√2023 Volkswagen Amarok Review
Hot on the heels of the closely related Ford Ranger, Volkswagen has unleashed its take on the the next-generation four-wheel drive ute. The new Amarok comes in with loads of new technology and an impressive range of powertrains. But, it’s going to have a fight on its hands.
2023 Volkswagen Amarok
You’re not the new kid on the block for very long in the four-wheel drive ute segment. After being revealed earlier in the year, the 2023 Volkswagen Amarok will be arriving in Australia in by April 2023.
But before it arrives, we’ve had the chance the get behind the wheel of Volkswagen’s new platform-sharing ute.
This new Amarok takes over from a model that was one of the oldest in the segment. The first generation – a ground-up new design wholly done in-house – dates all the way back to 2010. Twelve years is well and truly more than a lifetime in automotive terms, and this new model comes with wholesale changes. Aside from some design elements carrying over to keep the so-called Amarok ‘DNA’ alive, this new model is utterly all new.
It uses Ford’s new T6.3 platform – an evolution of the previous T6 platform – which was designed and engineered mostly in Australia, before underpinning Ford’s own Ranger, Everest and Raptor.
And now, this platform is also used for the next-generation Volkswagen Amarok. That means the Volkswagen has grown in terms of overall length and wheelbase, and Ford’s own range of powertrains are adopted.
However, unlike what you see in the relationship between the Mazda BT-50 and Isuzu D-Max for example, where those competitive utes share the same mechanical components, tuning and calibration (and general interior layout), Volkswagen has gone to considerable lengths to make this Amarok not feel like a Ranger 2.0.
Twenty engineers were shipped from Germany to Australia for over three years, and Volkswagen’s own teams of designers and engineers were involved in the development of the new platform from day dot.
So while the powertrain components are the same, they receive a different Volkswagen tune for the Amarok. It’s the same case for the suspension and steering, and the interior is unique for Volkswagen.
We all know how well received Ford’s new Ranger is in Australia so far. However, there is a chance this Amarok could become the better overall offering through its own take on the same basic recipe. We’ve had the opportunity to drive a handful of the new Amarok range – both on-road and off-road – before it arrives in Australia. Let’s see how it stacks up.
How much does the Volkswagen Amarok cost in Australia?
Pricing for the Volkswagen Amarok in Australia has not been revealed yet, and this will naturally play a big part in how VW’s new four-wheel drive ute fares in relation to it’s competition.
Amongst the range of Ford-derived powertrains, Volkswagen has included some familiar faces along with new entrants to the Australian market.
The range starts off with a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine that makes 125kW and 405Nm, running through a six-speed manual or automatic transmission and part-time four-wheel drive system. This is available on the entry-level grade, which is now called Amarok (which replaces Core). Four-wheel drive models all get a low-range transfer case.
And because Australia does not need to abide by strict Euro 6 rules, we won’t have any selective catalytic reduction (SCR, also known as AdBlue) fitted to Australian-delivered vehicles.
Going up to the next level in specification also brings a bump in the powertrain, with the same 2.0-litre engine gaining an extra turbocharger and going to outputs of 154kW/500Nm, running through a 10-speed automatic gearbox and part-time four-wheel drive system. This starts in the Life specification, which effectively replaces the old Sportline grade.
Style is the first variant in the range to pick up the option of a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6, alongside the twin-turbo four-pot. The V6 gets 184kW and 600Nm, running through a 10-speed automatic gearbox and a permanent all-wheel drive system. This is the same setup as higher grade Ford Rangers, which uses electronically controlled clutch packs to allow for four-driven wheels on the blacktop.
This V6 powertrain is also available on the two top specification models – Panamericana and Aventura – also new. However, Volkswagen has chosen to include something of a unique engine option in the more road-oriented Amarok Aventura: a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 222kW/452Nm.
While still to be confirmed, we are expecting pricing of the next-generation Volkswagen Amarok to increase, compared to the previous generation model. Volkswagen representatives told Drive they are not planning on pricing the new Amarok significantly higher than competitors in the segment, but the rise will be commensurate with the increased in equipment and specification.
Drive is expecting the four-wheel drive range to start at around $55,000 for the eponymous entry-level grade, while top-specification Panamericana and Aventura models are likely to push past the $80,000 barrier.
How much space does the Amarok have inside?
