Still the best bakkie on the block

VOLKSWAGEN AMAROK V6 CANYON

A decade is quite a long time in the automotive realm. This I fathomed while at the helm of the Volkswagen Amarok V6 Canyon, available exclusively in a bronzy orange colour, dubbed Honey Orange in Wolfsburg parlance. It is hard to believe that in September this year, the Amarok will be 10 years-old! Yes, that long, yet it can still hold its own among a raft of newer players in this competitive segment. Lerato Matebese spent some time behind the wheel of this special edition Amarok to see if it’s worth the capital outlay.

I’m a huge fan of the standard Amarok V6, so when Volkswagen announced that it would be introducing a special edition variant of the model, the Canyon, it further piqued my attention. Thanks to the striking golden hue, contrasting black accents and Canyon lettering, it garners its fair share of admirers. There are 17” black Aragua alloy wheels and blistered black fenders that further sets it apart from its brethren. There are also bi-xenon headlights that flank a chrome and black grille replete with the V6 nomenclature.

WHAT ELSE IS DIFFERENT?

The cabin continues the exclusive Canyon theme with cloth bound seats contrasted in the orange colour scheme, while the rest of the cabin is what we have come to expect of the Amarok with high quality, robust materials abound. There is also a five-leaf spring setup at the rear – two more than the standard model – which presents a slightly stiffer setup, but not at the expense of ride quality.

There is also a more stable, reassuring stance while traversing over gravel and undulated road surfaces. Slotting below the Highline Plus and Extreme derivatives, the Canyon is geared for buyers who are more inclined to use their bakkies off the beaten track and it is here that the Canyon’s abilities truly shine through.

WHAT ABOUT THE ENGINE?

Under the Canyon’s bonnet beats the same lusty 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel engine we have come to love that pushes out 165 kW and 550 Nm – 180 kW and 580 Nm in over-boost – through an 8-speed ZF sourced automatic gearbox. It is the crown jewel of the package and remains one of the Amarok’s most

treasured nuggets. It offers more than ample pulling power and ensures overtaking slower traffic is a simple wiggle of the big toe on the throttle to execute swiftly. We averaged a thrifty 9.3 litres/100 km over the week’s testing, which is quite commendable when one considers the stonking performance on offer.

CAN IT GO OFF-ROAD

The Amarok might be bereft of a low-range mode, but its clever 4Motion all-wheel-drive and Off-Road setting which primes the gearbox, ABS brakes and traction control, accordingly, means it can easily hold its own against more hardcore-equipped rivals. And that burly V6 engine’s torque makes light work of scaling steep inclines, thanks to the well-judged gear ratios of that smooth transmission.

IS IT WORTH THE CAPITAL OUTLAY?

With the standard equipment on offer and that V6 engine nestling upfront, you would be hardpressed to find a more complete package. The only other rival with a V6 turbo diesel is the soon to be culled Mercedes-Benz X350d, which retails a further R180,000 north of the Amarok Canyon’s list price of R799,000, making the Canyon a very enticing package indeed.

LAST WORD

While there hasn’t been an official word on the next-generation Amarok, which will share a great deal with the next-generation Ford Ranger, we have it on good account that the next generation Amarok is currently undergoing some final testing in South Africa and hopefully we should see some spy images emerging later in the year. For now, however, the Volkswagen Amarok continues to be the best bakkie in the segment and this Canyon special edition further drives that point home.