2023 Volkswagen Amarok pick-up truck revealed: price, specs and release date
On sale: Early 2023 | Price from: £32,000 (est, excluding VAT)
When the going gets tough, Billy Ocean once sang, the tough get going. And nowhere is that more true than in the world of pick-up trucks. The best, though, are more than just rufty-tufty working vehicles that can tackle motorway and mud in equal measure; they can also be comfortable and practical enough for family use. And that’s where this new VW Amarok aims to excel.
Sporting a more aggressive design than previous models, the new Amarok features slimmer, more angular lights, a thinner front grille and larger wheel arches. It will be available in two-door single cab and four-door double cab versions – with the latter especially well suited to families. This Amarok is longer than before, but also slightly narrower, and sits farther from the ground, although this can vary depending on which wheels and tyres you go for.
Buyers can opt for alloy wheels ranging from 18in to 21in, while off-roading options include underbody protection and a high-level snorkel to feed air to the engine if you’re crossing rivers. Indeed, this Amarok has a greater wading depth than before, up to 800mm from 500mm.
The distance between the front and rear wheels has also been extended significantly, which should help this Amarok to feel even more stable both on and off road.
The new Amarok was co-developed with the upcoming new Ford Ranger, and that’s good news for buyers, because the current Ranger is our reigning Pick-up of the Year.
You can now strap more onto the roof of the Amarok than you could previously, because the roof rack can now take up to 350kg – a 150kg increase over the previous model – while the load bed can now carry loads weighing up to 1.16 tonnes. The rear bed can fit a Euro-size pallet between the rear wheel arches. You need not worry about leaving valuables in the Amarok’s load bed, either, because a hard-top will be offered to enclose it.
Further boosting the Amarok’s appeal for families is its expanded options list, which now includes a bike holder and a new carrier system for the roof box.
The new Amarok will be offered with a choice of five power outputs. The engine line-up kicks off with 148bhp and 168bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesels, or you can have a twin-turbocharged version with 207bhp. Higher up the range is a 3.0-litre V6 diesel that pumps out 247bhp and a thumping 443lb ft of torque. There’s also a turbocharged 2.3-litre petrol engine with 298bhp.
Gearbox options include five and six-speed manuals, plus six and 10-speed automatics. A huge, 80-litre fuel tank is standard, while diesel-engined versions feature a larger AdBlue tank than before, up from 13 litres to 19.3 litres. This helps to reduce CO2 emissions.
Inside, lower-rung Amarok models come with an 8.0in digital instrument panel, while high-end versions get an upgraded 12.0in display. A central infotainment touchscreen measuring 10.0in on entry-level versions and up to 12.0in on high-end versions also features. Most of the Amarok’s functions are controlled through touch alone, but there are also physical shortcut buttons below the infotainment screen for commonly used functions.
Prices for the new VW Amarok are expected to start from around £32,000, excluding VAT. That will make it more expensive than most rivals, including the Toyota Hilux and Isuzu D-Max.
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