- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.0DT, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
184kW, 600Nm
- Fuel
Diesel 8.4L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4XC
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
5 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2022)
2023 Volkswagen Amarok video review: Australian first drive
It's been a long time coming, but Volkswagen's Amarok is now available in Australia. Based on the already excellent Ford Ranger, current Amarok owners have high expectations for a vehicle that has carved out its own niche in this country. Trent Nikolic samples the 2023 Amarok range at launch to find out whether those fans will be satisfied.
- Cabin changes especially make a difference
- Exterior design continues the stylish Amarok theme
- Pricing and model structure look sharp
- BSS not standard across the range
- No call or hang-up buttons on steering wheel
- Climate control accessed via touchscreen
2023 Volkswagen Amarok
Do you reckon Australians love dual cabs? Volkswagen Australia Head of Commercial Vehicles Ryan Davies told Drive at the launch of the new Amarok that "It’s the most pre-sale interest we've had on any Volkswagen model in history".
Think about that for a second. A brand that sells Polo, Golf (among them GTI and R of course), Tiguan and Touareg to name just a few. And, the all-new Amarok has blown all of that established quality out of the water.
“We’ve got well over 12,000 expressions of interest as of right now," Davies went on to say. Now, expressions of interest don't necessarily translate to sales, but the brand still expects to sell 8000 new Amaroks before the end of 2023, despite not much more than six months on sale post-launch.
It is expected the new Amarok will be the brand's best-selling vehicle in short order thereafter. That's not unprecedented, though, the Amarok was the best-seller back in 2021 too. That popularity illustrates two things the way I see it, however. Yes, we love dual cabs in this country, but there's also serious residual love for the Amarok – a dual cab that reset and redefined the segment in Australia when it was launched more than a decade ago.
As such, the all-new Amarok needs to be many things, but it must succeed in matching the expectations of a market that loved the old Amarok so much, the case was made internally (in quite robust fashion) to keep the nameplate alive despite the rest of the world not being quite so enthusiastic.
We all know by now that the new Amarok is based on the Ranger – unless you've been living in a cave with no reception for the last few years. With that accepted, it's time to move on to whether the Amarok can stand alone as a high-quality offering in a segment that is as cut-throat as they come.
Just ask Mercedes-Benz how hard it is...
How much does the Volkswagen Amarok cost in Australia?
On paper, Volkswagen has specified and priced the new Amarok sharply to best position it to take on the heavy hitters in the segment. According to the brand in Australia, a sense of premium inclusions and model specification was important from the outset of the project.
As we saw with Isuzu D-Max v Mazda BT-50, it's difficult to line the Amarok up exactly with Ford Ranger, and while prices are both higher than the old Amarok and the Ranger, Volkswagen argues that the included equipment makes the case for that.
Our pricing and specification story details the complete breakdown, with the highlights being five model grades, four engines and pricing from just under $51,000 before on-road costs. For our pricing breakdown here, let's focus on the Style grade, the one that should work out to be the most popular model in Australia.
Style can be had with either the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine or the 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine. Pricing starts from $66,990 for the four-cylinder and $70,990 for the V6 – both before on-road costs. There's almost no doubt whatsoever that the four-grand premium for the V6 is worth every cent.
Across the range, the new Amarok is a stylish dual cab that looks suitably different to the Ranger and suitably like what VW fans would be wanting. We reckon the base Core looks more like an entry-grade vehicle than the old Amarok Core, but the style remains a point of note regardless of the model grade that suits your budget.
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Standard equipment is strong across the range, but some of the highlights of the Style grade include: a choice of either four-cylinder or V6 diesel engines, part-time four-wheel drive with the four-cylinder and full-time four-wheel drive with the V6, 18-inch alloy wheels, matrix LED headlights, LED tail-lights, 10-way electric driver's seat, heated front seats, 12.3-inch widescreen digital instrument cluster, wireless charging, premium stitched leather-look dashboard and door inserts, dual-zone AC with rear vents, and a 12.0-inch infotainment touchscreen.
I actually think the surprise packet within the new Amarok range might be the petrol engine. Coming in at 2.3 litres, it punches out a useful 222kW and 452Nm, with the same permanent 4WD system and 10-speed automatic found across the range. Crucially, it also rates at 3500kg braked towing capacity. If you're largely running around town, not towing huge weight, or heading into remote areas off-road, the punchy four-cylinder petrol engine might be the smartest choice in the range.
It will be interesting to see whether Volkswagen decides to broaden its availability across the range. From launch, it's available only on the range-topping Aventura model.
Key details | 2023 Volkswagen Amarok (Style V6) |
Price | $70,990 plus on-road costs |
Colour of test car | Bright Beige Metallic |
Options | Metallic paint – $990 |
Price as tested | $71,980 plus on-road costs |
Drive-away price | $79,218 (Sydney) |
Rivals | Isuzu D-Max | Toyota HiLux | Ford Ranger |
How much space does the Volkswagen Amarok have inside?
