Volkswagen Amarok Highline 2017 Long-term review - 1

If there's one thing ute-loving Aussies like, it's power.

In the bustling dual-cab utility segment, power is compelling in the all-important ‘pub test’ – the unofficial litmus assessment for getting a new name into the market.

Volkswagen’s V6 Amarok with its class-leading output proves the point and the sales comparison with the four-cylinder turbo-diesel Amarok is revealing.

Introduced last year, the bent-six has leveraged Amarok sales significantly in Australia; about 14.5 per cent year-to-date and by 71.2 per cent in the month of October. In fact, Volkswagen Group Australia claims the V6 now accounts for about 70 per cent of Amarok demand.

Putting aside the hype of the engine and sales, what’s the V6 Amarok actually like to live with? Do the creature comforts and refinement make it a viable SUV competitor?

motoring.com.au hopes to provide a definitive answer in the coming months as we get to know the Amarok V6, as our latest long-termer.

Power – for a price
We’ve been loaned the V6 Highline, which at $59,990 (plus on-road costs), sits second from the top in the ever-growing Amarok line-up.

At that money, the VW directly rivals Ford’s Ranger Wildtrak and the Toyota HiLux SR5 automatic, bringing to the table a full-time all-wheel drive system, a colour touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto capability, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, dual zone climate control and a reversing camera, among other standard features.

The Amarok V6’s 165kW/550Nm outputs (180kW in overboost) shade anything this side of the larger RAM 1500, channelling drive via an eight-speed automatic. It’s also unique in the segment by offering four wheel disc brakes, and Volkswagen says a low ratio first gear partially offsets the car’s lack of low-range four-wheel drive.

In the company of the Ranger, the Amarok is let down by a lack of modern active safety technology; it gets a multi-collision brake function which automatically slows the vehicle after an accident, but there is no autonomous emergency braking, no radar cruise control, no lane keeping assist and no rear cross traffic alert.

A bigger omission is the absence of rear curtain airbags, a crucial oversight in this family friendly segment, much to the disappointment of local stakeholders who continue to put a case forward to the Amarok factory.

First impression
When introduced in 2011, the Amarok raised the bar for interior presentation and the good news is the latest model still holds up strongly despite only minimal changes in six years.

The front cloth buckets are plush and supportive, there are soft-touch materials at the contact points and the instrumentation is clear and concise. We can’t speak for how the seats perform in a long journey capacity just yet, but one surprise, particularly at this price point, is Volkswagen requires an additional $2690 for the optional Vienna leather trim.

Elsewhere, the Amarok’s packaging is a mix of good and bad. On one hand, its roomy tray (1555mm long x 1620mm wide x 508mm deep) is at the pointy end of the segment, big enough to swallow a pallet and replete with four tie-down points, a 12-volt outlet and a 909kg payload.

But, on the flipside, the big tray compromises rear seat space so there is less leg room than immediate rivals and the Amarok foregoes rear air vents even in this Highline trim. A dearth of knee space is highlighted when we installed a rear-facing baby capsule, which essentially forces the front passenger seat ahead to be slid almost all the way forward. Is it unethical to put a small child in a vehicle with no rear curtain airbags? We haven’t crossed that bridge just yet…

The availability of Apple Carplay is a boon for this segment, and something we put to use straight away. It’s a shame the tiny 6.3-inch touchscreen doesn’t project the technology – or for that matter sat-nav and other settings – as nicely as, say, the updated Volkswagen Golf.

On the road
At first you are taken aback by how big the Amarok feels from the driver’s seat. The long, broad dash and slabby centre console imbue it with a sensation of sheer size; a trait which won’t wash with all prospective buyers.

Surprisingly, the V6 Amarok’s reputation for spellbinding power isn’t exactly telegraphed on take-off. A touchy, hesitant tip-in of the throttle initially leaves a feeling of timidness – though this is eventually overcome with more seat time.

Nonetheless, the Amarok impresses with its surfeit of useable power and torque. Getting up to speed is simply effortless, and the V6 does so while emitting a muscular diesel rumble which reinforces its power and flagship positioning.

The Amarok’s excellent steering, body control, bump absorption and overall refinement remains impressive in V6 form, though it must be said competitors are forever edging closer. However, with no load in tray, the ride is still susceptible to some firmness, particularly over small amplitude imperfections.

With only 250km on the clock so far, we’ll use the next long-term review to report on ‘our’ Amarok’s driving dynamics across all manner of surfaces. So far its biggest test has been towing a load.

Tow test
Our new long-termer had barely been familiarised with its new home before duty called. With barely 100km covered since pick-up, a backyard blitz hitched a 1200kg load of blue metal in a 650kg trailer. Next came some garden beds.

The resulting circa 1850kg maximum load barely put a dent in the V6’s performance – after all it was recently upgraded to a 3.5-tonne towing capacity. On steep inclines, the Amarok’s momentum was steadied, though it remained comfortable in holding its speed and accelerated gradually if you floored the go-fast pedal.

During a short highway run, the engine ticked over at a miserly 1600rpm with the 1.8 tonne load in tow, culminating in a 10.5L/100km fuel consumption average.

The Amarok’s leaf-sprung rear felt steady with the load in tow, resisting the temptation to be ‘driven from the rear’, unlike many key rivals. The car’s rear view camera is also positioned perfectly for hitching, though outside of this application the towball tends to distort the camera’s depth of field.

We look forward to seeing what the coming months bring for the Amarok long-termer. On first impression, it makes a compelling case with effortless power and refinement, but the price and safety omissions detract from its appeal.

Long-Term Tests
motoring.com.au aims to make your vehicle buying decisions easier. Our Editorial section does this via our mix of news, international and local new model launch reviews, as well as our seven-day tests.

From time to time, we also take the opportunity to spend even longer with a vehicle.
These longer-term tests can be as short as a couple of weeks, but more recently we’ve settled on a three-month period as being indicative of ‘normal’ ownership.

Longer term tests give our staff writers and contributors a chance to get to know a car as an owner would.

We believe long-term tests give car buyers a deeper insight into the vehicle on test, but also the qualities behind the brand and the nameplate. The extended period also allows us to touch base with the dealer networks in question.

It comes as no surprise that manufacturers tend to have a love-hate relationship with long-term tests. Three months is long enough to fall out of love with the latest and greatest, and start to nit-pick – just as real owners do.

2017 Volkswagen Amarok TDI550 Highline pricing and specifications:

Price: $59,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel

Output: 165kW/550Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed continuously variable/dual-clutch/automatic/manual

Fuel: 9.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 236g/km (ADR Combined)

Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP