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The Volkswagen Amarok was first introduced to the public in General Pacheco, Argentina on January 7th 2010 after first being teased as the Robust Pick-Up concept in 2008. The production model was said to 95% resemble the concept vehicle, a rarity in the automotive industry.
Between 2010 and 2022, 830,000 units of the first-generation VW Amarok were sold. When the second generation Amarok was announced in July 2022 it was highly anticipated by fans of the pickup market as one of the leading commercial vehicles from Volkswagen.
The new Amarok is here, making a clear statement for its drivers: all roads are the destination. Our Volkswagen Amarok review will guide you through the new Amarok to help you decide which option across the range is best for you.
The Volkswagen Amarok has been reimagined and defines the premium segment of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles with modern technology and redesigned styling.
The new model also comes from the creation of a commercial partnership between Volkswagen and Ford meaning that the Amarok and the Ford Ranger are built in the same factory and are closely connected. However, the only shared parts on the exterior are the roof panel, the door handles, and the mirror casings which means that they are both still very much their own distinct models.
Looking at the basics, the new Amarok is 96mm longer than the previous Amarok and the wheelbase has an increase of 173mm which reduces the body overhangs and adds to an increased slope angle and a better off road capability.
As well as this, the Amarok now also has an increased wading depth of 800mm - 300mm more than its predecessor - which means that off road fans can immersive themselves in their environment even more with the new model.
It is defined by clear, powerful contours and a slightly wider stance and its perfected body proportions ensure optimised driving characteristics on-road and off-road.
The Amarok interior matches the premium exterior design with a high-quality total redesign. Innovative equipment throughout the cabin now includes a digital cockpit up to 12.3 inches, a heated leather multifunction steering wheel with steering wheel paddles, vertical touch colour display up to 12 inches, USB-A and USB-C connection points, 8 loudspeakers, wireless charging, and background lighting.
This is paired with cloth, microfleece, and leather options for the seats and soft touch points for many of the other coverings around the cabin. These bespoke seats and the unique dashboard design set the Volkswagen Amarok interior aside from competitors, including the Ford Ranger.
The portrait style touchscreen offers controls for all interior features, including temperature and air conditioning, and is a much sleeker design than you might expect from a commercial vehicle. The SsangYong Musso, for example, is less streamlined and has a whole host of buttons alongside the infotainment screen for you to use which looks untidy and less upmarket in comparison.
Front seat passengers will have 1040mm of head room whilst rear seat passengers can enjoy 989mm of head room, meaning that even those who are six feet and over should be able to sit comfortably in any of the five seats in the Volkswagen Amarok. You will also only be able to buy the Amarok as a double cab pick up in the UK.
The load bed is 16224mm long and 1584mm wide and has lashing rings to tie loads of up to 400kg down. There is also an optional manual of electric roll cover to keep your load safe and secure or you can even spec a hardtop if that's your preference.
The total payload for the Amarok is 1.13 tonnes (1130kg) and a further towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes (3500kg). Additionally a further 85kg can be placed on the roof whilst driving but can be increased to 350kg when parked which is enough for the roof tent accessory if you are considering it as an option.
There are three diesel engines available on the latest Volkswagen Amarok; two 2.0 litre in-line 4 options and one 3.0 litre V6 option. All of the engine options are RDE2 compliant and have a top speed of 112mph.
The 2.0 litre diesel engine comes with either a six speed manual gearbox or ten speed automatic gearbox. Both have Volkswagen 4MOTION, the brand's all wheel drive which gives you selectable four wheel drive whilst on the road.
The manual transmission offers 170PS output alongside 405 Nm of torque for a combine mpg figure of 33.6 whilst the automatic transmission offers 205PS alongside 500 NM of torque and a combined mpg of 32.8.
The 3.0 litre V6 diesel engine is even more powerful with an output of 240PS and 600 Nm of torque. It also has a ten speed automatic gearbox and 4MOTION but the additional power brings the 0-62mph time down by 1.5 seconds from 10.5 to 9.0 seconds flat.
