Ford and Volkswagen have signed a contract to co-develop a replacement for the Amarok pick-up truck. Ford's mid-size Ranger pick-up truck will likely form the basis of any future platform, and may help Volkswagen reduce the costs associated with designing a replacement for the Amarok.
Following announcements by Mercedes-Benz that the X-Class will be cancelled, Volkswagen has also stated that sales of the Amarok pickup will temporarily cease this year in Europe.
First launched back in 2011, the Amarok is a popular pickup throughout this part of the world, and UK sales in 2019 were higher than they were in 2018 (3,839 versus 3,443). Despite this, production will end in May 2020, and we won't see another Volkswagen pickup on the market until 2022.
Fantastic car, great value, very reliable.I have had this car for 3 years and done 50k on it, no issues at all and it is great on road and off road.
The Volkswagen Amarok mid-size pickup never made it to the U.S. market, despite this country's penchant for trucks, because it was simply too expensive and too premium. It was a cultlike favorite in Europe and South America but discontinued there, too, last year.
The Highline is top of the standard Amarok range – replacing the limited edition Aventura as the best version of VW's pickup you can get. Although, this isn't actually saying that much as the moment, as the only other Amarok model you can currently buy in the UK is the mid-spec Trendline.
| Volkswagen Amarok |
|---|
| Manufacturer | Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles |
| Production | 2010–present 2010–2020 (Europe) |
| Assembly | General Pacheco, Argentina (2009–present) Hannover, Germany (2011–2020) Relizane, Algeria (2019–present) |
| Designer | Walter de Silva |
Out on the open road, the Amarok really excels with a stellar six-cylinder diesel engine and a refined ride and handling combination. That's where the HiLux is really left behind – the ride is still too firm out of the box and the diesel engine lacks any punch, which leaves it lacking in this field.
' to dirt roads. This robust ute is powered by a 190kW V6 turbo-diesel engine and equipped with 14-way heated electrical seats in premium Nappa leather 5, Discovery Media with App-Connect 3, illuminated side steps and 20" Talca silver alloys. The Amarok V6 Aventura 580 really is as tough as it looks.
Top 5 most powerful diesel engines
- AUDI A8 4.2 TDi QUATTRO. Power: 283kW. Every bit counts and Audi's top-shelf diesel tops this list by a mere 2kW.
- PORSCHE CAYENNE S DIESEL. Power: 281kW.
- BMW X5 M50d. Power: 280kW.
- RANGE ROVER SPORT HSE SDV6 HYBRID. Power: 250kW.
- RANGE ROVER SDV8 VOGUE. Power: 250kW.
The Amarok is so easy to drive thanks to its single-range full-time 4x4 system and auto-locking centre diff; simply select drive and steer it on or off the road.
When its 3.0TDi V6 engines were rolled out in 2016, Volkswagen had to introduce AdBlue to the Amarok for the first time to meet the stringent Euro 6 emission standard.
Selectable or permanent four-wheel drive also guarantees impressive off-road ability, which will help those looking to use the Amarok as a working vehicle. VW offers the Amarok with its BlueMotion Technology tweaks, which helps to further improve energy efficiency.
Despite not having a low-range transfer case with the automatic gearbox, the Amarok can still tango with the rest of the field in low-speed, off-road shenanigans. It's done via gearbox and throttle tuning, giving you good low-speed control.
The most common fault on the VW Amarok was the EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) valve. The EGR valve feeds the exhaust gases back into the engine to reduce NOx (nitrogen dioxide levels), but they often fail quite early which is highlighted by a rough idle or an illuminated engine management light.
The ABC has now reported hundreds of fines have been issued to the HiLux, Australia's top-selling vehicle, for blowing smoke. The lawsuit alleges that rather than trapping and burning off particulates, the DPF causes smelly white smoke to be emitted from the exhaust and increase fuel consumption engine wear and tear.
According to the latest WLTP fuel economy test, the 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel will return around 26-28mpg. " The 2.0-litre in the older versions of the Amarok will officially return 36–37mpg; however,in real world driving conditions, both the selectable and permanent 4Motion versions will return figures closer to 30mpg.
To avoid premature failure, however, it is recommended that the serpentine belt be changed when it first starts making a noise or at 60,000km (whichever comes first) Timing Belt Volkswagon have also revised the timeframe for replacing the timing belt, This used to be recommended for replacement at 210,000km but the new
So here we have the new 2019 Volkswagen Amarok Ultimate 580, which has the on-paper credentials to thrust it to the top of the class for towing. It has more power and torque than any other medium ute and equals the best of them with its 3500kg (braked) towing capacity.
European brands have often been criticised for high servicing costs, but Volkswagen is one of those to have joined the capped price servicing brigade. The upshot is that the Amarok was the fourth cheapest to service in our eight-ute mega test – costing $1933 over four years at every 15,000km.
Our answer: Hi Robert, That pick-up has a timing belt.
