The cheapest Amarok is one of the best

This bare-bones model proves you don’t need luxury features to have fun in a surprisingly capable four-wheel-drive.

David McCowen

3 min read

January 21, 2024 - 5:00AM

News Corp Australia Network

Six-figure sums for diesel-powered dual-cab utes aren’t far away. High-end machines such as the range-topping Volkswagen Amarok Aventura cost about $90,000 drive-away, which is a fair leap from basic work trucks of years gone by.

Luckily, there are a handful of models that buck the trend.

Volkswagen offers a broad range of Amarok models.

Value

Volkswagen reckons customers can save $5000 by choosing the entry-level Amarok Core ute that is currently on sale. But you save closer to $35,000 by choosing this one instead of a flash model.

The cheapest Amarok makes do with a less powerful engine, a spare interior and fewer toys than high-grade models.

Black plastic on the mirrors and door handles joins basic 17-inch alloys to help you spot it in the traffic. Look for an absence of tub liners, roof tracks or tray “sails” found on expensive cousins.

The drive-away price is a sharp one, particularly when you consider that it includes five years of free servicing worth $1800. It applies to 2023 model-year cars until March 31, when 2024 model-year vehicles take over for a higher price.

Affordable ‘Core’ and ‘Life’ models miss out on luxury inclusions.

Comfort

You can’t save tens of thousands of dollars without missing out on gear here and there. The list of missing items is long and includes smart keys, sat nav, climate control, rear air vents, a Harman Kardon stereo and shift-by-wire gear lever restricted to premium models.

Pick the Core and you’ll need to make do with a conventional key, single-zone aircon and a manually locking tray.

It also has a plastic steering wheel (in lieu of leather), rubber floors (there’s no carpet) and basic cloth seats (that aren’t heated or cooled).

But the fundamentals are sound. There’s plenty of bolstering in the seat cushions and a wide range of seat and steering-wheel adjustment ensures you find a comfortable posture.

Electronics-wise, the 12-inch dashboard and infotainment displays are replaced by smaller 10.1-inch and 8-inch items with fewer features, though you do get wireless smartphone mirroring.

The Amarok Core has basic materials, but decent tech.

Safety

The shortfall in tech extends to safety gear such as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, which were not available on the basic Amarok when it launched last year. That changes in 2024, when the tech will be extended to the Amarok Core, though it will bring a price increase.

As it stands, the affordable Amarok comes with nine airbags, lane keeping assistance, auto emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and more.

It has parking sensors and a reversing camera, but not the bird’s eye 360-degree view of premium variants. A more significant omission surrounds rear disc brakes, which are substituted for basic drum brakes in the car tested here.

Best utes compared: Ford Ranger, VW Amarok, Toyota HiLux

Driving

VW ships the Amarok Core with a basic 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo diesel engine that sends 125kW and 405Nm to the tyres through a six-speed automatic transmission.

Premium versions have a more powerful BiTurbo 2.0-litre (154kW/500Nm) or a thumping V6 (184kW/600Nm) but you pay for the privilege.

Amarok Core models are impressive in the rough stuff.

The less muscular motor works harder than its alternatives, an impression magnified by fewer ratios in its gearbox.

Trade-spec suspension offers a rougher ride than premium versions, particularly if you don’t have anything in the tray.

But it will get the job done.

Four-wheel-drive and solid ground clearance works in its favour.

It has the same 3.5 tonne towing capacity as the most expensive versions, and has a payload advantage of nearly 200 kilos (1042kg maximum) thanks to the absence of luxury items.

It claims the same 235mm ground clearance and 800mm wading depth as the rugged Amarok PanAmericana, and low-range four-wheel-drive with a rear differential lock will help you get out of trouble.

How VW missed a trick with the new Amarok

Alternatives

VW Amarok Life, from $58,990 drive-away

Spare another $4000? You’ll get a more powerful (and efficient) motor, along with the safety gear missing from the base Amarok Core.

Mitsubishi Triton GSR, from $55,490 drive-away

A new Triton is around the corner so you can get great deals on the outgoing model with heaps of gear for a strong price.

Toyota HiLux WorkMate, from about $34,000 drive-away

This is a true bare bones ute. Two seats, three pedals and rear-wheel-drive. It’s cheap, and nothing like as capable as a high-riding 4x4 alternative.

Verdict

Four stars

This entry-level Amarok proves cheap utes don’t have to be nasty.