Volkswagen designers and engineers have gone to town inside the cabin, where the new Amarok is significantly different to the dual cab on which it is based. Not only is the foam in the seats different, the density of the seat foam is different, for example. Volkswagen owners prefer a firmer, sportier seat, and as such, VW has delivered.
There is a sense of premium quality everywhere in the cabin. I miss the way the old Amarok's doors thudded closed like you're hopping inside a Touareg, but once in your seat, regardless of trim grade, the work that VW has done to the cabin is excellent. It's comfortable, quiet, refined, and classy in the way it's designed and executed. Most importantly, the cabin ensures the Amarok sits squarely in the premium real estate the brand was hoping it would occupy.
Storage is nicely catered to, and we like the second glovebox, which provides almost indiscernible storage for valuable items, and has been specifically added to the mix by VW for the Amarok. It's easy to forget too, on the subject of the dashboard, that the old Amarok featured plenty of hard-touch surfaces in areas like the dash top.
This new model gets faux leather and neat stitching with real attention to detail. From Style up, you're getting an electric driver's seat, and visibility is excellent whether you're a driver or passenger. Seat comfort on both PanAmericana and Aventura was excellent, on dirt, rutted country tarmac and off-road.
Into the second row, the new Amarok blows the old model out of the water. There's significantly more room and comfort thanks to the longer wheelbase and added overall length. It is good news back there for passengers on longer-haul road trips, where the glasshouse provides an airy sense of room and visibility.
2023 Volkswagen Amarok | |
Seats | Five |
Tray Dimensions | 1544mm long 1224mm wide 1206mm between the arches |
Length | 5350mm |
Width | 1910mm |
Height | 1831mm |
Wheelbase | 3270mm |
Does the Volkswagen Amarok have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
Volkswagen has built nicely on Ford's already easy to use infotainment system – with a couple of qualifiers. There are no call or hang-up buttons on the steering wheel. In the form of physical buttons, I mean, and I'm not the only one who finds that frustrating. Secondly, you have to access the HVAC controls via the infotainment touchscreen, which is fiddly, especially when you're on the move.
Those minor gripes aside, though, and the interface is excellent. Volkswagen has added its own graphics to the display, and for us on test at launch, the system worked sharply. I tested CarPlay – satellite navigation via Google maps and Apple maps and music streaming – across a range of models at launch, and the wired CarPlay connection was faultless. We'll test wireless specifically post-launch.
The screen itself remains easy to use and easy to see in any light, and I like the fact you can display your smartphone mirror across almost all of the screen real estate, making the most of the physical size on offer. On test, it was responsive to inputs and touch functionality as well. It didn't take too long to boot up from start either.
Is the Volkswagen Amarok a safe car?
There are a few areas where the new Amarok makes a significant leap forward from the model it replaces, and the most pertinent of them is safety. You'll recall the testing we did that almost always started with the proviso, 'if the safety tech wasn't so old', or 'if it had rear airbags'. That's no longer the case, with the new Amarok scoring a full five-star ANCAP rating from launch and well equipped across the range.
All dual-cab variants get the same five-star rating, and the new Amarok scored 86 per cent for adult occupant protection, 93 per cent for child occupant protection, 74 per cent for vulnerable road user protection, and 83 per cent for safety assist.
2023 Volkswagen Amarok | |
ANCAP rating | Five stars (tested 2023) |
Safety report | Link to ANCAP report |
What safety technology does the Volkswagen Amarok have?
Courtesy of the new platform, the new-generation Volkswagen Amarok comes standard with autonomous emergency braking, intelligent speed limiter, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control (with lane centring), lane-keep assistance, and lane-departure warning. The base Core model doesn't get blind-spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert, though, so keep that in mind. Other grades do include the tech, however.
The airbag count has gone up also, with curtain airbags (across both rows), a front centre airbag and a driver’s knee airbag all standard. There's also electronic brake force distribution, trailer sway control, rollover mitigation, and an emergency call feature through a mobile phone connection.
How much does the Volkswagen Amarok cost to maintain?
Volkswagen's warranty covers buyers for five years and unlimited kilometres, and servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km. Those service intervals will be handy for anyone who needs their vehicle to remain on the road as a tool of trade.
As we've seen in testing previously, the two engines we spent the most time with are impressive in the real world. More on that below. Volkswagen offers a five-year service plan that you can prepay, which will cost you $1800. Locking in servicing costs from day one can make a big difference to anyone who wants to know what they are in for across the first five years of ownership.
The new Volkswagen Amarok Style V6 will cost $1969.99 to insure each year based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.
