Volkswag en Amarok
We see if a new V6-only engine range and spectweaks can push updated VW to top of pick-up class
MODEL TESTED: Volkswagen Amarok Trendline 204PS 4MOTION Auto PRICE: £33,487 ENGINE: 3.0-litre V6, 201bhp
VOLKSWAGEN’S new Amarok is aimed at the top end of the pick-up market, because it’s only available with a V6 – in two power outputs – and an auto box. Although our pictures show a Highline, the Trendline model we’re testing here starts at £33,487.
DESIGN & ENGINEERING
THE most notable change to the new Amarok comes under the bonnet, where the previous 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel has been replaced with a 3.0-litre V6 engine, which is now linked to an eight-speed automatic gearbox only.
All Amaroks also get a permanent four-wheeldrive system called 4MOTION, which includes an electronic differential lock to help improve traction while off-roading. The set-up brakes the wheels independently to achieve this, but a mechanical unit as found on the L200 and Ranger is also available as a £300 option. An off-road mode can be selected, which optimises the drivetrain for loose surfaces, and while the VW provides plenty of tech to help when away from the tarmac, it does have the lowest ground clearance of the three pick-ups here, at 192mm.
As with its rivals in this test, the Amarok uses a leaf-spring set-up on the rear axle to allow for greater payloads – and it has the largest maximum payload of the three trucks here, at 1,092kg.
It’s clear that the Amarok is designed to be more akin to Volkswagen’s passenger cars than the other trucks are to their respective brands’ cars. A new front bumper, redesigned grille and fresh alloy wheels mark out this new version of the Amarok from the outside, but the main change is to the truck’s interior, which now features extra equipment, including a new infotainment system.
Quality is the best of the three models on test, because the interior feels more upmarket, while the driving experience is more refined – but the VW trails its competitors on kit. Even so, if you add satnav (£672), it’ll still be cheaper than the Ranger.
DRIVING
THE Amarok’s V6 diesel engine is the smoothest, because the four and five-cylinder motors in the Mitsubishi and the Ford are much more rattly and noisy on the move. The eight-speed auto is also a little easier to get along with than its rivals’ units; it shifts smoothly and quickly, contributing to a relaxed feel on the road given that the VW is a commercial vehicle.
The Amarok is comfortable, too, and while there’s not too much difference between the three trucks on the road, the VW’S more Suv-like driving position and supportive seats make a difference on a long trip, and the low-speed ride is good. However, the rugged underpinnings are still clear – as with its rivals – because when the VW is empty the rear axle in particular tends to pogo up and down.
Where the Amarok has an edge over its rivals is on performance. It stormed through our acceleration tests, covering 0-60mph in a mere 8.4 seconds – over two seconds faster than the Ford Ranger and well ahead of the L200’s 10.1-second time.
What’s even more impressive is the Amarok took only eight seconds to go from 30-70mph through the gears, whereas the L200 completed the test in 9.7 seconds and the Ranger in 11 seconds. The VW is helped by having more ratios in its transmission and the fastest-shifting box, but it also means the truck feels genuinely fast on the road. It makes towing heavy loads or trailers easier, too.
PRACTICALITY
TOWING is hugely important to many pick-up owners, so the fact that the Amarok can pull a maximum of 3,100kg is a strong point. It’s matched by the L200, however, which has the same capacity, but is outdone by the Ranger, which can tow up to 3,500kg. Still, the VW’S torquey engine – which produces 30Nm more than the Ranger, at 500Nm – means it’ll make lighter work of pulling a trailer up to its limit.
The Amarok is double cab only, and has a load bay that’s 1.55m long and 1.62m wide. That allows a Euro pallet to fit inside, and it can be secured using the many lashing points placed around the load bed.
That large bay is thanks to the Volkswagen’s 1.95m width, making it the widest here. It also means there’s plenty of space to accommodate heavy cargo and take advantage of that impressive payload.
OWNERSHIP
THE Amarok comes with a postcollision braking system to avoid secondary impacts after a crash, along with six airbags and Isofix as standard. However, autonomous braking isn’t even available as an option, while the VW is also missing a reversing camera (£864), which is standard on both rivals.
The four-star Euro NCAP safety rating dates from 2010, and although there have been few structural changes since, extra safety technology compared with when the truck was launched means it should still offer reassuring protection if you’ll be using the vehicle as family transport, too.
RUNNING COSTS
VOLKSWAGEN touts a four-year servicing package on the Amarok, costing £675, which is more affordable than the L200’s £750 offering and the Ranger’s £850 deal. Both of these rivals’ packages are also limited to only three years.
All three trucks have the same annual company car tax cost of £646 and £1,292 for lower and higher-rate earners respectively. Despite the V6 engine, the VW returned respectable 30.1mpg economy on test, too.