
Through mid 2026 | Approximately 306 vehicles delivered to Australian customers |
Prior to July 31, 2026 | ANCAP identifies the discrepancy during crash testing |
July 31, 2026 | KGM Australia updates its marketing material to reflect the actual six airbag specification |
Ongoing | ANCAP encourages KGM to make a production change adding both airbags to future vehicles, KGM has not confirmed if or when this will happen |
What KGM Has Actually Said
KGM Australia has been direct about the cause, calling it an "unintentional administrative error" in a statement, and confirming that "the vehicle has always been manufactured in this six-airbag configuration," meaning no vehicle was ever secretly downgraded, the specification simply never matched what was advertised from day one.
The company also maintains the Musso EV dual-cab ute "remains compliant with Vehicle Type Approval," its formal regulatory approval to be sold in Australia, despite the airbag discrepancy.
KGM says it is reviewing how the error occurred and finalising a customer communication and redress approach, though it hasn't confirmed whether a future production change will add the missing airbags.
Should This Change Your Buying Decision
If you already own a Musso EV dual-cab ute, the honest answer is that the car you're driving isn't the car you thought you bought, and that's worth taking seriously rather than shrugging off. ANCAP's advice is straightforward, contact KGM Australia or your dealer directly if you have concerns.
If you're considering a new or used Musso EV dual-cab ute, the situation is genuinely unresolved. KGM hasn't confirmed whether future vehicles will get the missing airbags fitted, and the dual-cab ute still has no official ANCAP safety rating at all, expected sometime later in 2026. Buying now means buying a vehicle without independent crash test verification and with a known gap between what was advertised and what's actually fitted, even if that gap has since been corrected in the marketing material.
The rest of the Musso EV dual-cab ute's case remains genuinely strong on paper: it undercuts every other factory built electric ute in Australia by a wide margin, and its 80.6kWh LFP battery, sourced from BYD, still delivers a competitive 420km WLTP range on the 2WD variant.
Buy or Avoid: The Verdict
Buy if: you've read this alert, you're comfortable buying a dual-cab ute that currently has no independent ANCAP safety rating, and the Musso EV dual-cab ute's price and range advantage still outweighs that gap for you.
Avoid, for now, if: a confirmed, independently verified safety rating matters to your decision. Wait for ANCAP's full rating, expected later in 2026, before committing.
FAQs
How many airbags does the KGM Musso EV dual-cab ute actually have? Six. KGM had advertised eight airbags as standard, including a centre airbag and driver's knee airbag, but these two were never fitted to Australian delivered vehicles.
Is the KGM Musso EV dual-cab ute safe to drive? The Musso EV dual-cab ute currently has no official ANCAP safety rating. ANCAP has advised that the missing airbags may affect occupant protection in frontal and side impact crashes, and existing owners with concerns should contact KGM directly.
Has KGM fixed the airbag issue? KGM has corrected its marketing material to show the accurate six airbag specification as of July 31, 2026. It hasn't confirmed whether a production change will add the missing airbags to future vehicles.
How many Musso EV dual-cab utes are affected by the ANCAP alert? Around 306 vehicles, covering every Musso EV dual-cab ute supplied in Australia since the model launched in November 2025.
Which KGM Musso EV dual-cab ute variants are affected by the airbag issue? All three variants, the Musso EV dual-cab ute 2WD, the 2WD Black Edge, and the AWD. The separate diesel powered KGM Musso dual-cab ute is a different vehicle and is not part of this alert.
Is the KGM Torres or Actyon Hybrid affected by this alert? No. The Musso EV is a dual-cab ute, a separate model from the Torres and Actyon mid-size SUVs. Neither the Torres, the Torres EVX, nor the Actyon Hybrid is covered by ANCAP's airbag alert.
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