Volkswagen Amarok V6 W600 2026 Review

This is the section where a lot of you are bound to raise an eyebrow, for the 2026 Volkswagen Amarok V6 W600 retails for a whopping $91,990, before on-roads.

That’s a massive jump up on the $73,740 Amarok TDI600 Style, which features the same 184kW/600Nm turbo diesel V6 engine that powers the Amarok W600. It’s also slightly more than the $90,690 Ford Ranger Raptor, the current performance king of the mid-size dual-cab segment and a scalp the W600 is looking to claim… although Volkswagen doesn’t say as such.

Though both the Raptor and W600 share plenty of DNA, the mechanical, visual and structural differences are big enough to put them on different branches of the evolutionary tree. Indeed, the Raptor’s mission as a dirt-slaying off-roader is diametrically opposed to the W600’s positioning as a tarmac-focused, corner-carving road warrior.

The Amarok W600’s mod list also holds some big-ticket items, not least of which is a quartet of frequency-selective Koni dampers, with custom valving to help rein in body movements and tighten up handling.

At the rear end, the conventional leaf-sprung live axle retains its stock spring rates but adds a bespoke sway bar – engineered entirely by Walkinshaw – to increase roll resistance on the rear suspension and shift the handling balance away from understeer.

The front swaybar remains the factory item, Walkinshaw deeming it already gave the front end the ideal amount of torsional fortitude.

Besides that custom suspension kit, probably the most consequential change comprises what’s bolted to each hub: a set of 20-inch six-spoke alloy wheels designed in-house by Walkinshaw. They measure 10 inches wide and feature enough offset to push them 51mm further outboard compared to a standard Amarok’s rollers.

Most importantly, mounted to those wheels are Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyres, measuring 285/50R20. That’s a big contact patch.

Being a tyre compound more commonly found on high-performance SUVs – the new Audi SQ5 features it as its OE rubber, for example – these tyres should be transformative in making the Amarok feel a little less ute-like, and a lot more sporty.

Elsewhere, there’s a cat-back dual exhaust system that doesn’t do much to change power or torque output but uncorks a few extra decibels from its twin stainless tips.

The W600’s bodywork features engorged wheelarch extensions to help cover the extra track width of its undercarriage, the front bumper is a completely new design courtesy of Walkinshaw, a centre bar has been added to the front daytime running lamps, the Aventura’s sail panel sits above the tub, and auto-retracting side steps take the place of the standard fixed steps.

Inside, it’s fairly familiar Amarok stuff. Besides some Walkinshaw branding on the headrests, floor mats and dead pedal, there’s not much on the inside of the W600 that’s especially unique. There’s only one option too: a power retractable tonneau cover, for $3450.

The Amarok W600 is covered by the same Volkswagen factory warranty that applies to regular Amarok utes, meaning five years and unlimited kilometres of coverage. Servicing intervals are set for 15,000km or 12 months, though VW has yet to publish service pricing.

It’s a good-looking ute. The 2026 Volkswagen Amarok W600’s aggressive stance and bee-stung bodywork combines nicely with the intricate design of its 20-inch alloys, new full-width DRLs and restyled face.

From the front, it looks more akin to a hi-po SUV than a commercial ute and is particularly attractive in the Deep Red Metallic that’s only available on 2026-build W600s (and costs an extra $1100).

But looks count for nothing if the driving is no good. Volkswagen is clearly confident enough in the W600’s dynamic aptitude to launch it on some of Tasmania’s most engaging roads, and they didn’t hold back either: all up, the two-day programme encompassed 528km of mostly hilly country roads, regional highway, and a small bit of dirt… plenty of opportunity to get acquainted.

It doesn’t take long to get a sense that the W600 is a pleasingly well-rounded effort to reshape the Amarok into something it was never really designed to be: a driver’s ute. The tyres give a tremendous amount of grip, and breaching their limits takes plenty of effort in the dry despite the Amarok’s 2.4-tonne kerb weight.

