Item: Volkswagen Amarok
Rating: 5
Author: What Car? Team

Fiat Fullback

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Ssangyong Musso

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Volkswagen Amarok

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

As is usually the case with Volkswagens, you have to be prepared to pay a bit extra for the badge. For example, even the cheapest version of the Amarok doesn't cost much less than the range-topping versions of many rivals, including the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mitsubishi/l200/4x4/review/n168">Mitsubishi L200</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/navara/pick-up/review/n17169">Nissan Navara</a>.

However, because pickups count as light commercial vehicles (LCVs), your monthly company car tax payments will be exactly the same whichever one you choose, irrespective of list price and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/new-official-fuel-consumption-and-co2-tests-explained/n1213">CO2 emissions</a> –&nbsp;and significantly lower than it would be for most mainstream family cars.

The Amarok is available only with V6 diesel engines, so it's thirstier than many rivals. However, even the most powerful 258 version still managed a respectable&nbsp;27.5mpg in our real-world tests. The Amarok is also predicted to depreciate more slowly than many of its rivals.

We’d stick with entry-level Trendline trim, which gets you relative creature comforts&nbsp;such as climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and handbrake lever, and some chrome detailing. We'd be tempted to pay a bit extra to add parking sensors and adjustable lumbar support, though.

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The Amarok is designed to carry huge payloads (more than a tonne) over rough and muddy terrain, and it fulfils that brief very well indeed. But you might be more surprised to hear that, while it doesn't match the driving manners of most&nbsp;conventional SUVs,&nbsp;it's deeply impressive on the road compared to its pickup rivals.

Naturally, its sheer size and weight means there’s body roll even in gentle&nbsp;corners, but less than you get in almost all of its competitors. The steering is also relatively accurate and nicely weighted;&nbsp;the only truck that’s better in the bends is the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/ranger/4x4/review/n17250">Ford Ranger</a>. Admittedly, other vehicles in this class have set the bar quite low for comfort, but the Amarok deals with bumps better&nbsp;than any other&nbsp;pickup, and is especially smooth at higher speeds.

Another area where the Amarok stands out&nbsp;is its cracking engine lineup. You have a choice between two mightily impressive 3.0-litre V6 diesels, with 201bhp or 254bhp. The latter version gives astonishingly brisk performance with 0-62mph taking a mere 7.4sec, while heavy loads are shrugged off with ease. However, the 201bhp version still gives punchier performance than the vast majority of pickups and is usefully cheaper – that's why it's our pick. Happily, both engines work well with the eight-speed automatic gearbox, with smooth shifts and far less hesitation when you put your foot down than in many automatic SUVs, let alone other pickup trucks.

There’s plenty of wind noise on the motorway, although the Amarok is actually reasonably civilised by commercial vehicle standards. It's also worth mentioning that it's impressively stable when towing, with all models capable of pulling a braked trailer weighing up to 3100kg. Mind you, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mitsubishi/l200/4x4/review/n168">Mitsubishi L200</a>&nbsp;can pull more and has better ground clearance for off-road driving.

Pickup trucks have become increasingly popular in recent years, thanks in part to some tempting&nbsp;tax advantages for business users. And the&nbsp;Volkswagen Amarok is one of the very best – in fact it's so good we voted it our 2020&nbsp;Pickup of the Year.&nbsp;

While some rivals are&nbsp;available in a variety of bodystyles, all versions of the Amarok&nbsp;have&nbsp;four doors and five seats. All models also have an eight-speed automatic gearbox and permanent four-wheel drive, although, if you do decide to&nbsp;buy&nbsp;one, you will have at least two&nbsp;decisions to make.

The first is which of the two 3.0-litre V6 diesel engines you'd like under the bonnet – one with 201bhp or one with a mighty 254bhp. And the second is which of four trim levels best suits your budget and desire for luxuries.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PAMGwqGJVKM"></iframe>

On the road, no pickup truck&nbsp;can&nbsp;match the best conventional SUVs for driving enjoyment or ride comfort. But how does the Amarok compare with rival pickups, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/ranger/4x4/review/n17250">Ford Ranger</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mitsubishi/l200/4x4/review/n168">Mitsubishi L200?</a>

Read on over the next few pages for our full verdict. And while we might not be able to save you any cash on a commercial vehicle&nbsp;at present, you'll find some fantastic deals on regular SUVs over at our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">New Car Buying pages</a>.

Inside, the Amarok is styled to match Volkswagen's regular car range, albeit with the Amarok trading any flamboyance and panache for robustness and functionality. Pickups tend to lead hard lives, so it's not surprising that the interior is decked out with tough, wipe-clean plastics, yet everything feels really well put together.

