TOP TRUCK TRIO

HOW DOES VOLKSWAGEN'S NEW AMAROK COMPARE WITH THE SEGMENT LEADERS IN THE 4X4 UTE CLASS? WE TAKE A TRIO OF THEM FOR A SPIN TO FIND OUT

YHE TOP-END of the highly competitive midsize 4x4 ute segment got a boost with the introduction of the second-generation Volkswagen T Amarok. The original Amarok was game-changer when it was launched, rewriting the way utes were designed and how they performed. Now Volkswagen has strayed from that individuality, partnering with Ford to create the new Amarok on the Blue Oval's next-gen Ranger T6.3 platform.

To see how the new Amarok compares with the leading vehicles in its class, we took an Amarok PanAmericana out with a Ford Ranger Sport and a Hilux Rogue.

The PanAmericana is the fourth highest of five specification grades available in the new Amarok line-up and it starts at $75,990. At $67,690 the Ranger Sport is fourth from the top in an eight-variant model range. A Ranger Wildtrak would have been a better match for the PanAm in both price and specification but one wasn't available for this test. The Rogue costs $70,200 and stands at the top of the busy Hilux range for now, but the GR Sport model can't be too far away.

VOLKSWAGEN AMAROK PANAMERICANA

POWERTRAIN AND PERFORMANCE

THE Amarok PanAmericana comes exclusively with a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine, 10-speed automatic transmission and full-time dual range four-wheel drive system. The V6 diesel engine is the Ford ‘Lion’ 3.0-litre single-turbo V6 that’s also employed in the Ranger and it produces the same claimed 184kW and 600Nm.