Amarok test/review

[craigy]

http://www.carsales.com.au/reviews/2...n-amarok-17667.

I think they are kidding themselves if they think that being dearer than the overpriced Hilux will be acceptable.

[phaeton]

Good review

[apom]

What a disappointment! I was hoping for the brilliant 3.0 V6 diesel to be the engine of choice and at least 3000kg towing capacity.

Towing 2800kgs with this engines on long trips sounds like a slog to me!

[Transporter]

Who knows? Maybe R version later on will get V6 TDI.

[Sharkie]

For me a dualcab 4x4 is a "Family Utility Vehicle" FUV .... .... Go on the beach, do Bunnings runs, cart stuff around, take the family bikes in the back somewhere to go for a ride etc etc etc ....

I'm looking at replacing a Mitsu DC this year and would have loved to say the Amarok is an option .... but I'm afraid probably not .... for 3 reasons.

1. I believe the 2.0TDI is just not going to cut it ... ... the V6s (FSI & TDI) would have been a much better bet. (or even the 2.5TDI)
2. It is beautiful to look at .... much too nice to use a workhorse or a FUV ... ... I'll be too worried about it to get much use out of it.
3. Too many electronic systems that can go wrong when you use it. It needs to be foolproof & environment proof. Sometimes a bit basic & rugged is better for a workhorse ....

[phaeton]

Looks capable enough to me

ps the 1.4 TSI engine isn't a slow coach nor has performance being altered since the cubic capacity have been taken down a notch or to; Amarok will be the same with the 2.0L BiTDI

[phaeton]

Amarok at the 2010 Dakar

[Sharkie]

Sorry Ben, but that does nothing to improve my opinion I'm afraid. I suppose I'll have to wait and see how it holds up at the Dakar .....

Rear looks quite bad actually, front is really good looking ...

I treat my Mitsu quite rough and it has never let me down. I have never had a VW (and I'm on my 7th now) that would have taken the same abuse without having some kind of problem, so workhorse tough ... I doubt the Amarok has it ...

Too much tech and not enough toughness .... ... be happy to be proven wrong though

[Sharkie]

Looks capable enough to me

ps the 1.4 TSI engine isn't a slow coach nor has performance being altered since the cubic capacity have been taken down a notch or to; Amarok will be the same with the 2.0L BiTDI

Don't need a high performance small turbo (and the 2.0BITDI is just that) in a workhorse .... don't believe it has the long term reliability and ease of maintenance (and lower cost) of a bigger more "agricultural" engine ....

And these places they took these proto's to, I could easily take the Tiguan to as well, does not prove toughness by any means ....

BTW, my wife loves it and wants 1, but I think we'll wait and see how it stacks up. Let 4x4Australia have 1 and do a comparison test 1st.

[apom]

Sorry Ben, but that does nothing to improve my opinion I'm afraid. I suppose I'll have to wait and see how it holds up at the Dakar .....

Rear looks quite bad actually, front is really good looking ...

I treat my Mitsu quite rough and it has never let me down. I have never had a VW (and I'm on my 7th now) that would have taken the same abuse without having some kind of problem, so workhorse tough ... I doubt the Amarok has it ...

Too much tech and not enough toughness .... ... be happy to be proven wrong though

sadly, i agree!!! I want a proper ute with a decent motor and the option of automatic for towing

[6thgear]

agreed. if i were in the market for this i'd wait for one of the 4wd outfits to give it a proper test!

however i do have a feeling that the amarok would tend to be driven as a shopping trolley/family vehicle rather than used as a true workhorse/offroader anyhow.

i think the hilux just has it down pat in that department...

[jb747]

I own a current model Hilux. It's been around Australia twice, once towing a caravan, and it will be off again in a couple of months. As delivered by Toyota, it was a long way short of the sort of vehicle that we wanted. But the bits needed to make it a lot closer to that goal were readily available. It has never given any trouble, and has been pretty severely 'off road'. It isn't particularly smooth, and I'd just love it to have a better engine and a much larger tow capacity.

Whilst the two litre VW diesel has the numbers (kw and torque) of the Hilux I'd have to admit that my preference would be for a bigger and lazier engine. I'm just not all that keen on having a thoroughbred out in the bush. Right now I'm seriously considering buying an Audi Q5 3 TDI (not for the bush I might add), and if VW had chosen to put that engine or a derivative into the Amarok I would be interested. But, with variants of the Golf engine, no thanks.

[phaeton]

The engine and concept has been developed by VWCV for a couple of years now.

I have no qualm with a low capacity engine powering the Amarok or that vehicle size.
We must also remember Europe is taxing high capacity engines this is VWs way of saving extra costs to the buyer and that the vehicle is built and made also for Developing markets where costs must be kept down otherwise no money would be made.

[flyingfridge]

Don't worry about the engine size chaps, we've got the same engine in the transporter now and it's a MONSTER! 400Nm at 1500rpm to HiLux's 343Nm at 1400rpm says a lot... in fact the 103 is closer in spec to the HiLux motor.

[Transporter]

Yeah, also new Euro6 emissions that are coming in 2014 are pushing manufacturers to downsize engines and reduce friction to improve fuel consumption, so the 6,8 and more cylinders engines will be soon the thing of the past. The 5 cylinder engines will replace them in prestige and high performance vehicles.