Over in the United States, you can barely find a brand-new pickup truck with a manual. Only two such trucks exist nowadays, those being the Gladiator and Tacoma. Elsewhere in the world, however, certain brands continue to sell pickups with five-speed manuals.
Volkswagen, for example, has updated its long-running Saveiro for 2024. Rather than moving to the MQB-A0 platform of the Polo Track for Brazil, the redesigned ute features the underpinnings of the Gol, which is a hybrid between the A04 PQ24 and A05 PQ25 platforms.
In other words, the Saveiro is really old under the skin. More of a facelift rather than a proper makeover, the 2024 model is coming to Brazilian showrooms with a five-speed manual connected to a 1.6-liter engine. It's not a turbo gasser, but rather the 1.6 MSI of the Gol.
EA211 is what the German automaker calls three- and four-cylinder powerplants from this family. Volkswagen do Brasil promises 116 ps and 16.1 kgfm of torque from the four-cylinder lump of the Saveiro, which means 114 horsepower and 116 pound-feet.
Front-wheel drive by design, the small truck rolls on 15-inch wheels exclusively. All four trims, including the range-topping Extreme, don 15s. By comparison, the compact-sized Maverick offers 17s by default, whereas the Santa Cruz from Hyundai has 18s as standard.
Photo: Volkswagen
Much sharper than its predecessor, the 2024 Volkswagen Saveiro will be available in a grand total of five exterior paint colors. The list starts with Crystal White and Ninja Black, followed by Sirius Silver. Oliver Gray is only available on the mid-range Trendline and top-of-the-line Extreme, whereas Moonstone Gray is exclusive to the Extreme. For 2024, standard goodies include hill start assist, four-wheel disc brakes rather than drums for the rear wheels, electronic stability control, and parking sensors in the rear bumper.
Volkswagen also gave the Saveiro a little more ground clearance up front, namely 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) over its highly successful predecessor. The German automaker claims that more than 1.6 million units of the Saveiro have been sold in Brazil since 1982.
Inspired by crossovers, the rugged-looking ute comes with either a single or a double cab. The single cab is exclusive to the Robust entry-level grade, whereas the Trendline and Extreme are double cabs. Allegedly the most cost-effective and robust affordable pickup on the market, the Saveiro certainly looks the part in Extreme flavor. Inherited from the Amarok, this variant stands out with the help of compass-like badges on the C pillars, a matte-black tailgate decal, skid plates that appear to be made from aluminum yet are not, diamond-cut wheels, a set of roof rails, and a sport bar.
Leather upholstery with Oliver Gray touches also needs to be mentioned, along with a rearview camera, brushed steel interior trim, and four audio speakers. The so-called Tech Package adds cruise control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, automatic headlights and wipers, and an off-road button that engages hill descent control. Think of it as off-road cruise control.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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