After a year or so on hiatus, the Volkswagen Amarok is back, and this second-generation pickup sticks to a formula that made the original model popular with buyers. Rather than creating a purely work-focused machine, VW has drawn inspiration from the Touareg SUV and attempted to add some premium quality to the Amarok in an effort to separate it from the rest of the pickup pack.
However, the Amarok is now closely aligned to one of its key rivals, because Volkswagen has joined forces with Ford to cut development costs, and as a result the Amarok shares the majority of its running gear - and a lot more besides - with the latest Ranger. Has VW done enough to give the Amarok a character all of its own? We’ve tried the top-spec Aventura model on Irish roads to find out.
Volkswagen Amarok range
While some pickup rivals, the Ford Ranger included, come in a range of body styles, the VW Amarok is offered only as a four-door, five-seat double cab. As a result, prices start a little higher than they do for its rivals, but even the entry-level model has a decent amount of equipment.
This is simply badged Amarok and comes with a 10.1-inch portrait touchscreen that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth and a feed from a reversing camera, which is included alongside rear parking sensors. Other standard equipment includes LED headlights, power-folding mirrors, air conditioning, adaptive cruise control, road-sign recognition and an eight-inch driver’s display.
Moving up the range, Life trim adds 17-inch alloys, front parking sensors, auto lights and wipers, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, privacy glass, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and an electric parking brake that frees up space on the Amarok’s centre console.
Above this model is the Amarok Style, which features 18-inch alloy wheels, matrix LED headlights, a larger 12-inch touchscreen, a fully digital driver’s display, seat trim with suede inserts and a chrome finish for the rear bumper.
Next up is the Amarok PanAmericana, which is designed to offer more of a ‘lifestyle’ truck experience. This adds an ‘X’ design to the front bumper, while most of the Style model’s exterior chrome has been deleted in favour of dark grey painted trim. There are black alloys, a matt black roll bar in the cargo bed and LED rear lights, too, while inside, the cabin gets brown leather, standard-fit navigation and a premium Harman Kardon sound system. One vital addition is comfort suspension, which is designed to enhance the Amarok’s credentials as an alternative to an SUV.
This comfort suspension is also fitted to the flagship Amarok Aventura tested here, although it’s countered by large-diameter 21-inch wheels. Other upgrades include additional chrome and silver exterior trim, a black leather interior, a heated steering wheel and park assist with rear traffic alert.
Volkswagen is offering three powertrains in the Amarok, although what you get will depend on which model you go for. There’s a 170hp 2.0 TDI diesel with a manual gearbox for the entry-level truck, while the Amarok Life is offered with this engine or a 205hp version with a 10-speed automatic gearbox. The Style model either comes with the 205hp 2.0 TDI auto or you can upgrade to a 3.0-litre V6 diesel with 240hp and the same 10-speed auto. The latter is the sole transmission option in PanAmericana and Aventura trims.
All versions of the Amarok are able to tow a braked maximum of 3.5 tonnes, while payload weights are in excess of one tonne for all models except for the Aventura, which is just under 900kg. Every Amarok comes with 4Motion four-wheel drive with selectable drive modes.
While the Amarok and Ranger are mechanically identical, there’s very little similarity from the outside. The VW has a slender, high-set grille that’s inspired by SUVs such as the Touareg, while the box arches are a design cue carried over from the previous generation. In an effort to distance the Amarok from the Ranger, both trucks feature different pressings for their door skins and tailgates, while it’s claimed that the only exterior parts that are shared between the VW and Ford are the roof, roof bars and windscreen.
Volkswagen Amarok Aventura interior
Aventura models feature running boards that help you to climb aboard, and they’re needed, because the Amarok is quite tall. There are also grab handles on the door pillars that will be handy for less able passengers when getting in and out.
Once on board, the Amarok Aventura certainly feels like a premium product. The leather upholstery is suitably upmarket, and the leather-trimmed steering wheel is good to hold, while wooden dashboard inserts and satin silver surrounds for the air vents add to the classy feel.
Once you’ve climbed aboard, you’ll find decent space inside. There’s a wide range of seat adjustment for the driver, while passengers won’t be complaining, either. The back seats are a little upright, thanks to the shape of the Amarok’s double cab body, but there’s room for three across the back and passengers will be comfortable as well. Although this is not a family car, there’s probably room across the back bench to fit in three child seats as it’s notably wide.
The Amarok uses a version of Ford’s portrait-oriented touchscreen with bespoke Volkswagen graphics. The climate controls are a permanent fixture at the bottom of the screen, and there’s a bank of toggle switches beneath that are shortcuts to different functions. The most obvious parts-sharing between the Ford and VW comes with the secondary cabin controls, with the gear selector, column stalks and ‘pinch’-style internal door releases all being the same in both trucks.