The interior of the Amarok is an all-new affair, which places it right at the pointy end of the segment in terms of design, materials and technology. Firstly, it’s different to the Ranger on the inside, with only the 4-wood shaped gear shifter being a clear carry-over from the Blue Oval. Some of the display hardware is the same as well, but the usage experience is different, which we will get to later.
Volkswagen interiors – including their commercial vehicles – are often well designed with a clean and understated nature, and the same can be said for the new Amarok. Storage is mostly not out of the ordinary: with a centre console and glove box, two regulation cup holders and something of a cubby below the infotainment display (where the wireless charging pad lives).
The dashboard does include an additional glove box, which opens with pleasant damping after you press the button, and reveals usable and somewhat secretive storage space.
There is a sunglasses holder up top (which can be optioned up to an overhead accessory switch panel), and there is room for bottles and additional bits in each door. Panamericana and Aventura models also get some additional storage atop the dashboard, which is also home for an additional speaker.
Near the wireless charging pad, you’ll find single 12V, USB-A and USB-C power outlets, as well as an additional USB-A point up near the rear-view mirror.
Top-spec Aventura models include additional faux leather – complete with exposed stitching – along the top of the dashboard and atop the doors, and upgraded materials in other areas. Clear thought and effort has been put into the important touch points, anything that hands and elbows will touch.
Although, below the waterline of the interior offers plenty of more basic hard plastic materials, around the centre console in particular. The same can be said for all other utes in the segment, as well as the previous generation Amarok. I feel like the build quality of the previous generation Amarok seemed to be more impervious to wiggling and bending from my initial probing.
We also experienced some intermittent, but audible rattling from one of our test vehicles, which seemed to be coming from the driver’s side B-pillar.
The Amarok misses out on additional pop-out cupholders on the outboard, which is something offered in competitors like the Toyota HiLux, Isuzu D-Max and closely-related Ford Ranger, something that can be quite handy on longer road trips.
The second row of the Volkswagen Amarok is a clear improvement over the old model. While the first generation model is pleasantly wide, this new model has more legroom, seat comfort, backrest rake and overall amenity.
The new Amarok shares key components like windows, roof panel and wheelbase, which is all good news for second row occupants. More wheelbase and overall length in this new generation model makes the Amarok much more suitable for third and fourth occupants.
There are air vents in the second row, while our test cars on this international launch also had 12V and 230V power outets (but no USB points). There is a chance that this might change for Australian-delivered models.
There is room for bottles in the second row doors, and a pop-down armrest also has two cupholders. Storage underneath the seat is great to see, and will no doubt be handy for professional and recreational usage. It’s here you’ll find the scissor jack and tyre changing equipment, as well.
The backrest of the seat is able to be flipped forward, yielding some additional minor storage space. For Panamericana and Aventura models, you’ll also find the amplifier and subwoofer tucked away here.
Moving further back into the tub, and you’re greeted by a load space that is similar in width to the older Amarok, but longer. Higher specced Aventura and Panamericana models get the works burger treatment as well, with a recipe similar to what you get in Ford Ranger Wildtrak and Platinum.
The party trick of fitting a Euro-sized pallet between the wheel arches carries over to this new Amarok, which is a good indicator of tray size. However, I think anyone looking to cart around pallet loads of stuff will be much better served with a trayback ute.
There’s an electric sliding cover, which can be operated by a button in the tub, through the key fob, or another button near the headlight controls when in the driver’s seat. There’s also a 12V power outlet, lights and six tie down points, but the Amarok unfortunately misses the smart in-built side step that is enjoyed by the Ranger.
| 2023 Volkswagen Amarok | |
| Seats | Five |
| Tray dimensions | 1544mm long 1224mm wide 1206mm between wheel arches |
| Length | 5350mm |
| Width | 1,910 mm, 2,208 mm (incl. wing mirrors) |
| Height | 1831mm |
| Wheelbase | 3270mm |
Does the new Amarok have Apple CarPlay?
When you’re replacing a model that’s over a decade old, there is is always going to be a vast improvement in the infotainment stakes. Gone is the diminutive old Volkswagen system. It has been replaced with much larger and more modern 10.0-inch and 12.0-inch portrait-style systems.
Those specs might sound familiar, because they are shared with the Ford Ranger and Everest. Volkswagen has opted to use Ford’s hardware (rather than grafting in its own), but importantly has re-skinned it with its own operating system and user experience. Ford’s own setup is a good design, but so is this one. And in terms of Volkswagen looking to differentiate this Amarok with a clear identity of its own, this was a crucial step.
