2016 Volkswagen Amarok 3.0 V6 TDI Highline first drive review

Auto Trader verdict:

Without knowing the price and specifications, we can not be sure how well it stacks up against its competitors Amarok. However, we have seen enough to know that it was the best pick-up, and - though not without its drawbacks - it could even tempt some buyers to switch allegiance SUV.

Need to know:

• facelifted version of Volkswagen pick-up
• TDI V6 engine replaces the old 3.0-liter 2.0-liter unit
• order books open in September, with prices yet to be announced

This is a revised version of Volkswagen pick-up, and something of an anomaly. In a world where the 'downsizing' is the key word, and manufacturers are falling over themselves to introduce a smaller, more efficient engines, Amarok bucks that trend by replacing the 2.0-liter diesel engine models of the previous generation, with a 3.0-liter V6.

Why? Well, for the company, the answer is simple: customers want more power and more refinement, and the only way to do that is with a V6 engine. It will eventually be available in three states of tune, after the 161- and 201bhp versions reached England in 2017 to complete the range-topping 221bhp car, which should arrive before the end of this year.

In addition, though, the new car's transmission and suspension virtually unchanged from the previous model - as, in this case, is the size and carrying capacity. So, every Amarok will have four-wheel drive: a permanent system on models with automatic gearbox, unlike the manual-gearbox models, which will allow the driver to switch between two- and four-wheel drive.

For all that, the most obvious change is the appearance of the car. Thanks to a new bumper and grille, front end now is more in line with the rest of the VW range, while the cabin was also brought up to date with the latest infotainment system touch screen, and Bluetooth standard fitment.

full price and specs have not been announced, but our first experience of the new models come in what will be the range-topping versions in English, with the Highline trim married to the most powerful engine, the combination is expected to cost around £ 34,500.

How does it feel?

The answer to that question really depends on where you come from. Some are used for other pick-ups and commercial vehicles will think Amarok surprisingly civilized, but anyone with experience of more than a modern SUV will see only too clearly the car shortage.

Mind you, no matter where you come from, you can not ignore the impression Amarok make, just because it was so big. It is longer and wider than a Range Rover, for example, and that the sheer size emphasized by a large grille, large body and the way everyone had to climb just to get inside.

Mind you, once you are inside, the impression of something much more important, with a quick dash is dominated by a clear and new touchscreen infotainment system. Admittedly, it is not the very latest systems that you would find in, say, Passat, but it was much posher than you might have expected in commercial vehicles.

There is plenty of room, too, with ample head and legroom for a pair of six-footers, and luxuries such as electrically adjustable seats available. A spacious cabin make the mass of shoulder-room, too, and it was the same at the back, where the three will fit in the seat comfort. Admittedly, legroom is tight for six-footers in the back if there are some other six-footer to sit in the front; but overall, Amarok is one of the more practical pick-up. Has a load bay that is wide enough to take a Euro pallet sideways, maximum payload of more than one ton and towing limit of 3.5 tonnes,

However, for all that, people will concentrate on the arrival of the V6 engine under the hood, so perhaps the strangest thing about the Amarok is that the machine never really heard or felt like a V6. Just not enough to have fluency or perfection that you would expect.

Worse, when you first pull in the new Amarok, seems to have no V6 performance, either. Then again, there are not many machines will get more than two tons Volkswagen moving fast from the word go.

The car’s refinement is very good, too, with surprisingly low levels of noise at motorway speeds. Even on the derestricted sections of German autobahn on our test route, at speeds that would land you in jail in the UK, two front-seat passengers could hold a conversation without shouting. What's more, the car felt perfectly stable. 

Come to think of it, ‘stable’ is a good word to describe how the car feels on the road in general. Of course, you can never forget how big it is – whether because of the way you can feel all its weight shifting around when you change direction, because you’re forever conscious of its width on anything but the broadest streets, or because how hard you have to lean on the (fortunately very effective) brakes to slow it down – but it never feels anything less than sure-footed. 

Ok, so it’s occasionally slow-witted and cumbersome, and you’ll spend a lot of time twirling the wheel as you turn into corners and then straighten up again afterwards, but the car always feels assured. You can keep up a good lick across country as long as the bends are sweeping and don’t follow one another too quickly. 

As you would only expect, it’s not a car that appreciates being hurried through the bends and the ride isn’t the smoothest – particularly on the larger wheels – but it’s better than on many rival pick-ups, although many SUVs handle more sharply and ride more comfortably. 

Last, but not least, the Amarok is also very impressive when you head off the beaten track. Granted, it’s not so good that it’ll give Land Rover engineers sleepless nights, but the Amarok can still show a muddy pair of heels to many a rival.

2016 Volkswagen Amarok 2016 Volkswagen Amarok

Should I get one?

The missing ingredient in all this is perhaps the most crucial one: how much the Amarok will cost. And, with the car several months away from being launched in the UK, that’s still very much up in the air. All VW will sayis that the new car is likely to cost between £500 and £1000 more than the current car. 

That makes it look quite expensive, but then again, the Amarok does have plenty of things that are unique in its class, or class-leading – things like its V6 engine, infotainment system and safety features – so you could argue it’s a price worth paying. 

As it stands, the Amarok is certainly a tempting package that will appeal to existing pick-up owners, and is good enough attract some buyers who might otherwise have gone for a more conventional SUV. True, the Amarok isn’t as engaging to drive as many of them, but it’s certainly something a bit different, and that could be enough to sway buyers who don’t want to be seen in just another SUV. Especially company car drivers, who can take advantage of the flat tax rate on pick-ups, which can make them cheaper to run than a more conventional vehicle.

Key facts:

• Model: Volkswagen Amarok 3.0 V6 TDI Highline
• Price: £34,500 (est.)
• Engine: 3.0 litre V6 turbodiesel, eight-speed automatic
• Power/Torque: 221bhp/405lb ft
• 0-62mph: 7.9secs
• Top speed: 120mph
• Economy: 37.2mpg
• CO2/BIK liability: 199g/km/£3170
• Load area: 2.52 square metres

Tweet