At a glance | 2023 Volkswagen Amarok |
Warranty | Five years, unlimited km |
Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km |
Servicing costs | $1072 (3 years) $1800 (5 years) |
Is the Volkswagen Amarok fuel-efficient?
Across the range, the V6 engine uses a claimed 8.4L/100km of diesel on the combined cycle. Our real-world figure at launch was an impressive 9.3L/100km with plenty of enthusiastic country touring on the loop. On the freeway, you'll drop down below the claimed figure, and around town, you might climb slightly above our 9.3L/100km figure, which was returned mostly out of town.
The petrol engine – which we're looking forward to putting through some in-depth testing post-launch – uses a claimed 9.9L/100km.
Fuel Consumption - brought to you by bp
Fuel Useage | Fuel Stats |
Fuel cons. (claimed) | 8.4L/100km |
Fuel cons. (on test) | 9.3L/100km |
Fuel type | Diesel |
Fuel tank size | 80L |
What is the Volkswagen Amarok like to drive?
In the table below, we've provided the key stats for all the available engines, and at launch, we spent most time behind the wheel of the V6 in both Aventura and PanAmericana guise. As we cycle through the new Amarok for our regular week-long Drive tests, we'll take a closer look at each powertrain and its performance.
In short, though, the quality and refinement we have come to expect from the platform translate to the Amarok's drive experience. For mine, the V6 diesel is the pick for long-haul touring, loading up and hitting the road, or towing a trailer.
The twin-turbo diesel four does much the same work without the outright ease of the V6. The single-turbo four is the worksite workhorse, and the 2.3-litre turbo petrol four is the one I think city buyers should have a good look at.
The engines are nicely mated to the 10-speed auto, too, and smooth at any speed. The transmission lacks the urgency and sharp feeling of the old eight-speed, which remains one of the very best in the business. That's not so much to detract from the new 10-speed, more to shine a light on how bloody good the eight-speed still is.
While there's not quite that same shifting urge from the 10-speed, it's smooth, sharp and doesn't seem to be caught out in the wrong gear, even if you subscribe to the theory that 10 is a few ratios too many. Whatever your opinion on that, the 10-speed works nicely on any road at any speed.
Ride quality is excellent on any surface, as you'd expect, but possibly even more refined and sorted than the old Amarok, which remained up with the best in the field, even after a decade on the road. I suspect this new Amarok is a more competent performer, especially out on choppy, rural roads, but we'll need to test old and new back-to-back to definitively make that call.
Having recently tested a Ranger, the steering to me feels a little lighter on the Amarok, but it's hard to pick the differences in terms of spring response and damping without driving the two back-to-back on the same roads. VW says it has tweaked the suspension, but again, we'll test that back-to-back.
Key details | 2.0-litre single-turbo diesel | 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel | 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 | 2.3-litre turbo petrol |
Power | 125kW @ 3500rpm | 154kW @ 3750rpm | 184kW @ 3250rpm | 222kW @ 5900rpm |
Torque | 405Nm @ 1750–2500rpm | 500Nm @ 1750–2000rpm | 600Nm @ 1750–2250rpm | 452Nm @ 3350rpm |
Drive type | Part-time 4x4 | Part-time 4x4 | Permanent 4x4 | Permanent 4x4 |
Transmission | 6-speed automatic/manual | 10-speed automatic | 10-speed automatic | 10-speed automatic |
Tow rating | 3500kg braked 750kg unbraked | 3500kg braked 750kg unbraked | 3500kg braked 750kg unbraked | 3500kg braked 750kg unbraked |
Should I buy a 2023 Volkswagen Amarok?
To be fair to the new Amarok, the negatives are minor. In fact, I found myself looking for them rather than finding them easily. Such is the case with what was already a high-quality platform. As the reigning king of the dual-cab division, we know the Ranger is an excellent starting point. The question that needs to be answered – certainly for fans of the old Amarok – is whether this new model is 'VW enough', however intangible that concept might be.
While it's not perfect, the doors don't thunk closed like the old Amarok to pick one small example, I like the work that Volkswagen has done to set its new dual cab apart from the Ranger on which it is based. The exterior styling is attractive, the model grades and trim changes are sensible and attractive, and the cabin feels different to a Ranger. That alone is a significant touch point for anyone spending a lot of time behind the wheel.
Given the competitive nature of the servicing plan, park an Amarok next to a Ranger, spec-for-spec, and I'd probably buy the Volkswagen. Ranger Raptor aside, of course. For some manufacturers, the only way to keep a model line active is to platform-share. As VW is keen to remind us, the brand has been doing it for years with the likes of Audi, Porsche and Skoda.
Future comparison testing promises to be engaging, to say the least. On paper, and behind the wheel, there's no doubt the all-new Amarok is a high-quality dual cab.
Will the concept of platform-sharing work for the German powerhouse in this very specific commercial and lifestyle segment? Let's find out.