The new system (regardless of size) has wired and wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto available, and we are expecting to also see digital radio and native navigation for higher specification grades. This is yet to be confirmed, but we are aware that any kind of Over The Air (OTA) updating capability is still in the works, with an arrival time yet to be defined.
There is a home button located at the top of the display, and there is only a small slice at the bottom that stays as shortcuts to common functions (like smartphone mirroring and navigation).
There’s a physical volume dial below this system – always great to see – and some additional buttons for things like climate, driving modes and other controls.
Doing any adjustments to the climate controls does require a button-press or two for access. If you’re a set-and-forget kind of operator, this probably doesn’t matter terribly much. But for those who constantly like to trim fan speed, try out recirculation and adjust temperatures, will likely miss the physical climate controls that most other utes have.
We also noted during our (admittedly short) play-around with the infotainment system, it can sometimes feel a little bit laggy in terms of response times.
Is the 2023 Amarok a safe car?
Safety is another area where the Volkswagen Amarok has taken a huge leap forward, effectively jumping from laggard to leader in one fell swoop.
By virtue of the new platform, this generation Volkswagen Amarok gets autonomous emergency braking, intelligent speed limiter, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control (with lane centring), lane-keep assistance, lane departure warning and blind spot monitoring.
The airbag count has gone up as well, with curtain airbags (for both rows of seating) front centre airbag and a driver’s knee airbag included.
What we don’t know yet is a related ANCAP safety rating, which is yet to come through. Drive understands that the Volkswagen Amarok will likely be crash-tested by Euro NCAP soon, with results to come through in the coming days.
The Ford Ranger received a five-star ANCAP score recently, and Volkswagen will be certainly keen to see a similar result come through for the new Amarok.
Is the New Amarok fuel efficient?
Along with pricing, exact fuel consumption figures are yet to be published by Volkswagen Australia, for Australian-delivered vehicles. However, we expect that the new Amarok will use similar amount of fuel to the mechanically similar Ford Ranger.
For reference’s sake, a V6-powered Ranger Wildtrak uses a claimed 8.4 litres per hundred kilometres. The twin-turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 500Nm uses a claimed 7.2 litres per hundred kilometres. However, real-world testing indicates that the usage gap between the two is smaller.
You would think that the most efficient of the range will be the least powerful, but perhaps because of the six-speed automatic gearbox, Ford’s single-turbocharged four-cylinder Ranger has a claimed figure of 7.6 litres per hundred.
One really interesting point will be how efficient the 2.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine is, which will be something of a unique proposition for the Amarok.
What is the new Amarok like to drive?
Although the first generation Amarok was one of the oldest utes on the block, it still managed to impress through the driving experience. I was always taken aback – even in the twilight years – of how positive the driving experience was in comparison to newer colleagues in the segment. It was the combination of a gutsy and willing V6 diesel powerplant, matched with balanced steering, all-wheel drive (with the automatic variants) and a good ride quality.
The additional width of the Amarok platform, with suspension components mounted futher outboard (relatively speaking) all helped to give the Amarok composure and confidence that others still lacked.
Perhaps these design elements influenced the development of the Ford T6.3 platform, which adopted outboard-mounted dampers and 50mm of additional wheel track in comparison to T6.
While components are now Ford-derived instead of Volkswagen’s own, many hallmarks of the old model are still present and accounted for. Grunty optional V6 power matched to a high-ratio automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive.
| Key details | 2.0 litre Single Turbo diesel | 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel | 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 | 2.3-litre turbo petrol |
| Power | 125.0kW @ 3500rpm | 154kW @ 3,750rpm | 184kW @ 3,250rpm | 222kW @ 5900rpm |
| Torque | 405Nm @ 1750-2500rpm | 500Nm @ 1,750-2,000rpm | 600Nm @ 1,750-2,250rpm | 452Nm @ 3350rpm |
| Drive type | Part-time 4X4 | Part-time 4X4 | Permanent 4X4 | Permanent 4X4 |
| Transmission | 6-speed automatic/manual | 10-speed automatic | 10-speed automatic | 10-speed automatic |
| Tow rating | 3500kg braked 750kg unbraked |
3500kg braked 750kg unbraked |
3500kg braked 750kg unbraked |
3500kg braked 750kg unbraked |
And like the old model, this new Amarok provides an impressive driving experience. Unlike the copy-paste job that Mazda did with Isuzu’s platform, Volkswagen has clearly spent time and effort tuning and calibrating the powertrain, suspension, steering and sound deadening to make this feel not like another Ford Ranger, but like a next-generation Amarok.
