Volkswagen Amarok W580X 2022 Review

The third Walkinshaw-tuned or ‘W-Series’ ute based on the Volkswagen Amarok has been unleashed and it’s pitched as the most capable off-road Amarok yet.

Before you declare “Whatevs, it’s just another boofy dual-cab with a sticker pack”, you might be surprised to know how much engineering and validation work has gone into this vehicle.

Fitted with beefy steel and marine-grade aluminium underbody protection, Monroe shocks front and rear, a 40mm suspension lift up front and all-terrain tyres all round, just to name a few of the off-road extras, the Amarok W580X ain’t cheap at $78,890 plus on-road costs, which makes it only slightly cheaper than the $79,390 Ford Ranger Raptor.

To be clear, the W580X is not going to win a cage fight with the Raptor, but it does deliver significant improvements in off-road capability over the regular Amarok.

Unlike the previous two W-Series utes, W580 and W580S, the W580X will be limited to just 600 units and, despite its decade-old donor model now showing a few wrinkles and liver spots, plenty of buyers have already lined up with deposits to secure their vehicles.

So what does the 2022 Volkswagen Amarok W580X bring for your extra $15,400, given it’s based on the $63,490 Volkswagen Amarok TDI580 Highline V6?

It starts with a redesigned grille insert, complete with an integrated 75W LED light bar mounted in the new-look lower bumper and featuring combination flood and spot beam reflectors, which delivers a reasonable illumination (5800 lumens) for a small unit.

A prominent front bash plate made of marine-grade aluminium, mounted directly to the chassis, is part of the package, as are wider wheel-arches housing beefier all-terrain tyres – Pirelli Scorpion Plus (265/60 R18). These are shod to wider 18x8.5-inch forged alloy wheels.

There are also twin-tube steel rock rails with chassis clamp mounts, delivering legitimate side sill protection that can also be used as a mount for a high-lift jack. We can also attest to their effectiveness on a rocky descent near Toolangi in the Victorian high country, which certainly adds to driver confidence while tackling rough terrain.

The underbody protection continues in the form of bash plates for the transfer case in the middle and the differential at the rear, while a 40mm suspension lift at the front and new Monroe ‘MTV’ shock absorbers with a unique calibration all round deliver improved wheel articulation off-road.

There are also mud flaps, Walkinshaw badges on the back and, yes, a sticker pack, while Walkinshaw-branded rubber floor mats and head rests round out the interior upgrades. Oh, and there’s a build plate inside the car, but no rear sports bar.

Less exciting but frequently-used equipment in the Walkinshaw-modified Amarok W580X include dual-zone climate control, form-fitting and rather comfortable ‘Art Velour’ premium seats and a multi-function steering wheel with paddle shifters.

Other carryover bits include a tiny 6.5-inch central touch-screen that’s insultingly small but works well and covers all infotainment duties including sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The same can be said about the instrument cluster, where the small LCD trip computer readout looks like a circa-1985 Casio wrist-watch but offers intuitive functionality via the steering wheel buttons.

Yes, like all current Amaroks, the W580X is missing a lot of the tech and safety equipment found on many rival utes, largely because it’s been around for donkey’s years (it first went in sale here since 2011). But for all that, the cabin still looks and feels good, with better quality interior materials than some competitors, even if the door trims and other touch points are made from hard plastic.

Our test vehicle was also fitted with a Seikel Snorkel ($1390), and another option is the 14-way power-adjustable seats trimmed in Vienna leather ($3690).

The entire vehicle along with all the mods are covered by Volkswagen’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre factory warranty. Capped-price servicing and pre-paid service deals are available, with a five-year/100,000km service pack costing $3620. Service intervals are 12 months or 20,000km.

The 2022 Amarok W580X has really shoddy safety and technology credentials. The tiny, low-res digital screens in the cabin are backed up by just one USB-A port up front, no autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and no rear curtain airbags, meaning it lacks the crash avoidance and rear-seat occupant protection offered by most other utes.

Back in 2011 the Amarok was given a sub-par four-star ANCAP rating and it’s scary to think what score it would achieve under the independent safety authority’s latest testing regime.

There are virtually no driver assistance systems included either: No blind spot warning, no lane keep assist, no adaptive cruise control. You get anti-lock brakes (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC), but little else.

Nevertheless, the Volkswagen Amarok W580X will sit atop the German brand’s ute range until late 2022 when Amarok stocks run out, a couple of months before the all-new Ford Ranger-based second-generation Amarok replaces it in early 2023 – at which point it will gain all the latest and greatest safety features demanded by new-vehicle buyers.

Until the new Ford Ranger arrives from around July, the Volkswagen Amarok remains the only turbo-diesel V6 ute in its class and, despite its age, it’s still a very impressive engine and carries over unchanged here.

Delivering 190kW of power over 3250-4500rpm (and up to 200kW on overboost) along with 580Nm of torque between 1400rpm and 3000rpm, it pulls strongly across the rev range and accelerates with serious venom – for a ute.

