and twist it again if you want four-wheel drive with a low-ratio set of gears. Tap the transmission shift lever to the right and you can switch from auto to manual mode, to nip easily and quickly between gears. Buttons to engage the rear-diff lock and Hill Descent Control are positioned next to the lever. In-cab storage includes a roomy lidded box between the front seats complemented by a pair of cup-holders, a lidded compartment on top of the dashboard, bins in all four doors, a shelf at the bottom of the dashboard, and a holder for your sunglasses just above the windscreen. For your money you get a lockable glovebox plus a lidded shelf above it that is home to a CD player. To a what? Yes, you read that correctly – a CD player.


Some of the plastic trim looks a bit cheap and cheerful, and the all-black cab interior can feel a little gloomy, but on a more positive note, we’re happy to report that V-Cross boasts heated front seats. Leather upholstery is used throughout, and the steering wheel is leather trimmed.


Other handy facilities include front, side, curtain and driver’s knee airbags


Rivals


Ford Ranger/Ranger Raptor


■ Price range (ex VAT)


■ Gross payload ■ Braked towing weight ■ Engines


£27,550-£49,300 652-1207kg 2500


-3500kg 170hp, 205hp, 210hp


2.0 diesel, 240hp 3.0 diesel, 292hp 3.0 petrol


Verdict: While Ranger and Volkswagen’s Amarok are based on the same platform, Ranger covers a far wider sector of the market, with greater stress on entry-level specifications. Like all manufacturers, Ford harps on endlessly about battery-electric technology and zero-emissions, yet paradoxically seems perfectly relaxed about including a model with a V6 petrol engine with almost 300hp on tap in its pick-up line-up.


Toyota Hilux


■ Price range (ex VAT)


■ Gross payload


■ Braked towing weight ■ Engines


£27,777-£60,187 1000-1030kg xxxx


150hp 2.4 diesel, 204hp 2.8 diesel


Verdict: The most important development Hilux has witnessed in recent times is the arrival of a 200hp-plus diesel which has given it a welcome power boost. The engine’s advent was accompanied by the arrival of a restyled exterior, an upgraded interior, and some useful mechanical changes. With a reputation for being well-nigh unbreakable, Hilux is not short of creature comforts. Second-hand values should be buoyant, and we like Toyota’s intelligent approach to warranty.


Volkswagen Amarok


■ Price range (ex VAT)


■ Gross payload ■ Braked towing weight


£33,990-£48,410 842-1103kg 3420


-3500kg


■ Engines 170hp, 205hp 2.0 diesel, 240hp 3.0 diesel


Verdict: Uses the same platform as Ford’s Ranger, but the styling is different, and Amarok is marketed solely as a 4x4 double cab. It is a well-thought-out package which builds on what the previous Amarok had to offer, and delivers plenty of improvements. As is usual with VW onboard safety is pitched at a high level, so is build quality, and the 10-speed automatic transmission delivers a commendably smooth change. Warranty and servicing package is impressive.


plus a centre airbag, electric windows all round, electrically adjustable, folding and heated exterior rear-view mirrors, cruise control and front foglamps. Good to see that the interior rear-view mirror has an automatic anti-glare function just in case the driver behind you forgets to dip his headlights at night. A rear-view camera is fitted along with front and rear sensors to aid low- speed manoeuvring. The position of the driver’s seat can be adjusted electrically in eight ways, including the height and angle of the cushion. The steering wheel, which features remote controls for the radio, is height-adjustable too, and can be adjusted for reach.


So far as the rear of the cab interior


is concerned, the nearside and offside seats have adequate but not over- generous leg space. Whoever gets to sit on the middle seat will find


@whatvan January 2024 WhatVan? 27


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