Volkswagen Amarok 2017 Review

The VW Amarok V6 Highline is somewhat of an orphan in this line-up. For starters, the engine is a V6 rather than an in-line four as found in the Toyota, Isuzu, Holden and Mitsubishi, or the straight-five of the Ford and Mazda.

Volkswagen’s first ute was designed in Europe, whereas the rest (except the Aussie Ranger) were penned in Japan.

Also unique is the Amarok’s drivetrain, which sees a permanent four-wheel drive setup mated to an eight-speed automatic with no low range.

The Amarok’s engine is the heart and soul of this vehicle – and it has a tremendous pedigree. It’s a 90-degree V6 from the same family as the engines used in the Audi Q7 and even the Porsche Cayenne. With 165kW and a thumping 550Nm of torque from a low 1500rpm, this is an engine ideal for load-hauling, towing and off-roading – all of the attributes we were looking for on this comparison.

And it gets better – ‘over-boost’ lifts the Amarok’s power from 165kW to 180kW. Kicking in at 70 per cent accelerator extension, over-boost is delivered in third and fourth gears from 50km/h and hangs on for 10 seconds. After a five-second rest, over-boost can be accessed again.

Traditionalists might expect the lack of low range would seriously compromise the Amarok off-road, but that’s not the case – Volkswagen’s permanent full-time all-wheel drive system distributes power through a torque-sensing (Torsen) differential with a 40:60 ratio front/rear.

Combine that system with its locking rear differential and the low-down grunt of the V6 and we had the Amarok climbing hills and obstacles with the best of them. Of course the Amarok wasn’t our outright off-road champion, but it was certainly impressive and eminently capable of meeting the needs of virtually all dual-cab ute buyers.

Similarly, it was an impressive load hauler and tow tug, with our testers in both areas giving the Volkswagen the thumbs up.

On-road, the Amarok V6 was hard to beat. While the effortless power delivery of the V6 is a given, credit to Volkswagen too for the nicely balanced suspension.

In many utes, the match of the suspension front to rear is not great: too soft up front pursuing passenger comfort, and too hard in the rear pursuing optimal payload and towing ability. The result is usually a ute that's too soft in the front yet one that rides like a buckboard in the rear.

Not so the Amarok. Volkswagen has got this vehicle sorted to the point where those inside sense they’re riding in a luxury wagon.

Driving Melbourne to Albury return failed to induce any sensations of being fatigued, shaken or stirred. With the cruise control set and with no bump-steer from the rear (a bugbear of many utes), the Amarok tracks straight and true.

Real world fuel economy was noted as 8.8L/100km on the highway and not much more around town.

Also noteworthy are the Amarok's excellent four-wheel disc brakes – a step up from the traditional front disc/rear drum arrangement. Disc brakes and superior suspension engineering would seem to make the Volkswagen a safer ute.

However, it's actually in the area of safety where the Amarok fell short, the model failing to offer curtain airbags in the rear.

The fact is, while the Amarok might still be considered a commercial vehicle in Europe, dual-cab utes in Australia often have a lifestyle focus, and family buyers in particular will be looking for an appropriate level of safety for rear-seat passengers.

That shortcoming aside, the Amarok fulfils its diverse array of potential roles incredibly well.

2017 Volkswagen Amarok V6 Highline pricing and specifications:
Price: $59,990 (plus ORCs)
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 165kW/550Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.8L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 204g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP

2017 Volkswagen Amarok V6 Highline payload, towing and tray dimensions:
Payload: 911kg
Tie-down points: Four
GVM/GCW: 3080kg / 6000kg
Vehicle weight: 2169kg (tare) / 2255kg (kerb)
Towing capacity: 750kg (unbraked) / 3000kg (braked)
Tray dimensions: 1460 (L) x 1620mm (W) x 500mm (H); 1160mm (b/w arches)

2017 Volkswagen Amarok V6 Highline off-road geometry, wading and clearance:
Ground clearance: 192mm
Wading Depth: 500mm
Approach Angle: 28 degrees
Break-over Angle: 23.6 degrees
Departure Angle: 23 degrees

2017 4WD Dual-Cab Ute contents:

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