However, while adding grip without subtracting mass would otherwise result in more pitch and roll, the Koni dampers are tuned to offset that, with the result being a ute that’s actually agile and responsive enough to tackle a twisting mountain road with confidence.

The rear sway bar’s effect is more subtle. While adding more roll stiffness to the rear suspension normally results in a greater propensity for oversteer, its application in the Amarok W600 results in a greater resistance to understeer more than anything else.

It feels stable, planted, and remarkably neutral in how it corners, and that’s a good thing. Steering feels a smidge sharper too, which is probably more down to the lower-profile sports rubber than the minor adjustment to front toe settings.

It’s pretty fun on dirt too – keep the driveline selector to rear-wheel drive, and there’s plenty of joy to be found in the W600’s handling balance.

For those who still want to do ute things, there’s further good news: the changes to handling haven’t come at the cost of load-lugging, with the Amarok W600 retaining a 3500kg maximum tow capacity, and a very useful 954kg payload.

That’s one thing the Amarok W600 holds over the Ranger Raptor, which can only tow 2500kg and carry 758kg at maximum.

What’s more: none of the Walkinshaw-specific elements feel aftermarket. The execution is polished with no weird rattles or suspension clunks, the automated sidesteps retract and extend smoothly and quickly, and the quality of engineering in general is very high.

Sadly, the 2026 VW Amarok W600’s powertrain doesn’t have the same sparkle as the chassis. With 184kW and 600Nm, turbo-diesel V6 has commendable numbers. The only problem is that it delivers peak power and torque so early in the tacho that there’s really no point trying to extract revs from it and have your fun that way.

Would the rev-happy 2.3-litre turbo petrol (222kW/452Nm) that’s also available in the Amarok been a better base for a sporty ute? It might not feel as robust when towing, but we can’t help but feel we’d have a lot more fun with that powertrain than the dozy diesel.

We were expecting a pony, instead we got a Clydesdale.

Further hurting things is the 10-speed auto. It works fine during regular driving, but without a proper sports shift mode and what is surely the world’s worst manual shift button placement, it’s an impediment to having fun behind the wheel.

Some paddles would have been nice to have, but alas, none are available for the Amarok.

What about aural pleasure? Walkinshaw put in effort to juice up the sonics of that sleepy diesel V6 with a dual exhaust system – and it’s definitely got a satisfying grumble from the outside. But it sounds almost indistinct from a factory-standard Amarok V6 from the inside and that’s a shame.

The suspension tune is also a double-edged sword. While the wick has certainly been turned up on the handling, ride comfort has moved in the other direction thanks to the dampers not quite filtering out smaller, sharp-edged bumps so well.

The ride can be a bit stiff-legged at times, but a bigger concern is the lack of changes to the braking package. It’s the same hardware as other Amarok V6 models, with VW reluctant to mess with the braking balance and stopping performance of the standard stuff.

However, on steep downhill runs into repeated switchbacks, the rotors heated up quickly and started gassing out, prompting us to ease up on speed until the gradient leveled out.

The 2026 VW Amarok W600 definitely stands apart from the standard Amarok range, not just visually and mechanically, but dynamically as well.

However, at a shade under $92K it’s a lot of coin and while it’s billed as the ‘ultimate driver’s ute’ the Amarok W600 definitely has a few areas where it could improve before we’d award it that crown. But if you want something with a bit of sporty zeal and you need to tow or carry more weight than a Ford Ranger Raptor can, then it fits the bill.

There’s no denying the talent of its suspension tuning but until that suspension gets an engine, transmission, and brakes that are on a similar level, the Amarok W600 is a decent-driving ute, not the ultimate one.

2026 Volkswagen Amarok V6 W600 at a glance:
Price: $91,900 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 184kW/600Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: N/A (Amarok V6 Style: 8.4L/100km)
CO2: N/A (Amarok V6 Style: 222g/km)
Safety rating: 5 star (ANCAP 2022)

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