Volkswagen says the burly South American-built ute will hit 100km/h in 7.3 seconds, which currently makes it the quickest vehicle in its class.

The Amarok’s muscled-up V6 diesel isn’t the most efficient powerplant out there but the conventional eight-speed automatic transmission works effectively at freeway speeds, where it persistently shifts up to sip diesel from its 80-litre tank.

After a combination of off-road, freeway and country-road driving, fuel economy sat at 11.2L/100km, which is more than its claimed 9.5L/100km but not too bad given the flogging it copped.

Towing capacity remains at 3500kg and the effortless torque of the V6 will put this machine high on the list of those looking for an eye-catching tow tug. Payload is listed at 847kg which is so-so in this class, but the tray can still swallow a standard Aussie-sized pallet between the rear wheel-arches.

While there’s no dual-range transfer case or low-range gearing as in most 4x4 utes sold in Australia, and it lacks the rear-end wheel articulation of models like the Ranger Raptor and Nissan Navara Warrior, the widely spaces ratios of the Amarok’s automatic gearbox, an off-road setting and locking rear diff do a pretty decent job of keeping things moving on challenging off-road tracks.

How many jacked-up factory-backed dual-cab 4x4 utes genuinely head off road? It’s a question we’ve been grappling with and the answer is probably not the majority.

Most of these locally-developed bush-bashers, such as the Toyota HiLux Rugged X, Mazda BT-50 Thunder, Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior and even the Ford Ranger Raptor will probably spend most of their time at Bunnings.

But after tackling a couple of fire trails – one of them moderately challenging – it’s fair to say the changes wrought by Walkinshaw Automotive Group on the Amarok W580X make meaningful improvements to its off-road capability.

The MTV shocks and longer springs deliver slightly improved wheel articulation and better ride compliance, the softer tune ensuring higher-speed driving on corrugated tracks is more straightforward and composed now. The rear-end also feels more settled.

On a more demanding hill climb the 253mm of ground clearance at the front is also welcome and, despite the lack of low-range ratios or a locking centre diff, the ute’s electronics, eight-speed auto and torquey V6 oiler do a very good job of slow-speed scrambling.

The front bash-plate, underbody protection plates and rock sliders add reassurance when picking your line over testing terrain, but the most significant performance upgrade has to be the new Pirelli Scorpion Plus all-terrain tyres.

While they’ll be no match for mud-terrain tyres, they delivered solid traction on a fairly slippery, clay-covered hill climb pock-marked with exposed rocks. At one stage the lack of wheel articulation stopped our progress, but locking the rear diff sorted it out quick smart.

Descending was a little less challenging and the ute’s hill-descent control system, which leverages the anti-lock brakes and stability control system, works remarkably well and allows the driver to focus on the steering wheel.

The VW Amarok W580X shows plenty of off-road competency and the Pirelli tyres are a nice fit for the tough truck, but unlike some A/T tyres they deliver solid on-road performance as well. Grip levels, even on damp roads, are very good and there’s almost no tyre roar to speak of on sealed roads.

The Walkie-tuned Volkswagen ute exhibits a fairly flat attitude through corners on the open road, which makes it more involving to drive on country roads. This comes as no surprise given chief chassis engineer David Slater was steering the development ship, a former Formula 1 chassis engineer who also worked on several go-fast HSVs.

Throw in the heavy hydraulic steering that feels meatier than most electric power steering systems and it’s fair to say this rugged Amarok still has better cornering dynamics than most regular utes available on the market today.

Improvements in ride comfort suggest this Walkinshaw product is probably a better daily driver than its corner-carving cousin, the VW Amarok W580S, whose 20-inch rims and firmer dampers more acutely transmit slower-speed shudders from poor quality roads into the cabin.

Locally-tuned tough-trucks are becoming a force to be reckoned with in Australia and while the 2022 Volkswagen Amarok W580X doesn’t quite have the off-road tenacity of the Nissan Navara Warrior and certainly not the high-speed dune-bashing ability of the Ford Ranger Raptor, it’s an impressive send-off for the muscular V6 diesel ute.

The W580X is certainly a more cohesive package than you’d get by mixing and matching a bunch of aftermarket mods, due to the extensive engineering, calibration and validation work carried out by Walkinshaw, and those who decide to take it off the beaten track can do so with confidence.

The high asking price, old platform and lack of safety and tech features are glaring concerns, but appear unlikely to impede the success of this last-of-its-kind model, with a significant portion of the 600 examples being built already sold as of now.

What’s more, the popularity of these Walkinshaw-tuned utes will ensure a second-generation Amarok ‘W600X’ hero truck enters the fray by 2025, and it will address all of the current model’s shortcomings.

While the Amarok W580X is far from cutting-edge, the Aussie-engineered German tough-truck is a good looker, capable enough right out of the box and a fitting send-off for Volkswagen’s first global ute.

How much does the 2022 Volkswagen Amarok W580X cost?
Price: $78,890 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel
Output: 190kW/580Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 250g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Four-star (ANCAP 2011)