THE ALL-NEW, SECOND-GENERATION Volkswagen Amarok has arrived in Core, Life, Style, PanAmericana and Aventura specification, with a choice of two four-cylinder turbo diesels, turbocharged petrol power and the iconic diesel V6.
Following more than 12,000 expressions of interest in the new Amarok, the full range of dual-cab utes are now in Volkswagen showrooms nationwide.
Exterior Design
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Head of Design Studio Australia Gu-Han Kim was based in Melbourne, Victoria, and led the transformative design of the new Amarok – lending itself as natural progression of the original generation with a modern evolution.
For the new Amarok the front wheels have been moved further forward to reduce front overhang (by 33mm) and the rear wheels further back to reduce rear overhang (by 44mm) – for 30 degree approach and 26 degree departure angles. The wheelbase has increased by 175mm affording additional rear legroom in particular. At 5350mm the Amarok is 96mm longer, the ground clearance has increased to 235mm and wading depth by 300mm to 800mm.
New to the Amarok (depending on the grade) are IQ.LIGHT matrix LED headlights with adaptive high-beam, tyre pressure monitoring, an electric roll cover, electric foldable door mirrors with courtesy lamps, roof rails, 6 tie-down points in ute tub, sidesteps on every model, tyres up to 21-inches, 2 front towing hooks, a power tailgate lock, 3.5-tonne rate towbar with optional brake controller and cargobox LED lighting.
Interior Design
Distinctively Amarok and classically Volkswagen-premium, the cabin sets new standards in the dual-cab ute segment.
A compact and tactile Volkswagen steering wheel and 12-inch digital cockpit make any Tiguan or Touareg driver feel right at home. Now, there’s an additional 45mm of room in the second-row seating, perfect for families – and an ideal complement to an additional 3.5 percent of tub volume, designed to fit a Euro pallet between the wheel arches in true Amarok pioneering fashion.
Volkswagen’s classic seat comfort has been reinforced by up to 10-way power adjustment, even for the driver of the mid-range Style specification. The seating contours and stitching lead the segment, with unique shades for Style (featuring leather and ArtVelours trim with front heating), PanAmericana (unique brown stitching and colouring) and Aventura (a mixture of grey and black Savona leather also optional on the Style).
New to Amarok (depending on the grade) are keyless start, wireless charging, 12-inch infotainment system, stitched leather-look dashboard, rear centre armrest, dual-zone climate control with rear air vents, Wireless App-Connect, USB-A and USB-C ports and premium Harman/Kardon audio.
Safety and Driver Assistance
More than 30 new safety and driver assistance systems have been added to Amarok, including (depending on the grade): Lane Assist: lane keeping & departure warning; Front Assist: pedestrian & cyclist monitoring; Swerve steer assist; Dynamic road sign display & speed sign recognition; Intelligent speed limiter; Rear park distance control with manoeuvre braking; Side Assist (blind spot monitoring); Rear traffic alert ; Area View 360 degree camera; Adaptive cruise control (ACC) with stop & go function; Predictive speed limiter through dynamic road sign display; and Park assist plus with park distance control in front and rear.
Nine airbags, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, driver fatigue warning, adaptive load control, roll over mitigation and emergency call via smartphone in-range connection help ensure a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.
Maximum Load and Offroad features
Compared with the outgoing Amarok, the new Amarok retains 3.5 tonne towing while increasing GCM by up to 400kg to up to 6400kg. Down-ball weight increases by 50kg to 350kg. The GVM increased up to 270kg to up to 3350kg and payload of up to 1065kg has increased by up to 32kg on 4-cylinder models and up to 76kg on V6 models.
Even the roof load has increased by 125kg to up to 350kg.
Selectable four-wheel drive further advances Volkswagen’s 4MOTION pedigree, continuing with four-wheel drive high range (4A/4H) for strong traction on multiple surfaces in addition to new rear-wheel drive high range (2H) for maximum fuel efficiency and manoeuvrability, and four-wheel drive low range (4L) for maximum traction.
