What springs to mind when you think of pickup trucks? Vast vistas of American countryside, builders, tradesmen, a car that can pretty much drive anywhere? Well that may have been true a few years ago, but these days pickup trucks are viable alternatives to SUVs, especially for families who want to cart a load of stuff around. The Volkswagen Amarok is one of the most luxurious pickup trucks on offer and aims to blend car-like driving dynamics with a comfortable interior and impressive load lugging credentials. So if you’ve got a load of people and luggage to move around should a pickup truck be on your shopping list and is the Amarok the best of the bunch? We’ll find out in this review, and remember we don’t just review cars at What Car?, we can help save you thousands on your next new car, just head to whatcar.com and go to our New Car Buying section. But before that, let’s see what this Amarok is like on the road. The Amarok comes with only one engine which is a three-litre V6 diesel and that comes in three different power guises.161 brake horsepower, 201 brake horsepower, and 254. The latter two are smooth and punchy, and a far cry from the clattery diesels you get in most of its competition. However, do not expect the same level of refinement as you get in a traditional SUV. The least powerful version is flexible, and can get up to motorway speeds without any trouble. It comes with a manual gearbox however, we feel that the Amarok is best suited to the 8-speed automatic that comes in the more powerful versions. The automatic gearbox also improves fuel economy and CO2 emissions.Now let’s not forget the Amarok is technically a commercial vehicle so, that boxy shape means there’s quite a lot of wind noise on the motorway. It’s a big car too, and that means it’s not especially agile through corners, but rivals such as the Nissan Navara feel even more cumbersome. In fact, by pickup standards the Amarok is actually quite good to drive and rides well. Even so be prepared for it to shudder and jolt you over bumps even on the smallest 17-inch wheels.The first thing you notice when you get inside the Amarok is, actually how premium it feels for a pickup truck. But there is no getting away from the fact that this is a tough commercial vehicle, and there’s lots of hard, easy wipe, clean plastics which is a vast contrast to the plush interiors you find in its SUV rivals. Now, getting in is quite a challenge
because it is very high up. But once you’re here, you get a great commanding view of the road. Parking is not the easiest thing to do, so if you’re going for the entry-level model make sure you spec parking sensors. For all other trims they come as standard, along with a reversing camera.Even the most basic Amarok’s come with a 6.3 inch infotainment screen which gets you Bluetooth, and a DAB radio. It’s a little bit small and fiddly to use, but it’s not bad by pickup standards. If you’re after sat-nav, you’ll have to go for the range-topping ‘Dark Label’ or spec it as an extra. What we really like are these physical buttons so that you can access key features without having to go through a convoluted touchscreen system. The Amarok is only offered as a four door double cab, which is not a surprise given that that is the most popular body choice in the UK. In terms of storage there’s lots! We’ve got somewhere to put papers at the top there, mobile phone and lipstick, two cupholders, and in here I put my picture hanging kit, and hammer. Somewhere for the banana to go, and water bottle just down there, and the glovebox could be described as… slimline! Move to the back seats and things get a little bit tighter, because there is limited legroom and headroom.Three adults can sit side-by-side, just about. In that respect it’s on a par with a Ford Ranger or Nissan Navara. So how about this massive load bed? Well the maximum weight the Amarok can take depends on is spec, but it’s between: 1068kg and 1154kg. Which means that, no matter what you’ve got to haul around or even if you go a bit mad in IKEA, the Amarok should be able to take it, and have you got something to tow? Well the Amarok can tow up to 3100kg of a braked trailer, which is slightly less than its rivals, but still plenty for most people. Part of the appeal of pickup trucks is the tempting benefit in kind payments for company car drivers, and being a commercial vehicle, no matter which version you choose – regardless of list price or CO2 emissions – the road tax (VED) is exactly the same.Because the Amarok is only available with a V6 diesel engine, it can be a little thirster than some of its rivals. However go for the right trim level and you can get a respectable 39mpg and it’s predicted to hold onto its value better than its rivals. We’d stick with entry-level ‘TrendLine’ trim which still gets you: Climate control, a DAB
radio, leather steering wheel, and some chrome detailing. To that, we’d add: Sat-nav, rear parking sensors, and adjustable lumbar support, from the options list.The Amarok is a good pickup option, it’s good to drive by class standards, has excellent load space, and a strong engine. Sure it’s expensive to buy, but we still think it’s one of the best in its class. For plenty more on the Volkswagen Amarok, including our full online review and that of its rivals, head to Whatcar.com, and remember we can help save you thousands. Just go to the New Car Buying section! But before you do any of that, hit subscribe and catch all our videos. .