It seems that the new all-wheel drive system – which can actively adjust the amount of drive going to the front wheels – helps with the balance and confidence that you feel when threading the Amarok through corners. We can’t give a final verdict until we drive an Australian-delivered model on Australian roads, but initial indications are that this Amarok could be one of the nicest and least truck-like utes to drive in the segment.
There are some important elements to run through here, in the specification walk of the Amarok. The first three grades (Amarok, Life and Style) all share a common suspension and steering tune, while top-spec models get their own specialised treatment.
In keeping with it’s off-road leaning, Panamericana gets a softer overall suspension tune that feels more supple and absorbent. Our tester had 20-inch alloy wheels (for other markets around the world), but the Australian-delivered models will come with 18-inch wheels.
On the other hand, the Aventura firms things up through the springs and dampers. This is matched with a faster, more responsive steering tune (made possible through the new electromechanical setup) and road-oriented Goodyear Eagle 21-inch tyres.
The Aventura is impressively competent through corners, and offers high levels of engagement through the steering setup. It does feel quite firm and busy at times, falling into a high frequency jittering on imperfect road surfaces. Some might not mind this, but my feeling is the Panamericana (which steers plenty good enough for a ute in my opinion) is the pick for it’s increased suppleness.
We unfortunately only spent time in the 3.0-litre V6 on-road during this initial drive. Opportunities to drive the four-cylinder diesel models on-road were scant, and supply constraints meant that the 2.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine – a really interesting proposition for the segment – wasn’t available at all.
With 184kW and 600Nm available through the Ford-sourced 3.0-litre V6, performance seems to be on par with the Ranger. The V6 certainly has a different nature to the old Amarok’s Audi-sourced V6 which had a noticeably more peaky nature to it’s power delivery. This V6 in the new model, which has seen use now in a wide variety of applications over the years, has a flatter and more linear nature, but still offers the best diesel performance from in comparison to it’s (mostly four-cylinder) competition.
Is the new Amarok good off-road?
Now sporting a low-range transfer case across the range, the Volkswagen Amarok is a different off-road driving experience in comparison to the older model. While the old model was certainly capable in its own right, doing so without a transfer case wasn’t something that many four-wheel drivers saw eye-to-eye with.
Capability comes through in a more traditional sense here, with low-range gearing and a selection of off-road driving modes to choose from. The off-road traction control does help, but does require a noticable amount of wheelspin – and a steady throttle input in order to get the system to bite.
| 2023 Volkswagen Amarok off-road stats | |
| Ground clearance | 237mm |
| Approach/rampover/departure angles | 30 / 21 / 26 |
| Wading depth | 800mm |
| Roof load capacity | 85Kg dynamic / 350kg stationary |
| Wheel track | 1620mm front, 1650mm rear |
| Turning circle | 12.93m |
| Front overhang | 865 mm |
| Rear overhang | 1215mm |
The locking rear differential is always a helpful ally in tricky situations, but the good news here is that – although the off-road test drive we did was relatively tame – I was able to put the Amarok under enough duress to use the locking rear differential and off-road traction control at the same time. This isn’t always the case, but having the ability to control wheelspin at the front while the rear end is mechanically locked up is a good thing.
Otherwise, the off-road ability of the Amarok seems to be mostly line-ball with the Ford Ranger. Off-road clearance figures are mostly line-ball.
Our off-road driving was done with Style spec Amaroks, equipped with the 2.0-litre twin-turbocharged diesel engine, part-time four-wheel drive system and 18-inch alloy wheels.
Should I buy a new Amarok?
The old Amarok was something of a cult favourite in the four-wheel drive ute scene. It never sold in quantities that rivalled the big players in the segment, and was even outsold on occasion by the expensive and antiquated LandCruiser 70 Series. This fact alone tells us a lot about this part of the market.
And while some might decry the fact that this Amarok now shares a platform (and major components) with another ute in the segment, you cannot deny the fact that the new ute still carries a similar level of appeal to the outgoing model: a torquey V6 powerplant, all-wheel drive, great driving characteristics and a smartly laid out cabin.
But now with a much safer standard and more comfortable second row, along with a nicely laid out interior, the Amarok is able to take on the current best in the segment.
We don’t know exact pricing as yet, so we will need to be cautious on our full verdict until we know the full story. As you can see in the ratings below, however, this first drive is very positive.
The post 2023 Volkswagen Amarok Review appeared first on Drive.
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