Car Review: It's truckin’ time

Pickup trucks are the quintessential mechanical workhorses. Besides finding use at a construction site or carpentry shop, the pickup has also transitioned into a lifestyle vehicle more recently. One such example that is quietly taking to this trend is the Volkswagen Amarok.

This week we have in focus the top-spec Aventura variant of the Amarok, which is in its second generation. So, if you’re thinking of buying a pickup truck? Then check out our take on the ‘Wolf from Wolfsburg’.

Design and aesthetics

The Germanic take on aesthetics with respect for geometry and straight lines apart, there is a sense of style that coerces bystanders into taking a second look at the Volkswagen Amarok. The sculpted bonnet, the flared square wheel arches, the tall stance, and the load bed sports bars add a definitive rugged appeal, which is what I presume most people are after.

The Amarok isn’t a full-size truck like a Ram, F-150, or Silverado but it’s still a giant amongst regular cars measuring 5,350 mm in length, 1,910 mm in width, and up to 1,884 mm in height – making it slightly larger than the outgoing model. Its imposing size will fend off tailgaters, its uncommon styling grants it garage ornament status, and the off-road bits reflect its dune-bashing prowess. What more can you ask for in a lifestyle pickup truck?

The tall stance also means you need to climb aboard, but the grab handles and the sidestep make it an easy task. Inside, this workhorse has evolved to be a near-luxury vehicle. The dual-tone 'Savona' leather upholstery on the seats, the giant 12-inch infotainment screen, and the 12.3-customisable digital cockpit raise its perceived value by a bit and are pieced together quite well. There is also bucketloads of space both up front and in the rear cabin even for the big and tall. Also, the 10-way power adjustability allows one to get into a comfortable driving position and the physical controls add a degree of tactility to the chunky steering wheel.

However, there are a few niggles too. I found the seats to be hard; the inner door handles seemed a little too far behind, so opening the door to get out wasn’t as easy. The ‘Main Menu’ button is an inconspicuous digital square which is a UX fail. And there isn’t a sunroof, which one expects to be part of every vehicle these days.

SPECIFICATIONS

Body type- 5-seater; 5-door mid-size pickup truck

Engine- Front-engine; turbocharged 2.3-litre inline 4-cylinder; all-wheel drive

Transmission - 10-speed automatic

Peak output - 302 bhp @ 5,900 rpm - 452 Nm @ 3,350 rpm

0 to 100km/h- sub-8 seconds (estimated)

Top speed- 200kmph (drag limited; estimated)

Price- Starting at Dh149,900

Powertrain and performance

The Ranger, it comes with a turbocharged 2.3-litre inline 4-cylinder motor, which is the only option. But worry not; it delivers good numbers. At full steam, it makes as much as 302 horsepower and 452 Nm of torque. Our estimates are a sub-8 second run to 100kmph from a standstill. Interestingly, it doesn’t come with a ‘Sport’ mode or paddle shifters.

The 4-pot motor is coupled to a 10-speed automatic which is also borrowed from the Ford (and possibly Chevy) vehicles. Interestingly, it comes with the ability to operate like a 6-speed auto when needed, not quite sure how that helps; and the engine isn’t as refined as say VW's 3.6-litre V6 with mild observable NVH levels.

Despite its size, the Amarok is quite easy to manoeuver around the city and highways, but mall parking situations posed challenges and the 21-inch alloys allow for good grip but make the ride harsher. Braking was adequate in all situations we faced, thanks to the set of disc brakes all around, but be wary of the Amarok’s dimensions and weight (especially when loaded up).

The second gen comes with higher ramp angles and better ground clearance to ensure greater all-terrain capability. Even the fording depth has been raised to 800mm, up from 500mm. The 4MOTION all-wheel drive system allows for several drive modes, which can manage torque between each wheel individually using a multi-plate clutch. If our casual runs through parts of ‘kaccha’ and fringes of the deep desert were any indication, then this thing is built for the trails and dunes. It may not be the first to the peak, but it sure will give the popular off-roaders a run for their money.

EDITOR’S RATING- 7.0/10 stars