Volkswagen: This is how easy the new Amarok is to drive 🎥
STRONG PARTNER After a sales break of almost one and a half years, the completely redeveloped Amarok from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will be on the market from May 2023. It offers more choice, payload, off-road capability, comfort, design and safety.
Over 830,000 units of the predecessor were sold, and it continues to be so popular in South America that it will continue to be built there in its current form - for the time being. The new Amarok, as it will (presumably) be available at Swiss dealers from May, is now a product of the cooperation between Volkswagen and Ford. It is based on the next-generation Ranger and, like the Ranger, will be built at Ford's Silverton plant near Pretoria in South Africa.
Nevertheless, the new Amarok is also a genuine Volkswagen. Apart from the roof, the mirror housings and the door handles, almost all visible parts inside and out have been individually designed by the VW designers. You can see it particularly clearly, for example, in the rectangularly designed wheel arches and the C light signature in the taillights.
Three TDI and five equipment levels to choose from
In Switzerland, the new Amarok comes as standard as a double cab with all-wheel drive, two 2-liter 4-cylinder turbodiesels with 170 and 205 hp, 405 and 500 Nm of torqueand a 3-liter V6 TDI with 240 hp and 600 Nm of maximum torque. The pickup is available in the three equipment versions Amarok (the workhorse), Life and Style as well as in the two top versions PanAmericana (with off-road styling) and Aventura (road-oriented exclusive styling), which we show in the gallery.
The TDIs get a 6-speed manual transmission as standard, while the 205-horsepower engine can also be optionally configured with the new 10-speed automatic transmission, which replaces the former 8-speed automatic and is standard on the V6 TDI.
Depending on the engine version, two different 4Motion systems are used: The basic system is a selectable all-wheel drive with the three drive modes 2H, 4H and 4L; the top version adds the fourth mode 4A. The multi-plate clutch installed here distributes power variably and automatically between the front and rear axles (depending on grip and speed). An optional rear differential lock (standard on the PanAmericana) and up to six intelligent driving modes perfect the all-wheel drive characteristics.
More wheelbase and shorter overhangs
At 5350 mm, the new Amarok is 96 mm longer than its predecessor, and the wheelbase has increased by 173 mm to 3270 mm. This provides more space, especially in the rear. The shortened body overhangs improve off-road capability thanks to larger slope angles of up to 30 degrees (front) and 26 degrees (rear).
In Europe, all Amarok automatic versions are allowed to tow trailers weighing up to 3.5 tons. The maximum payload has increased to 1.19 tons (unladen weight max. 2540 kg). The loading area has remained roughly the same size: there is still room across for a Euro pallet. Like its predecessor, all versions have an 80-liter fuel tank. The volume of the AdBlue tank has been increased by almost 50 percent to 19.3 liters.
Interior especially for professional tasks
The Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles design team has given the interior a functional and high-quality look. For example, there are now two glove compartments on top of each other and the material appearance builds a bridge to luxury SUVs such as the VW Touareg. The most striking feature is the new, raised central touchscreen (10.1 inches, from Style 12.0 inches). A digital cockpit is now also on board, measuring 8.0 inches from the basic Amarok version and 12.3 inches fully digital from Style. An "intuitive combination of digital functions and ergonomically designed buttons and rotary controls" has also been implemented.
The volume of the infotainment system, for example, is adjusted via a rotary control; the functions of the all-wheel drive as well as the higher-level menus for parking, climate control, the assistance systems and the driving modes are controlled via buttons, which is intuitively quickly grasped. Depending on the equipment, these robust switches are framed in a chrome look.
Assistance systems are at the cutting edge
The use of electromechanical steering opened the door to more than 20 new assistance systems - a total of more than 25 assistants are possible. The new systems include, for example, automatic distance control ("intelligent speed assistant"), a parking steering assistant for assisted parking and unparking, 360-degree all-round vision, lane change assistant and traffic sign recognition.
Precise handling on asphalt and gravel roads
Test drives around Cape Town convinced us of the comfortable and precise handling on asphalt and the effortless mastery of unpaved roads off-road. The 240 hp V6 and the confidence-inspiring automatic quickly made us forget that we were driving a pickup truck.
The seating position, overview and adjustment options gave no cause for criticism, and you occasionally had to remind yourself of the vehicle's actual dimensions in city traffic; after all, it felt like a decently powered compact car. Those who already enjoyed the previous Amarok will love the new generation.