Volkswagen Amarok Aventura driving experience
It will come as no surprise to learn that the Amarok is pretty much the same to drive as a Ranger. However, that’s no bad thing, because these current-generation pickup trucks are more like SUVs in character than ever before. That’s especially true of this top-spec Aventura model, which features comfort suspension that’s designed to enhance the Amarok’s ride even further. However, the large 21-inch wheels do counteract the extra suppleness of this suspension set-up, and the truck fidgets and jiggles over rough surfaces at most speeds.
There’s some bounce from the rear end, too, courtesy of a leaf suspension set-up that’s designed to accept a heavy payload. When you do have the back end loaded up, then the Amarok does feel more tied down and comfortable, though.
Light steering means it’s easy to point the Amarok in the right direction and it’s surprisingly nimble for such a large machine, but it’s not really a vehicle you want to tackle a twisty road in. It’s better to just take advantage of the smooth V6 diesel and ride the 600Nm of torque that’s on offer. The 10-speed gearbox is less successful as it seems to be constantly searching for the perfect ratio and it’s not always lurch-free in its gearchanges, either. Still, that’s offset by a smooth V6 soundtrack.
While most pickup trucks won’t venture very far off the beaten track, it’s good to know that the Amarok is very accomplished in the rough. The four-wheel-drive system is fully automated, so all you have to do is engage the correct mode. A rotary controller behind the drive selector allows you to select between 2WD for the most efficient on-road use, automatic 4WD that engages when the electronics sense a loss of traction, or permanent 4WD with high and low ranges. There’s no secondary lever to select low range, as the electronics do it all for you. A centre differential lock is also fitted to boost traction - again this is engaged at the press of a button, while a rear differential lock is standard on the PanAmericana, and can be added as an option to Style and Aventura models.
Volkswagen also includes off-road modes that are selectable via the large touchscreen. These cater for different terrains, including mud, sand and rocks. The biggest obstacles to the Amarok’s off-road ability will be its long wheelbase and the road-biased tyres that are fitted as standard, but the reality is that this big VW will be able to tackle far tougher conditions than any owner is likely to put it through.
Where the Amarok is at its worst is around town. While the driving position is tall for a clear view, that long, flat bonnet creates a blind spot immediately ahead of the truck, although the profile of the bonnet means it’s slightly lower than the Ranger’s blind spot. There is a front-facing camera that helps with positioning, though, while the Aventura model’s park assist system is useful to help you manoeuvre this machine at low speeds. Again, light steering means it’s easy to twirl the wheel from lock to lock, but at 5.4 metres long, there’s a lot of truck to handle, and the turning circle is large, so urban driving can be a bit of a challenge.
Alternatives to the Volkswagen Amarok Aventura
An obvious rival to the Amarok is the platform-sharing Ford Ranger. Prices are slightly lower for the Ford on a like-for-like basis, and a wider variety of models is available, too. There’s a single cab variant, the high-performance twin-turbo V6 petrol-powered Raptor and the Ranger Platinum, which mirrors the Amarok Aventura with a plush interior and plenty of equipment.
Elsewhere, the Toyota Hilux has been given constant updates to keep it competitive. It also has a wider variety of variants, but it only comes with a four-cylinder diesel, so there’s no direct rival for the V6 Aventura driven here. It’s a similar story with the Isuzu D-Max, which has a more workmanlike line-up, but is let down by the company’s 1.9-litre diesel, which is noisy and underpowered.
For a left-field choice, the SsangYong Musso offers a long warranty, but again only comes with a four-cylinder diesel, while the Maxus T90EV is a very niche option, being the only electric pickup truck currently for sale in Ireland, albeit one that comes only with rear-wheel drive. Aside from these pickups, you could also choose a commercial 4x4 such as a Land Rover Defender Hard Top or Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial, but these don’t have the payload capacity of the Amarok, although towing weights are similar.
Volkswagen Amarok Aventura summary
The latest VW Amarok fits the same brief as before by offering a more upmarket proposition to pickup truck buyers. It has been suitably upgraded inside and out to offer a cabin and driving experience that stands apart from most other pickups.
It drives well enough, especially when fitted with the smooth and powerful V6 diesel tested here, although this Aventura model is compromised in terms of its overall comfort, courtesy of those big wheels, and its payload isn’t as good as it is for the lower-spec variants. If we were buying, then the PanAmericana would be a preferable option - it comes with a payload of more than a tonne and will ride better than the Aventura thanks to its smaller wheels, but it still benefits from that V6 power and comfort suspension.