Photo: Volkswagen
At £39,960 in the United Kingdom, the range-topping Amarok is more expensive than the X 350 d with 4Matic (£38,350 excluding VAT). The same applies in Germany, where the Volkswagen is €58,072 and the X-Class retails at €53,360. The question is, does the Amarok Aventura make sense at this price point?
In one way, it doesn’t. For a mid-size pickup truck that’s sold under the commercial vehicles division of Volkswagen, it certainly doesn’t. But looking at the bigger picture, the Amarok Aventure does make sense as an alternative to the X 350 d 4Matic from Mercedes-Benz.
First of all, the Volkswagen rides on a dedicated platform whereas the three-pointed star chose the Nissan Navara as the basis for the X-Class. Then there’s the difference in output, with the Amarok Aventura producing 272 PS (268 horsepower) and 580 Nm (427 pound-feet) on overboost, with maximum torque delivered from 1,300 to 3,000 rpm.
The luxed-up pickup truck from Mercedes-Benz also happens to feature sub-standard plastic throughout the cabin, and there’s also the difference in the number of gears: seven for the X-Class, eight for the Amarok. To make matters worse for the three-pointed star, Volkswagen offers £2,335 off the price of the Aventura in Ravenna Blue and Indium Grey.
Last, but certainly not least, the Amarok comes with all the bells and whistles from the get-go. Satellite navigation, 14-way adjustable seats, Nappa leather, paddle shifters, rain-sensing wipers, fog lights with cornering function, auto LED headlights, power-folding mirrors, 20-inch alloy wheels, body-colored sports bar with Aventura badging, chrome side steps, the whole nine yards.
Add-ons also include underbody protection and a bed cover, making the Amarok an interesting proposition in the premium-oriented class. Mercedes-Benz, on the other hand, has to sweeten the deal some more if it wants to take on Volkswagen at its own game.
Lower down the spectrum, the Ford Ranger is the best-selling truck in the mid-size segment in Europe. As opposed to the EcoBoost-powered Ranger in America, the European specification comes exclusively with turbo diesel options, including the EcoBlue bi-turbo diesel in the Raptor.
First of all, the Volkswagen rides on a dedicated platform whereas the three-pointed star chose the Nissan Navara as the basis for the X-Class. Then there’s the difference in output, with the Amarok Aventura producing 272 PS (268 horsepower) and 580 Nm (427 pound-feet) on overboost, with maximum torque delivered from 1,300 to 3,000 rpm.
The luxed-up pickup truck from Mercedes-Benz also happens to feature sub-standard plastic throughout the cabin, and there’s also the difference in the number of gears: seven for the X-Class, eight for the Amarok. To make matters worse for the three-pointed star, Volkswagen offers £2,335 off the price of the Aventura in Ravenna Blue and Indium Grey.
Last, but certainly not least, the Amarok comes with all the bells and whistles from the get-go. Satellite navigation, 14-way adjustable seats, Nappa leather, paddle shifters, rain-sensing wipers, fog lights with cornering function, auto LED headlights, power-folding mirrors, 20-inch alloy wheels, body-colored sports bar with Aventura badging, chrome side steps, the whole nine yards.
Add-ons also include underbody protection and a bed cover, making the Amarok an interesting proposition in the premium-oriented class. Mercedes-Benz, on the other hand, has to sweeten the deal some more if it wants to take on Volkswagen at its own game.
Lower down the spectrum, the Ford Ranger is the best-selling truck in the mid-size segment in Europe. As opposed to the EcoBoost-powered Ranger in America, the European specification comes exclusively with turbo diesel options, including the EcoBlue bi-turbo diesel in the Raptor.
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