Drive modes (Style and up) use the latest technology to support the mechanical drive systems, including Normal, Eco, Slippery, Snow/Sand, Mud/Rut and Tow/Haul modes – all signified by the high design of unique graphics ahead of the driver.
Servicing
Flexibility is key for Amarok owners, who can choose from 5 individual services in 12 month or 15,000km intervals – or a 5 Year Care Plan paid for upfront.
The first five services cost $329, $329, $414, $329 and $400 respectively, with prices subject to change.
Or, customers can select the 5 Year Care Plan, which is locked in at $1,800 upfront and is not subject to the variance of paying for services individually. (Many thanks to the alert reader who pointed out that the upfront service plan saves you $1 over the individual service costs. But as VW points out, individual service costs can be subject to change)
Complete range
The Amarok Core features a 125kW/405Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine called the TDI405 and six-speed automatic transmission. Elevating its status above what would traditionally be seen as ‘entry level’, the Core features 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, towbar with 12 pin plug, 8-inch digital cockpit and 10-inch infotainment interface – plus 26 drive safety and assistance systems.
The Amarok Life is the versatile performer with TDI405 power and a leather steering wheel and gearshifter, 8-way driver and passenger seat adjustment, LED foglights, electric park brake and rear disc brakes.
The Amarok Style, available with a choice of 154kW/500Nm 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel TDI500 or 184kW/600Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 TDI600, will be the top selling Volkswagen ute positioned above the previous Highline.
To answer the high demands of Volkswagen Amarok customers, the Style will lead the segment with IQ.LIGHT Matrix LED headlamps, 12-inch infotainment display with navigation, 12-inch Digital Cockpit pro, stitched leather-look dashboard and door trims, Area View 360 degree camera and 10-way driver/8-way passenger power adjustable front seats with heating as standard.
PanAmericana and Aventura will provide a new level of off-road and on-road sophistication, respectively. The former unique with all-terrain 18-inch tyres and darkened sports exterior accents combining with Harman/Kardon premium audio; the latter with largest-ever 21-inch wheels, ‘Savona’ leather trim, electronic roll cover and chrome accent exterior.
The PanAmericana is diesel V6 exclusive. The Aventura builds on Volkswagen TSI heritage with a 222kW/452Nm 2.3-litre turbo petrol engine, or diesel V6. This will triple flagship offerings beyond the outgoing Aventura V6 diesel.
In 2020, 58 percent of Amarok customers selected a high-grade variant and 42 percent a lower-grade variant. By 2022, 78 percent favoured a high-grade Volkswagen ute.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles director Ryan Davies said the second-generation Amarok line-up has been honed to complement existing Volkswagen ute strengths with new answers to customer demand.
“The Amarok is a pioneer for diesel V6 performance and driving dynamics, in combination with the load carrying and towing capacities the segment expects, and these remain key requirements for our new Volkswagen ute,” Mr Davies said.
“Especially late in the lifecycle of the original Amarok we saw customer preferences move towards flagship models, and this trend will continue. Our customers demand performance and value, and that’s what we’re delivering for powertrain choice, engineering, safety and technology.”
Recommended retail prices (all plus on road costs)
Amarok Core
| 2.0 TDI405 4MOTION Selectable 6 Speed Auto | $52,990 |
Amarok Life
| 2.0 TDI500 4MOTION Selectable 10 Speed Auto | $56,990 |
Amarok Style
| 2.0 TDI500 4MOTION Selectable 10 Speed Auto | $66,990 |
| 3.0 TDI600 4MOTION Permanent 10 Speed Auto | $70,990 |
Amarok PanAmericana
| 3.0 TDI600 4MOTION Permanent 10 Speed Auto | $75,990 |
Amarok Aventura
| 3.0 TDI600 4MOTION Permanent 10 Speed Auto | $79,990 |
| 2.3 TSI452 4MOTION Permanent 10 Speed Auto | $79,990 |
Options
| Savona Leather Interior (Style) | $3000 |
Clear white paint Standard
| Metallic paint (Bright Beige, Dark Grey, Midnight Black, Deep red, Light Grey, Bright Blue, Mid-blue) | $990 |