Road Test
VOLKSWAGEN AMAROK
Picture Key
1. Styling bar forms part of the package
2. Rear bumper incorporates step 3. Reversing sensors aid safety 4. Tailgate is lockable
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above the windscreen and all the cab’s doors boast a bin and a cup-holder. Turning to the rear seat, there is a decent amount of room for the outboard passengers with more legroom than was on offer in the old Amarok, which had a shorter wheelbase and was shorter overall. The middle passenger doesn’t fare too badly either, although shoulder room remains a little tight with three occupants in place.
With just two on board the back of the middle seat can be folded down and transformed into an armrest with a pair of cup-holders.
Whoever is travelling in the back can avail themselves and make full use of a 120v/230v outlet in the
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rear of the console between the two front seats.
The cab is graced with side steps and our truck’s 18in alloy wheels were shod with Goodyear Wrangler Territory HT 255/65 R18 tyres. Tyre pressure monitoring keeps an eye on them and a full-size steel spare wheel is provided.
Powertrain
Equipped with common rail direct fuel injection and variable turbocharger geometry, Amarok’s BiTurbo in-line four-cylinder diesel delivers its maximum power at 3,750rpm. Top torque of 500Nm bites across a 1,750rpm-to- 2,000rpm plateau.
AdBlue is required to keep Amarok compliant with the Euro 6 exhaust emission rules. The filler point for the 19.3-litre AdBlue reservoir is next to the diesel filler point under a flap on the offside of the vehicle.
Driving While our Amarok would never be able to surge away from rest at quite the pace of its V6 stablemate, with 200hp-plus on tap it is certainly no slouch, delivering strong acceleration and relaxed cruising. Much of that is due to the quality and competence of the gearbox, which delivers an exceptionally-smooth change as it slides from one set of cogs to the next. The truck handles well too, swinging with ease through one rural bend after another thanks in part to its new electromechanical power steering, but in-cab noise levels are a tad too high and its unladen ride is uneven to the point of being downright lumpy. The rear suspension features leaf springs while the front employs MacPherson- type struts, and the whole system may require a rethink.
Amarok comes with a drive mode control system.
While eco mode was tempting from the fuel economy viewpoint, we stuck
26 WhatVan?September 2023
www.whatvan.co.uk
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