There are four trim levels available on the new Amarok range: Life, Style, PanAmericana, and Aventura.
The entry level Amarok Life gives you 17 inch Combra alloy wheels, a black rear bumper, tie-downs in the cargo area, front and rear mudflaps, heated door mirrors with power adjustment and folding, front fog lights with cornering function, heat reflecting glass in the front windows, and LED headlamps.
Inside you'll have a leather wrapped multi-function steering wheel, 8 way adjustment for the front seats, air conditioning with manual controls, an 8 inch digital cockpit with colour screen, a 10 inch infotainment system, DAB radio, Android Auto and Apple Carplay, electric parking brake, 2 reading lights for the front seats, and a glasses compartment in the overhead console.
Upgrading to the Amarok Style then includes 18 inch Amadora alloy wheels, chrome styling bar, black side step with chrome insert, grille with chrome strip, dual-zone climate control, 10-way power adjustable driver seat, 8 way adjustable front passenger seat, carpet floor covering the cab, and ambient lighting.
The technology is upgraded too to include IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights, a 360 degree camera, Park Assist which gives parking distance control with front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, a 12 inch digital cockpit, a 12 inch infotainment system with navigation, and wireless phone charging.
The Amarok PanAmericana trim level then adds cricket leather eats, 10 way power adjustable front driver and passenger seats, 18 inch Amadora black alloy wheels, black exterior details, locking rear differential, Harman Kardon premium audio system which has eight loudspeakers including a subwoofer and 640 watts output, LED cargo area lighting, a comfort suspension system, and an underride guard.
The top trim level, the Amarok Aventura, gives you Savona leather seats, a heated steering wheel, 21 inch Varberg silver alloy wheels, silver roof rails, chrome accents, a body-coloured X-Style front bumper, and Park Assist Plus which includes PDC in the front and rear with rear traffic alert.
The new Amarok has a five star safety rating from Euro NCAP which places it on par with other pickup trucks such as the Ford Ranger and the Isuzu D-Max Crew Cab. It then outperforms a car like the Nissan Navara, which achieved four stars, and the standard Toyota Hilux, which achieved only three stars.
Standard driver and assistance systems and tech on the Amarok range includes electronic stability control, automatic post-collision braking system, autonomous emergency braking front assist with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, lane assist, hill start assist, tyre pressure monitoring, Park Distance Control in the front and rear with manoeuvre braking, a rear view camera, and dynamic road sign display.
Additional driver assistance tech on the pickup truck from higher trim levels allows you to then utilise the Park Assist Plus which includes PDC in both the front and rear with rear traffic alert, LED matrix headlights, a 360 degree camera, an electronic differential lock, and adaptive cruise control.
Volkswagen have also confirmed that the new Amarok comes with the 5+ Promise which includes 5 services and 3 MOTs, 5 years warranty, and 5 years roadside assistance. Any repairs must be carried out by authorised repairers only and the warranty lasts for 5 years or 124,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Whilst prices are subject to change, Volkswagen are currently advising that the new Amarok will begin at £40,791 for the Amarok Life and moving up to £50,931 for the Amarok Style. The Amarok PanAmericana then comes in as a premium pick up at £56,631 and finally the top trim Amarok Aventura comes in at £57,591.
When comparing to other models, the Volkswagen Amarok is priced slightly higher than some other double cab pickup trucks but offers an excellent set of equipment, safety features, and design elements that you would expect from the VW brand.
The new Volkswagen Amarok is one of the most popular VW vans that the brand has ever produced and the number of units sold testifies to that. Volkswagen has taken the well loved model and redesigned and improved it for the new generation, successfully so.
For more information about the new Volkswagen Amarok, to discuss the range in full, look at our competitive finance options, and to take a test drive contact Clark Commercials in Aberdeen today. Our friendly team are always available to help you choose your next commercial vehicle.
