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VW Amarok Review

OUR TEST CAR: VW Amarok Double Cab BiTDI 4MOTION

 
VW Amarok  - Page - 2
Again, we have to remember that we are talking about a workhorse here, so we can’t expect a great level of cushioning. The Amarok we tested, with its Highline trim level (this is the range-topping one) manages to offer bed & breakfast, but this is not a chapter at which the car shines.

The seats are generous enough to accommodate any body type and the interior space, both in front and in the back, is more than enough for the aforementioned purpose. In addition to that, the vehicle we tested came with an optional heating function for the front seats.

As always, the driver gets special attention that, in this case, was translated into a leather finish for the steering wheel, which, by the way, is shared with other models in the VW range.

Since we mentioned the “sharing” part, we have to tell you that while in most cases this annoys you, making you thing about cost reduction measures, in the Amarok’s case things are different. Let us explain. The fact that the interior shares certain parts with Volkswagen road cars, allows you to forget that you’re driving a utilitarian vehicle.

The soundproofing manages to win the battle with the decibels coming from under the car and from the windows, but not the war, as the incredibly noisy 2.0-liter engine easily defeats it, bringing sounds that couldn’t exist in a road car to your ears.

While the size of the vehicle will make you sweat in urban areas, outside the city borders it will have the opposite effect, offering you peace of mind, especially when you run out of asphalt.

Out in the wild, it’s not only a pleasure to drive the car (again, if fitted with the optional locking differentials and underbody protection), but it also manages to conceal the battle that is going on under you as you eat mile after mile of rough terrain.

The Amarok’s curriculum vitae looks very promising. On one hand, we have the rugged bits, such as the ladder chassis and the leaf-sprung rear suspension and on the other hand we’ve got a smart engine, which is a follower of the downsizing religion, as well two locking differentials, which unfortunately are optional (our test car wasn’t fitted with these goodies). However, there are also certain flaws in this tech story.

The vehicle manages to make good use of all these assets, mixing them in a way that allows it to serve its master well. How do you summarize that: a payload of 1,150 kg/2,535 lbs (this is reduced to 850 kg/1,870 lbs if you go for the comfort springs) and off-road abilities that suit a man better than a lumberjack shirt.

The vehicle also offers other aspects that don’t necessarily shine, but help it get the job done properly, such as the six-speed manual gearbox, which offers precise shifts and makes a good pair with the engine, as well the 280 mm (11 inches) ground clearance, which allows you to park it on dunes, if you want to.

Let’s start with the oil burner under the hood. VW engineers fitted the 2.0-liter unit with not one but two turbos, in order to reduce the lag. The target was achieved, as the engine doesn’t hesitate when you start asking questions, even at low rpm.

There is one area of the rev range where the engine stars to lose its muscle: in the upper part, where you’ll have to shift earlier than you would in other vehicles with similar mills.

However, the downsizing has also brought a down… side. 163 hp and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque is enough to move 4,300 lbs (around two tons) around, but this cocktail is at the limit of offering decent straight line performance. This engine is a good offer, but it would’ve better if VW allowed to choose a more potent unit.

The 4Motion part-time four-wheel-drive system, which is helped by a low gear, brings the expected “reactive” feeling, but manages to get the job done. However, if you are serious about taking the car off road, you should order the optional locking center and rear differential, features that were missing on our test car. Another thing that we wish we could’ve changed on the vehicle we tested was the total lack of underbody protection.

A feature that made us happy was the car’s “off road” button, which played with the setting of the Electronic Stability Control and the ABS in order to give the car more freedom for rough terrain driving.

The Amarok had to work hard to carry the 1,150 kg (2,535 lbs) payload on and off the road. Subsequently, it went home, took a shower and put on a set of smart-casual clothes. However, there was no time left for it to grab too many toys on its way out to the date he had with the customer.