It's a bit of a climb up into the driver's seat, but once you're in there's a decent range of seating and steering wheel adjustment to help you get comfortable. You probably won’t stay that way on long journeys, though, because the Amarok’s seats don’t offer much in the way of lower back support unless you spend extra on adjustable lumbar support; a sensibly priced option we’d recommend. Electric seats are standard on top-spec Aventura Black Edition and optional on every other model bar entry-level Trendline. Visibility isn’t bad, but we’d recommend adding parking sensors if you're buying the entry-level&nbsp;trim.&nbsp;

Trendline models do, however, get a 6.3in touchscreen infotainment system with a DAB radio, Bluetooth and<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">&nbsp;Apple CarPlay</a>/<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a>&nbsp;smartphone mirroring. It's a better system than you'll find in other pickup trucks and is pretty easy to use while driving. A built-in sat nav does cost extra on the cheaper trims, but&nbsp;we’d suggest using Waze or Google on your phone rather than spending the extra.

Pick-Up

The VW Group famously spends more money on research and development than any rival – and as a result, perhaps it should be no surprise that our testers rate its cars so consistently highly.

The fact that many of those cars use the same underpinnings also helps, because it means that if they get it right once, they have the foundations to keep on getting it right.

However, the Volkswagen brand faces plenty of tough competition, often from within, because the rapidly rising Seat and Skoda brands that are also part of the group have access to the same technology.

VOLKSWAGEN

AMAROK

The best pickup you can buy, even if it is quite pricey

Four-door ‘double cabs’ are by far the most popular pickup body style in the UK, so it's hardly surprising that VW offers the Amarok only in this form. Rivals, such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/ranger/4x4/review/n17250">Ford Ranger</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/navara/pick-up/review/n17169">Nissan Navara</a>, are also offered in smaller two-door 'single cab' guise.

Front seat occupants will find plenty of room in all directions, but adults sitting in the back of the Amarok will be left feeling a little cramped due to&nbsp;limited knee room. There's plenty of head room, though, and three adults will fit across the rear bench.

But many pickup buyers will be more concerned about the load bay. Well it's good news for the Amarok here, as it offers one of the very best in the class. The maximum payload it can take reduces as you move up the range, but is between 1030kg and 1147kg. That's one of the highest among its rivals, and the load bay is also longer, deeper and taller than rivals' such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mitsubishi/l200/4x4/review/n168">Mitsubishi L200</a>.

The Volkswagen Amarok is a brilliant pickup that's good to drive and very practical. The V6 diesel engines are also really strong, although many rivals are cheaper to buy and run.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Go-anywhere capability</li> <li>Work-ready load bay</li> <li>Robust, durable yet also pleasant interior</li> <li>Commanding driving position</li> <li>Heavyweight towing capacity</li></ul>

The popularity of pick-up trucks is growing in the UK, thanks in part to a fixed-rate company car tax for business users, due to them being categorised as light commercial vehicles.

But it's not just those savings to your wallet that makes the pick-up a compelling buy; incredibly durability, huge towing capacity and the surprising about of technology available means the majority are worthy for much more than just working on building sites.

Prices start at under £30,000 for examples such as the Ssangyong Musso, while top-spec models, including the Volkswagen Amarok, feature rear-view cameras, heated seats and smartphone mirroring. Just beware high running costs, as might be expected for vehicles of this size.&nbsp;

Pick-up

Volkswagen Amarok review

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Buying advice for the Volkswagen Amarok covering running costs, MPG, Fuel Economy, Reliability and Safety, from the expert What Car? review team.

As is usually the case with Volkswagens, you have to be prepared to pay a bit extra for the badge. For example, even the cheapest version of the Amarok doesn't cost much less than the range-topping versions of many rivals, including the Mitsubishi L200 and Nissan Navara.,However, because pickups count as light commercial vehicles (LCVs), your monthly company car tax payments will be exactly the same whichever one you choose, irrespective of list price and CO2 emissions – and significantly lower than it would be for most mainstream family cars.,The Amarok is available only with V6 diesel engines, so it's thirstier than many rivals. However, even the most powerful 258 version still managed a respectable 27.5mpg in our real-world tests. The Amarok is also predicted to depreciate more slowly than many of its rivals.We’d stick with entry-level Trendline trim, which gets you relative creature comforts such as climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and handbrake lever, and some chrome detailing. We'd be tempted to pay a bit extra to add parking sensors and adjustable lumbar support, though.,For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

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