Tough to resist
equipment for all the family – with driver and four passengers accommodated in the double cab.
Because of the width of the pick-up you get loads of elbow room up front and in the rear where three passengers can sit in comfort, with lots of head and leg room.
And you don’t fall short of car-like comfort and technology when you’re travelling in the Amarok.
In fact you get premium finish in this model with top features including Vienna leather upholstery, heated front seats, climatronic air con, leather gearshift cover and leather multi-function steering wheel.
Other interior highlights are Media nav system with a 6.33inch touchscreen and voice enhancer, DAB radio with six speakers and App-Connect.
It’s stacked with safety and security equipment that on all versions includes VW’s postcollision braking system which reduces the chance or severity of a secondary accident after a collision.
The Amarok offers good all-round vision with its high seating position and a bright interior features an attractive fascia.
On the road, its big V6 engine was, as you would imagine, never short of muscle.
It powers this large pickup to 62mph in just eight seconds and boasts a top speed of 119mph, moving sweetly through an eight-speed automatic gearbox with the option of manual shifts.
Despite its impressive performance the claimed fuel consumption figure is a healthy 36.2mpg combined with CO2 emissions of 204g/km.
Helping the 2017 Amarok achieve these figures are fuel-saving BlueMotion modifications that include stop/start and energy recuperation systems
This isn’t the type of vehicle for powering along winding, country roads but it did provide much better handling than I expected with lots of grip on cornering.
There was plenty of kickdown oomph when needed and the engine was never too noisy.
Ride comfort wasn’t too harsh either and the Amarok was pretty smooth cruising along at motorway speeds.
You do have to look for large parking spaces but this was assisted by the front and rear distance control and rear view camera.
Exterior highlights include 19-inch Cantera alloys, bi-xenon headlamps, LED daytime running lights, front fog lamps with cornering light, LED licence plate lighting and stainless steel side bars.
The Amarok is a pick-up that won’t look out of place sitting in your driveway with the test model coming in a stunning Ravenna Blue Metallic colour.
On-the-road prices start at £26,517 and there’s a choice of Startline, Trendline, Highline and this range-topping special edition Aventura that costs £39,381.