Best for: Refinement
The original Volkswagen Amarok kick-started the craze for lifestyle pick-ups, combining the tough utilitarian qualities of a truck with the interior and exterior finish of an upmarket car.
Popular as it was, the Amarok failed to drum up the funds for Volkswagen’s accountants to sign off on development of a second-generation model, which is why the current version borrows the majority of its parts from the Ford Ranger.
At present, there’s a choice of three diesels: there are two four-cylinder engines, with 168bhp and 202bhp, and a 227bhp 3.0-litre V6 that’s mated to Ford’s 10-speed automatic gearbox and permanent four-wheel drive.
The Amarok is a well-sorted pick-up. It steers neatly and precisely and Volkswagen has brought its influence with strong levels of refinement and comfort – although the leaf-sprung arrangement carried over from the Ranger means it can struggle to deal with rougher roads, betraying its commercial roots.
Iffy ride aside, you can carry a maximum payload of up to 1130kg. Inside, the Amarok shares its architecture with the Ranger, but it has been draped in materials from Wolfsburg to give it an upmarket and premium feel.
It’s well equipped, too, with the central touchscreen complemented by plenty of physical buttons, and overall it feels more like an SUV than a pick-up.