However, the car did manage to take its music player along. We are talking about the RCD310 (this is how it’s called in the language used by the carmaker). This offers a decent audio quality, relying of six speakers to do this – four in the front and two in the back.

We’ll also mention the two-zone automatic climate control, which has no problem in playing with the temperature inside the vast cabin of the four-door Amarok. There’s one particular detail we want to talk about: the air vents on the dashboard.

These have an original design, which brings an unusual shape and is also economical. The designers went as far as fitting a mesh grille behind the openings of the vents. This somehow reminds us of the one used on the front fascia of the Golf GTI.

It seems that VW has admitted that the Amarok leaves things to be desired from this point of view and, willing to compensate, has given the car an open mind that is ready to accept many toys brought from the outside. Want some examples: the 12V socket on top of the dashboard and the storage spaces under the front seats.

This means that, besides the sound waves, you don’t have anything to entertain your passengers in. However, you can improvise, as the space offered by the bed can accommodate a whole range of interesting things that would receive the passengers’ attention.

The Amarok rolled its sleeve, looked the official Euro NCAP obstacles in the eye and went straight for the confrontation. The result? The pick-up received an overall rating of four stars, with 86 percent for adult occupant protection, 64 percent for child occupant protection and 47 percent for pedestrian protection. As for the way in which the vehicle assists the driver for avoiding a crash, it has received a rating of 57 percent.

The passenger cell stood on its feet well after the frontal impact, with the dummies in the front seats claiming that their knees and femurs were well protected.

The Amarok received the maximum number of points for the side barrier impact, but things weren’t so bright when the car’s side had to meet a pole. To be more specific, the driver’s chest only received a weak protection rating. Another area that didn’t impress was the one of the rear impact, where the vehicle only offers marginal protection.

As far as children are concerned, things are OK: the forward movement was within limits, but the vertical acceleration from the dummy’s chest was above the acceptable level.

However, the vehicle was penalized due to the fact that the label that warns of the dangers of installing a rearward facing restraint in the passenger seat without having disabled the airbag first was unclear.

That massive front bumper isn’t what it seems, as it offered good protection to pedestrian’s legs. However, we can’t say the same thing about the front edge of the bonnet. As for the rest of the hood, this offers good protection for an adult’s head, but a poor protection for a child’s head.

The Amarok is a vehicle that tries to mix the utilitarian side with the trendy part. Does it succeed? Yes, but up to a point. As a workhorse, this car will serve you well, regardless of the terrain used for carrying your load and as a road car it offers a decent level of assets.

The 1,150 kg (2,535 lbs) payload and the bed, which in our test car’s case was gifted with a superstructure, are ready to swallow anything you throw at them, while the suspension, the optional four-wheel-drive system, the ground clearance and the low gear make sure that you’ll get to almost any destination.

However, the Amarok can’t step outside the class it belongs to in terms of refinement and on road performance. The vehicle tries hard to do this, so it has a place on the podium of the pickup segment.

The same can be said about its interior, which shares many of its elements with VW’s passenger cars. What does this mean: if you’re only used to road car driving, you won’t like the noisy engine and the simple nature of the interior.

VW has sky-high ambitions for the Amarok and this is the main reason for which the car has been gifted with a smart design – it wants to conquer you at first sight.

We must keep in mind that the Amarok has to tackle the difficulties brought by the Babylonian sales plan created by VW – this pickup will be sold all over the world.

The vehicle also tries to impress through a downsized engine, but while the twin-turbo technology can offer good efficiency, it does bring a slight lack of grunt above certain speeds.

The Amarok is at the other end of the pedigree scale compared to the class reference, the Toyota Hilux, but this doesn’t mean that the competition can be relaxed, as the vehicle offers an attractive package.
THE END
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autoevolution Jul 2011
52
History
6
Exterior
5
Interior
6
In the city
2
Open road
6
Comfort
5
Tech facts
7
Gadgets
4
Safety
6
Conclusion
5
56user rating 45 votes
Rate this car!
 
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