2023 Volkswagen Amarok

By Scott Collie and Mike Costello. Volkswagen has finally revealed its all-new Amarok ute, ahead of its anticipated arrival in Australia early in 2023.

Volkswagen says a focus was placed on blending touchscreens and modern inputs with old-fashioned buttons for the sort of rugged, work-oriented buyers who like the Amarok. The new model is 1910mm wide, or 2204mm including mirrors, which is wider than before. From the side there looks to be different door sculpting and blisters above the squared-off arches. Base models will feature an 8.0-inch digital cockpit in front of the driver, while top-spec cars will get a full-digital 12-inch unit. At 5350mm long, the new model is 96mm longer than before. Next in line is a bi-turbo unit with 150kW or 154kW of power, and 500Nm of torque. The new Amarok goes big on screens. the latter 184kW matches that of the Ranger. There are also different wheels, sized up to 21 inches. Off-road capability is said to be improved. It’s mated with full-time four-wheel drive and a 10-speed automatic. A digital instrument cluster will also feature.

The second-generation VW Amarok borrows the platform from the Ford Ranger. It's available in single and double cab body styles and five turbocharged ...

VW is proud to say the maximum payload capacity has increased to 1,160 kg (2,557 lbs) while the roof can support a static load of 350 kg (772 lbs), enough for a four-person roof tent that will be available as an official accessory. It sits alongside a digital instrument cluster with an eight-inch diagonal on the cheaper models and 12 inches for the upper trims. Running on a mildly modified version of Ford's SYNC 4, the touchscreen measures 10 or 12 inches depending on the trim level. Since we're on the subject of shoes, VW will sell the Amarok with standard 17-inch steel wheels, but the fancy ones will get a 21-inch alloy set for the first time. Depending on the region, there will also be a cheaper entry-level variant with rear-wheel drive. Developed from the ground up, the new Amarok has practically nothing in common with its predecessor of which more than 830,000 units have been sold since 2010.

The new Volkswagen Amarok and Ford Ranger utes are twins under the skin, developed alongside one another. Which parts do they share – and where do they ...

"So what is what is the beauty of that idea? "At Volkswagen, we are very much used to having the same platform, and different cars on it. And I think with this partner we found and took the right choice to ... move forward". joint product which is heading to the next level," one VW Commercial Vehicles representative explained. The new Volkswagen Amarok and Ford Ranger utes are twins under the skin, developed in partnership. We have a pure Volkswagen."

The new Volkswagen Amarok boasts strong Australian design connections after Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles established a design studio in Melbourne for the ...

“While the Amarok has this tough and rugged character, it always looks great in any situation. “[...]Here in Australia, there are a lot of pick-up drivers who love to go off-road. “Travelling in Australia often means driving far distances and our Amarok is the perfect driving machine – on city roads or long highway trips it will take you safely and comfortably to your destination, and if you explore Australia outside the city in more remote parts of the country you will find kilometres of unsealed roads, gravel roads and dirt roads that can be challenging to drive on, but of course they are no issue if you drive the Amarok."

Body-on-frame truck is twinned with new Ford Ranger available in single- and double-cab forms.

Exactly which goodies you get will depend on how far up the Amarok, Life, Style, Panamericana and Aventura range ladder you climb, but there’s a new digital instrument pack and 12-in tablet infotainment system on all mid-spec models and above, plus 20 new driver assist systems including adaptive cruise control with road sign recognition for the first time. There’s a 7,716 lbs (3,500 kg) towing capacity, maximum payload is up from 2,200 lbs (1,000 kg) to 2,557 lbs (1,160 kg), and as with the old truck you can keep your cargo safe from prying eyes with an electrically operated roll cover. But the overall length has only grown by 3.8-in (96 mm) because the overhangs have shrunk, which, together with an increase in wading depth from 19.7-in (500 mm) to 31.5-in (800 mm) should make it more useful off road. It has a static load capacity of 772 lbs (350 kg), enabling VW to offer a four-person roof tent as an option. And just to clear up any lingering doubt, “AMAROK” is stamped into the tailgate. The engine lineup changes a little depending on market, though as you’d expect, VW says all available engines have been tuned specifically for torque.

We compare initial details of the new 2023 Volkswagen Amarok against the previous generation, as well as the incoming new Ford Ranger.

This is a similar offering to other four-wheel drive ute manufacturers, and will be a first for Volkswagen. This uses an electronically-controlled clutch pack, which can provide a variable torque split between the front and rear axles. Globally, there will be four different turbo-diesel engines offered in the Amarok ute. In fact, a four-person roof tent will be available for the first time as an accessory. This means the Amarok would be able to support a roof-top tent (and up to four people inside) on the roff when stationary. And for those who want to take on regular off-road water crossings, there will be a snorkel available as an accessory.

Volkswagen has finally unveiled its highly-anticipated all-new Amarok bakkie in a global premier event, and it will be built right here in South Africa.

Volkswagen SA has just revealed its new 222kW Amarok bakkie to the world What do you think of the new Amarok's looks? Volkswagen has finally unveiled its highly-anticipated all-new Amarok bakkie in a premier global event, and it will be built right here in South Africa. WATCH

For buyers not keen on diesel power, Volkswagen Australia will offer the new Amarok with the turbo petrol heart of Ford's Focus ST hot hatch.

However, fans hoping for a twin-turbo petrol V6-powered Volkswagen Amarok will be disappointed, as Ford has previously ruled out offering VW a version of its Ranger Raptor hero ute, and it appears unlikely the engine will appear on its own in a factory-built Amarok. The new turbo-petrol Volkswagen Amarok will represent just one of three mid-size dual-cab utes with petrol engines: the non-turbo V6 Jeep Gladiator, and the Amarok's twin under the skin, the twin-turbo V6 Ford Ranger Raptor. In a surprise announcement, Volkswagen Australia has confirmed it will offer the new Amarok with a 200kW-plus turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, alongside a range of Ford-sourced four-cylinder and V6 diesel engines.

The new Volkswagen Amarok pick-up truck from the German giant has practically nothing in common with its predecessor, which has sold more than 8.30 lakh ...

The options list will include a hard-top boot cover that will give the 2023 Amarok the appearance of a more versatile vehicle. From an extra lighting bar to a snorkel-type intake, the German pick-up will have a wide range of extras. Volkswagen also said that the maximum payload capacity has increased to 1,160 kg, while on the roof it can support a load of 350 kg, enough to support a four-person roof tent that will be available as an accessory. The base version is a 2.0 TDI unit with 150 bhp, followed by a higher state of tune from the same engine producing 170 bhp. Another figure that will interest off-road lovers is the wading depth of the 2023 Volkswagen Amarok, which goes from 500 mm to an appreciable 800 mm, while 4Motion all-wheel drive is available as standard for all versions. The new model adopts Ford's updated T6 platform, which has served as the basis for the latest Ford Ranger. Of course, it is more than just an updated version of the oval signature model since Volkswagen worked hard to achieve its own visual identity.

Volkswagen is unveiling the new Amarok pickup truck today, and you can watch the full, live unveiling below at 10:00 a.m. CEST, 4:00 a.m. EST.

For those looking for a premium lifestyle truck, there will be the Aventura, while the PanAmericana will focus on off-roading. In addition to the base truck, there will be a Life and a Style trim. Volkswagen is positioning the Amarok as a premium truck and is taking advantage of the capability built into the Ranger platform.