Volkswagen Amarok 2013 Long-term review - 4

A lull between dirt track motorcycle racing transport duties has given us the chance to subject our long-term Amarok TDI420 Highline to more serious off-road work than my rutted, half-kilometre gravel driveway.

As you may have read previously, the top-spec version of Volkswagen’s first modern dual-cab ute has delivered effortless performance in a wide range of load-hauling applications, from day-to-day family transport, weekend getaways and camping trips.

Mostly, however, it’s been the beast of burden for young Zak’s budding two-wheeled racing career, pressed into service as a workhorse to lug up to three dirt bikes and an entire pit bay’s worth of gear – including spare parts, tyres, tools, fuel, riding gear and ‘quick shade’ – for local club practice and race meetings and extended interstate title races.

Not only has it has done all that with ease for more than 13,000km since mid-2013, but it continues to steer, handle, ride, suppress noise and resist paint chips better than any other one-tonne ute we’ve driven.

The icing on the cake is average fuel consumption that continues to hover around 10.0L/100km – which is outstanding for a vehicle with this much weight and capability, and full-time 4WD – even if the 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine’s thirst varies with usage more than the larger-capacity four-cylinder diesels seen in some of its rivals.

That’s probably partly due to the fact its two top gears are both overdriven, and the engine is barely idling at 100km/h in its tall (0.667 ratio) eighth ratio, in which instantaneous consumption drops well into the sevens.

Despite its displacement disadvantage, the TDI420 feels as quick off the line and during effortless highway overtaking manoeuvres as any of its competitors except perhaps Nissan’s Navara V6 diesels, and its silky-smooth eight-speed auto is easily the most sophisticated in class.

The Amarok’s design and build quality is also top-notch, with a temporarily stuck right-rear window and loose hinge bolts on the front doors (which you can hang from without bending!) both now a distant memory, and the hard-wearing but comfortable interior showing no signs of fatigue.

In fact, apart from a couple of tailgate paint chips, a warped (locally fitted) plastic tray liner – also due to my carelessness – is the only lasting war wound on our Amarok, which apart from road grime and dust from the Euro-soft brake pads looks the same as it did six months ago.

Combined with handsome looks and pricing that’s lineball with the more established players, it’s easy to see why the Amarok ranks among our top three twin-cab ute picks, alongside the Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50.

Given its unproven pedigree, however, the two questions that keeping popping up in the tradie circles I frequent concern durability and off-road ability, given the Amarok comes with full-time 4MOTION four-wheel drive, but no low-range gearing.

We already knew the truckloads of low-down torque, a super-low (4.714 ratio) first gear, good wheel articulation, generous approach, departure and ramp-over angles – the latter ultimately limited by standard side steps – and well calibrated, switchable traction/stability control made light work of wet grassy inclines and loose gravel step-ups that would strand any two-wheel drive ute.

Even on standard (but deflated) 245/65 17-inch highway tyres, the TDI420 surprised in deep sand, where its adequate 192mm of ground clearance (non-4MOTION models without underbody protection offer up to 230mm) and plenty of revs with the stability control turned off makes it unstoppable.

But a long-awaited downpour recently gave us the chance to test the VW’s off-road ability more extensively than before.

The same tyres, combined with off-road anti-lock brakes and hill descent control, made the Amarok equally impressive on greasy, rutted tracks, muddy slopes and rocky outcrops, where its rear-end remains as planted as it does in corrugated bends, unlike some utes.

In fact, with traction control on, locked in first gear, there was so much low-speed traction that we never needed to engage its mechanical rear diff lock. We did anyway and the Amarok felt like it could crawl up anything a HiLux could in low-range.

Alas, we can’t tell you how well the Amarok tows because ours isn’t fitted with a tow kit (although we suspect its short lower ratios and lusty 420Nm of torque from just 1750rpm will make hauling its 3000kg capacity it a cinch), or how it fares with 500,000km under its belt because our time is almost up.

However, next time we’ll bring you a full 15,000km service report before we say farewell.

2013 Volkswagen Amarok TDI420 Highline price and specifications:
Price: $53,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel
Output: 132kW/420Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.3L/100km (combined)
CO2: 219g/km (combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

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