We tested Volkswagens (VW) first ever commercial pickup truck in Hanover, Germany. VW have sold pickups in Europe before, but they were small car based pickups for farmers and small business owners and they were based on the Mk2 Golf and the Caddy van. VW in 2009 showed their first ever purpose designed truck to the world and since then sales have been good but not spectacular. Why? Well with established products like the Hilux, BT50, D-Max and Ranger having more market history, the Amarok has to fight its way into the hearts of buyers, especially in Asia. Furthermore, with more competition coming from Korea and China at attractive prices, the Amarok’s premium branding makes it less viable in the South East Asian market where pickups sell the best.
Still, we were going to test drive this truck on the open road and also on a purpose designed off road track to see and feel how it stacks up against the immediate competition. First the looks. VW have gone for a very safe and evergreen look with their first pickup. It’s squared off sharp looks are complimented with generous wide fenders able to take in up to 20-inch wheels and a large cargo rear deck.
Step inside and the VW car division has loaned the Amarok all its interior bits and features. You sit facing a car dashboard with very basic instrumentation and good outward view. VW cabin designers have forgotten to give the Amarok rear passengers class best seating space and comfort which would have been a good selling point for lifestyle owners.
On the open road the Amarok shows its finesse with smooth gear changes from the 8-speed box and a very polished ride. It’s comfortable with good steering feel and a tight turning radius. The 2-liter diesel sends its 163bhp of power with ease and there is never a feeling of breathlessness. The ride is firm without being too bumpy. It’s a civilised ride in the city and on the open highway.
The next stage was the off road track. We started with some light terrain and worked the Amarok into a water trench. It took to the terrain easily and the water trench was smooth and the steering did not ‘float’ away from our grip. As we made our way through the mud and grime the terrain got worse and we shifted to lower gear, but our instructor had us shift back to ‘D’ mode.
The 400Nm of torque was used and we used little throttle effort to get in and out of the rough. The engine is very flexible allowing for little effort to push this truck through mud. We even took it sideways along an embankment and the suspension took a beating as we increased our speed. No problem at all for this very capable truck.
The rest of the off road circuit had us pushing this truck into even worse terrain and still the Amarok kept is confident of its capabilities. In the end it was clear that VW 4×4 engineers have done a great job in making this truck a real workhorse that was still civilised enough for city commuting.
The Volkswagen Amarok pick-up truck is coming to Malaysia in early 2013. The new generation Amarok will be equipped with BlueMotion technology, improving its fuel economy and reducing CO2 emissions. Some of its features that cut fuel consumption are stop-start, regenerative braking and low rolling-resistance tires. As a result, the Bluemotion Amarok will offer a combined 37.2mpg and has a CO2 emissions level of 199g/km. All new Amarok’s, along with the BlueMotion model, will get a revised 2.0-litre TDI engine, boosting its power from 163bhp to 178bhp.
It will also offer a new 8-speed automatic gearbox. It will also have the following upgrades: Bluetooth connectivity, front and rear parking sensors, headlamp washer jets, cornering fog lights and a set of 19-inch alloy wheels. We wait to test this premium version of the Amarok when it arrives.
Volkswagen Amarok Specification
Engine: Inline-4, DOHC, 16V, Direct Injection
Capacity: 1968cc
Transmission: 6-speed manual, 4×4 / 8-speed auto, AWD
Max Power: 163PS @ 4,000rpm
Max Torque: 400Nm @ 1,500 – 2,250rpm
Fuel Consumption: 7.9 l/100km (M/T), 8.3 l/100km (A/T)
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